Curry-Spiced Sweet Potato Soup
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Silky-smooth sweet potato soup with blended with coconut milk and warm curry spices, topped with a fresh pomegranate salsa.
This velvety sweet potato soup is creamy and completely dairy-free. The secret to its lovely texture is full-fat coconut milk and a quick whirl in a blender, which makes this soup as comforting as a warm cashmere wrap.
The vibrant color of this soup is amplified by the gorgeous golden hue of ground turmeric, the spice most often found in curry powder.
The best season for sweet potatoes is late fall and winter, conveniently timed for an appearance on the Thanksgiving table.
Fun Fact: Not only does turmeric lend its color and lightly bitter taste to curry spice blends, soups and sauces, it also helps to thicken them because it’s a rhizome plant with naturally starchy compounds.
The pomegranate relish I swirl on as a garnish is a recipe I’ve been making for years. Fresh pomegranate arils pop with tart and sweet juice, a welcome contrast to the rich-tasting soup.
Curry-Spiced Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) coconut oil, or olive oil
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons (15 g) ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 ¾ pounds (800 g) sweet potato (about 2), peeled and diced
- 5 cups vegetable broth, or water
- Kosher salt
- 1 13.5-ounce (400 ml) can coconut milk, (full fat, not light)
Pomegranate Salsa:
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses, or balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup (82 g) fresh pomegranate seeds, about ½ a pomegranate
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion, ginger and garlic and cook until the onion is softened and translucent.
- Add the turmeric, coriander, cumin, black pepper and cayenne, stirring to coat the spices in the oil.
- Add the sweet potatoes, broth, and 2 teaspoons salt to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then adjust the temperature to keep the liquid from boiling. Cook the soup partially covered for 30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender.
- Pour the coconut milk into the soup and remove from the heat. Let cool slightly.
- Puree the soup in a blender until smooth, in batches if necessary. Season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve the soup with a few spoonfuls of salsa on top.
Pomegranate Salsa
- To make the salsa, put the shallots, salt and lemon juice in a bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes. Stir in the olive oil and pomegranate molasses to blend, then add the pomegranate seeds and parsley.
Notes
- The soup keeps in the refrigerator 3-5 days, and in the freezer for 1 month.
- If you use a blender to puree the soup, be careful to only fill the blender jar about halfway. Hot soup expands quickly under pressure, making a mess if it explodes out of the lid.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
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