Sweet Potato Soup

This sweet potato soup recipe is one of my favorite healthy comfort foods. Made with veggies, coconut milk, and spices, it's rich, creamy, and delicious.

Sweet potato soup

Jack and I spent the first official week of fall eating bowl after bowl of this sweet potato soup. I don’t know what it is about creamy orange soup, but for some reason, it just seems like the perfect meal on a chilly day. Its vibrant color brightens up gray, dreary weather, and its velvety broth warms you from the inside out.

Most years, I make my butternut squash soup or pumpkin soup on repeat at the start of fall, but right now, I’m still stuck on this sweet potato soup. It has a rich, sweet, and smoky flavor, with a tangy finish from apple cider vinegar. The texture is wonderfully smooth and creamy, which makes a single bowl feel really substantial.

If you find yourself craving cozy comfort food in the next couple of weeks, this sweet potato soup recipe is exactly what you should make. It’s simple, nourishing, and deliciously unexpected. Crusty bread for serving is optional, but highly recommended.

Sweet potato soup recipe ingredients

Sweet Potato Soup Recipe Ingredients

Another thing I love about this sweet potato soup recipe? To make it, you only need a handful of ingredients:

  • Sweet potatoes, of course! They give the soup its sweet flavor, vibrant color, and luscious texture.
  • An apple – It brings out the sweetness of the sweet potatoes.
  • Onion and garlic – For savory depth of flavor.
  • Coriander and ginger – They add warm, aromatic flavor to the soup.
  • Smoked paprika – It gives the soup its delicious smokiness.
  • Extra-virgin olive oil and coconut milk – For richness.
  • Vegetable broth – Use store-bought, or make your own.
  • Apple cider vinegar – For tang.
  • And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Sweet potatoes and apples in Dutch oven with wooden spoon

How to Make This Sweet Potato Soup

This sweet potato soup recipe is soup-er (I had to!) simple to make. Here’s how it goes:

First, sauté the veggies. In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the onion until it softens, for about 5 minutes. Then, add the sweet potatoes and apple and cook until they start to soften, for another 8 to 10 minutes.

Pouring coconut milk into pot with sweet potatoes, apples, and broth

Next, stir in the seasonings. Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, and smoked paprika and stir until they’re fragrant. Then, mix in the apple cider vinegar, followed by the broth and the coconut milk. (Tip: I like to reserve 1/4 cup of my coconut milk for garnish. It creates such a pretty white swirl on the orange soup!)

Then, simmer. Bring the soup to a boil, cover the pot, and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender.

Finally, puree the soup! Allow the soup to cool slightly before transferring it to a large blender and pureeing until smooth. (Alternatively, you could use an immersion blender for this step.) If the soup is too thick, blend in a little more broth. When it reaches your desired consistency, season to taste and serve.

That’s it!

Pot of creamy sweet potato soup

Sweet Potato Soup Serving Suggestions

When you’re ready to eat, portion the creamy sweet potato soup into bowls. Garnish it with a swirl of coconut milk, fresh cilantro, Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes, and pepitas for crunch.

I often eat the soup as a meal on its own (with a thick slice of crusty bread, of course!), but it’s also fantastic with a salad or roasted vegetables on the side. Try pairing it with any of these recipes:

Enjoy!

Sweet potato soup recipe

More Favorite Soup Recipes

If you love this sweet potato soup recipe, try one of these delicious soups next:

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Sweet Potato Soup

rate this recipe:
4.93 from 235 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Serves 4
On a cold winter or fall night, warm up with this creamy sweet potato soup! It's healthy, comforting, and filled with delicious sweet and smoky flavor. Vegan and gluten-free.

Ingredients

Serving Options

  • Pepitas, for garnish
  • Fresh cilantro, for garnish
  • Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes, for garnish
  • Crusty bread, for serving

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, salt, and several grinds of pepper and sauté until soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and the apple and cook until they begin to soften, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, and smoked paprika and stir. Stir in the apple cider vinegar and then 3 cups of the broth and the coconut milk. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Let cool slightly and pour the soup into a blender, working in batches if necessary, and blend until smooth. If your soup is too thick, add up to 1 cup more broth and blend. Season to taste and top with a swirl of coconut milk, pepitas, cilantro, and Aleppo pepper, if desired. Serve with crusty bread.

Notes

This soup thickens as it cools. If reheating it, stir in a little water to create a smooth, creamy consistency.

229 comments

4.93 from 235 votes (118 ratings without comment)

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Heidi wambaugh
    10.28.2021

    5 stars
    This recipe was really delicious! I don’t normally like pureed soups but this was really tasty; thanks for a great and easy to follow recipe. The only thing I changed was I added the juice of half a lime to the soup at the end.

  2. Devon Katzenberger
    10.27.2021

    Such a cozy warm soup for a cold fall day! Whole family loved it I topped it with red pepper flakes and liked the contrast of the heat.

  3. Gretchen Kreutz
    10.27.2021

    5 stars
    Wonderful alternative to the traditional butternut squash soup! Thanks for another delicious recipe 🙂

  4. Maggie Cooney
    10.27.2021

    This soup was really yummy and great for a fall day!

  5. Christina Felix
    10.27.2021

    5 stars
    Made this last night and it was delicious! I topped it with some aleppo pepper and reserved coconut milk and made some bread, the whole meal was warming and tasty. I’ll be making this again for sure!

  6. Rachel Glasmeier
    10.26.2021

    4 stars
    Loved it!

  7. Carol Theiss
    10.25.2021

    5 stars
    Topped mine with a little parm & nature source salad topper. Yum!

  8. SQ
    10.24.2021

    5 stars
    This was delish and souper (ha!) easy! I will be making this again. Thanks for another great recipe!!

  9. Leslie McDonough
    10.24.2021

    5 stars
    This soup was easy and delicious! I loved the combo of spices. I paired it with a roasted Brussels sprouts and apple salad and a pumpkin beer 🙂

  10. Shira
    10.22.2021

    5 stars
    This soup is so good! Creamy and bright and easy to make!

  11. Elizabeth Warren
    10.22.2021

    5 stars
    I thought this soup would taste the same as butternut squash soup, but the apple added a slight sweetness. My store was sold out of full-fat coconut milk, so I used light coconut milk and it still tasted great! I garnished mine with cilantro and a pinch of urfa biber for a little kick. Red chili pepper flakes would be tasty also. Will make again!

  12. Tamara Stokes
    10.22.2021

    4 stars
    Easy to make and delicious!

  13. Alexandra Bisson
    10.20.2021

    5 stars
    Wow that smokey flavor!! This is going in the books. Delicious.

  14. Elaine Scanlon
    10.20.2021

    5 stars
    It was a hit with my family. Very flavorful. I only had light coconut milk and it still tasted great. Loved it with the pepitas for that extra crunch! Yum!

  15. Samantha Barnett
    10.20.2021

    5 stars
    This recipe is a winner! I loved how sweet it was with the apple in it. I used a large Honeycrisp apple. This soup tastes like Autumn. I want to make it for Thanksgiving too!

  16. Carrie McCormack
    10.20.2021

    5 stars
    This was outstanding! It’s even easier than butternut squash soup and we loved it with sourdough and a salad. Definitely plan to stock the freezer with this one!

  17. Sara Miller
    10.20.2021

    5 stars
    I loved this soup! I make the butternut squash soup from the recipe on this blog often, but this was a nice change of pace. This soup is warm, comforting, and perfect alongside loaded avocado hummus toasts.

  18. Helena Holmes
    10.18.2021

    5 stars
    I made this soup over the weekend and it was super delicious! The combination of flavors made it an extra special dinner!

  19. Arianna Nuri
    10.17.2021

    5 stars
    Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious and warming— perfect for a cozy, rainy fall night! The spices, vinegar, and coconut make for a really balanced soup. I added some chives that I needed to use up— it was a nice addition!

  20. Kristin Tweardy
    10.17.2021

    5 stars
    Love the layers of flavor in this soup! It’s such a nice step away from the ever present butternut this time of year….I added way more ginger and garlic as I do for every recipe and topped with pepitas, scallions, and a sprinkle of chipotle chili pepper. I will certainly make again!

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Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.