Description

A creamy and comforting Sweet Potato Soup made by simmering sweet potatoes with aromatic onions, leeks, and garlic, flavored with cumin and finished with cream for richness. This soup is pureed to a smooth texture and garnished with crunchy toppings and a drizzle of cream or olive oil, perfect for a cozy meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Base Ingredients

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter (or more olive oil)
2 onions, diced
2 leeks (white and pale green parts only, quartered and sliced into 1cm / 1/2″ pieces)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 kg / 2 lb sweet potato, peeled, quartered lengthwise, cut into 2cm / 0.8″ chunks

Seasonings and Liquids

1 tbsp cumin powder
1.25 litre / 1.25 quarts chicken or vegetable stock, low sodium
1.5 tsp cooking or kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper

Finishing Ingredients

1/3 cup cream (any type) or an extra knob of butter
Optional to drizzle/dollop: extra virgin olive oil, cream, yogurt, or sour cream

Garnishes

Crunchy toppings such as flatbread strips, croutons, pistachios, pepitas, or crispy fried shallots

Instructions

Sauté Aromatics: Heat the olive oil and melt the butter in a large heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions, leeks, and chopped garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and fragrant.
Add Sweet Potato and Cumin: Stir in the sweet potato chunks and cumin powder. Continue cooking for another 3 minutes, stirring regularly to coat the sweet potatoes with spices and to slightly toast the cumin.
Simmer: Pour in the low sodium chicken or vegetable stock, then season with salt and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are very tender and easily pierced with a fork.
Blend the Soup: Remove the pot from the heat. Using a handheld stick blender, puree the soup directly in the pot until completely smooth. Alternatively, transfer the soup in batches to a blender and blend until smooth. Stir in the cream or extra butter to enrich the soup.
Garnish and Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle with your choice of cream, yogurt, or olive oil. Sprinkle with a crunchy garnish such as flatbread strips, croutons, pistachios, or crispy fried shallots to add texture and flavor contrast.

Notes

Note 1: Use only the white and pale green parts of the leeks to avoid bitterness.
Note 2: Use low sodium stock to control the saltiness of the soup.
Note 3: Crunchy garnishes add texture and visual appeal. Flatbread strips or toasted nuts like pistachios work well.
Note 4: If your blender is not handheld, blend the soup in batches carefully to avoid burns.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 28 minutes
Category: Soup
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: International

Keywords: Sweet Potato Soup, Creamy Soup, Comfort Food, Healthy Soup, Easy Dinner, Autumn Soup