I consider sweet potatoes a near-perfect food. I know they’re considered a starch, and those trying to lose weight might avoid them, but they’re full of so much goodness. They’re rich in fiber, and they’re one of the best sources of beta-carotene– for Vitamin A. You can do just about anything with them. For example, you can turn them into fries or use them in pies (hey, that rhymes!). Bake them in tarts and brownies. Serve them on the side of meat dishes. Roast them and use them in salads. Use them in soups or in place of regular potatoes for your breakfast hash. The list goes on and on.
I think I serve sweet potatoes at least 2-3 times each week in my home. We all love them, and I’ve convinced the kids that the more color they have on their plates, the better off they’ll be. So the kids welcome the sweet potatoes I serve them in any form.
We have endured a particularly wet winter here in Northern California, and that means less time outside and more time inside, hunkered down, trying to avoid growing webbing between our fingers and toes. That also means more warm soups to stave off the damp chill.
I love this recipe because it’s super easy to prepare (my number one criteria most of the time!), tasty and comforting. I like to top it with toasted prosciutto and toasted pecans, but you could easily sub a vegetarian or vegan option. I’ve also topped this soup with spiced, toasted pepitas (see my recipe here). Of course, you don’t have to garnish your soups at all, but I think it’s nice to have a contrast of textures when you’re making a super smooth soup. This recipe serves 4-6 depending on whether you’re serving it as one of several courses or whether it’s the main attraction.
Ingredients
1 small red onion, skin peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
1 tbsp ghee
2 medium-size sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
3-4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
1-2 tbsp maple syrup
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Sea salt
3-4 slices of prosciutto
1/3 cup pecans
Preparation
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium het. Add in the onions and garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onions soften. Add in the sweet potatoes. Pour in enough stock to cover. Submerge the bay leaves. Tap in the cinnamon. Turn up the heat; bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until the sweet potatoes are fork tender (25-30 minutes).
While the soup is simmering, place 3-4 strips of prosciutto and the pecans in a shallow baking dish and cook in a toaster oven (if you have one) on the “toast” setting or regular oven on broil until crisp. Be careful not to let it burn! The high fat content make both susceptible to burning.
When the sweet potato is cooked through, remove the bay leaves. Puree the mixture using a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix) or a good immersion blender, adding a bit of warm water or more stock if you think the consistency is too thick. Stir in the maple syrup and 1 tsp salt. Taste and adjust seasoning, to your liking.
Pour into bowls, and garnish with crumbled prosciutto and pecans. Serve hot.
Enjoy!
Totally making this tonight for my gang! Thanks! Need new easy soups since Hannah is now GF and a lot of mine have some form of gluten in them!
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Hannah is GF now? I’d love the hear what brought this about… Come for tea or meet for lunch soon??
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Cannot wait to try this!
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Please let me know how you like it!
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I am a fan of sweet potatoes too, they taste amazing! And this soup looks so creamy, yum! 🙂 Monica x
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Thanks, Monica. I try to eat sweet potatoes at least twice a week. I’ll be posting a recipe soon for glazed roasted sweet potatoes with a yogurt lime dressing. -Moira
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Wow that sounds amazing, I can’t wait to see the recipe! X
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