Creamy Baked Sweet Potato Soup

Straddling the space between hearty and light, this Creamy Roasted Sweet Potato Soup is a comforting meal just begging to be garnished with tasty toppings. 

There’s something unequivocally comforting about a bowl of soup when the weather turns cool and crisp. Hearty soups, creamy soups, spicy soups, noodle soups, I don’t discriminate, I love ‘em all. 

The soup I’m about to lay on you - Creamy Baked Sweet Potato Soup - lives in the space between hearty and light. It’s creamy and luxurious, each spoonful bursting with sweet potato flavor bolstered by complementary seasonings; garlic, onion, brown sugar, and smoked paprika offer a beautiful balance to this creamy bowl of sweet potato goodness.

A Note on Textural Contrast and Flavor Enhancers

The beauty of this roasted sweet potato soup being mild-flavored is that you can easily switch up the flavor profile, depending on your mood. A few dashes of hot sauce, a swirl of crema, a peppering of fresh or dried herbs, a sprinkling of shredded cheese, and voila! Each bowlful can be a unique experience. 

I opted for toasted pepitas and a generous swirl of crema. 

Effort Required: Slight Forethought and a Willingness to Blend 

This roasted sweet potato soup comes together pretty quickly once you have the baking of the sweet potatoes out of the way. You could even bake the sweet potatoes a bit in advance, then assemble the soup at a later time. And the seasonings are kept to a minimum 1) to let the flavor of the sweet potato star and 2) laziness. This soup requires a handful of pantry staples and a willingness to blend the soup. Give me that and you’ll have a lovely creamy sweet potato soup with leftovers to boot.   

This makes around 5-6 servings, factoring in tasty garnishes and a carby, dippable side. Creamy Roasted Sweet Potato Soup reheats beautifully and you can freeze it in individual portion sizes for quick single-serve meals. 

How do you make Baked Sweet Potato Soup?

To make this lovely roasted sweet potato soup you will need the following ingredients:

INGREDIENTS  

• 3 lbs sweet potatoes
• 2 tbsp butter (salted)
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• ½ cup yellow onion finely diced
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar
• 2 dashes cayenne pepper (optional)
• ½ cup whole milk
• Pepitas (optional, garnish)
• Crema (optional, garnish)

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Score sweet potatoes with a sharp knife in an X and bake at 350 for about an hour, or until the sweet potatoes are fully cooked.
2. Remove from oven, slice each sweet potato in half, and let cool.
3. In a large pot, melt 2 tablespoons of salted butter over medium heat.
4. Add ½ cup diced yellow onion and 3 minced cloves of garlic to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add 4 cups of chicken stock and increase heat to medium-high.
6. Scoop out the sweet potato and add to the pot. Reserve the skins for another use or toss.
7. Add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon turmeric, and 2 dashes of cayenne (optional) and stir.
8. Continue cooking over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Using a stick blender, blend until smooth.*
9. Add ½ cup whole milk and stir. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
10. Garnish with pepitas and crema, or whatever tasty toppings you have on hand.

If you’re looking for more cozy soups, give these a try:

• Spicy Roasted Carrot Soup
• Roasted Cauliflower Corn Chowder
• Zesty Baked Potato Soup

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