The steps to this recipe are very, very simple. Cook some bacon (admittedly my favorite part). Use some of the leftover bacon fat in a large saucepan to sauté some onion and garlic. Add potatoes and simmer in chicken broth. Puree everything, and you’re done. The result is a creamy, hearty soup with a whole lot of flavor and little demand on your time. And don’t forget to top the soup with crumbled bacon before serving. The cozy soup would make a delicious first course, or can be eaten on its own.
Sweet potatoes are very handy to have around during the winter, and not just for soup. They are inexpensive and so many things can be done with them. Although I usually like to add the potatoes to a dish when I am in search of a starchy component, they also provide a lot of vitamins and minerals. They are a good source of vitamins B6, C, and D, as well as iron, magnesium, and potassium. That’s more than one reason to try out this tasty soup.
This recipe is also a great way to use up leftover sweet potatoes, perhaps from a big holiday party. If you have sweet potatoes that are already cooked, simply stir them in after the chicken broth has been simmering for a couple minutes. Then simmer about 5 minutes more so that the sweet potatoes soak up all the flavors. After that puree as usual. You can even freeze any extra, to heat up on a cold and blustery day.
Ingredients
- 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
- 4 cups chicken broth, or more for desired consistency
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
- Pinch of cayenne
- 4 slices bacon
Directions
- Place the bacon into a large skillet and cook until crisp. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate and crumble into pieces. Set aside.
- Transfer one tablespoon of the bacon fat to a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, salt, cumin, coriander, pepper, and cayenne. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the onion is soft. Add the sweet potatoes and chicken broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
- Using an immersion blender, puree ingredients in the pot until smooth. (Alternatively, carefully transfer to a blender.) Serve warm garnished with crumbled bacon.
I did white sweet potatoes v. traditional and used vegetable broth instead of chicken and also no bacon. It needs something salty (like bacon) but I tried GF avocado toast with jalapeño oil and that was a great side to balance the sweetness of SP. I’d definitely make this again. Thanks for the recipe! ☺️
This soup is very easy to make, and super tasty. Our family loves it!