Creamy Vegan Sweet Potato Soup

This creamy vegan sweet potato soup is vibrant, smooth and utterly delicious. It's the perfect appetizer or quick lunch for those moments you want a comforting, satisfying meal.

If you're looking for ways to use up sweet potatoes, this creamy sweet potato soup is an excellent recipe to try.

This is a healthy vegan soup recipe that you can make super creamy with a splash of coconut milk.

I personally love the vibrant orange colour of this soup - it's an instant mood booster and makes this comforting soup super appealing.

Why you'll love this vegan sweet potato soup

• It's extra smooth and creamy. You don't need any dairy to make a super creamy sweet potato soup. The soup is naturally creamy from the potatoes and made even smoother with a splash of coconut milk.
• It's easy to make your own. From playing with the spices to swapping some of the veggies, you can easily customize this veggie soup with sweet potato.
• It's gluten-free, dairy-free and low-calorie. This is a delicious soup that's also good for you.

Ingredients and substitutions

Olive oil - You only need a splash of olive oil to make this sweet potato and carrot soup with coconut milk. If you don't cook with oil, you can saute the veggies in vegetable stock instead.

Leek - I like the leek flavour in this soup, but you can also use your favourite type of onion here.

Carrot, celery and parsnip - This trio of veggies sets a wonderful flavour base for the soup. Use carrot and celery if you don't have any parsnip.

Spices - I used a mix of paprika, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, ground cinnamon and ground black pepper to infuse this vegan sweet potato soup with warming flavours.

Feel free to adjust the spices to suit your preferences. If you want the soup to be spicier, add a finely chopped red or green chilli pepper with the garlic and ginger. Alternatively, use some red pepper flakes instead.

Sweet potatoes - Chopping the sweet potatoes in small chunks reduces the cooking time. You can also use butternut squash in this soup.

Vegetable stock - A low-sodium vegetable broth is best in this soup if using shop-bought.

Coconut milk - This vegan carrot sweet potato soup is naturally creamy from the sweet potatoes, but you can make it extra creamy by adding 100 ml (half a cup) of canned coconut milk or coconut cream.

How to make sweet potato soup with coconut milk

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and add the leek, carrot, celery and parsnip. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are slightly softened.

Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Stir in the paprika, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, ground cinnamon and ground black pepper and continue to cook for another minute.

Stir in the sweet potatoes and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, then simmer for 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are very soft.

Turn off the heat and allow the soup to cool slightly for a couple of minutes. Use a hand blender to puree it until smooth and creamy.

Stir in the coconut milk and season to taste. You can heat the soup for a couple of minutes at this point.

Serve with toast, crusty bread or croutons, with an extra splash of coconut milk and freshly chopped chives on top if you like.

Leftovers and storage

• Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container.
• You can reheat the soup in the microwave or on the stovetop.
• To freeze the soup, allow it to cool completely, transfer it to freezer-safe containers or bags and seal tight. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Recipe notes and tips

• If you want to make the soup thinner, add 1 cup of vegetable stock or water. Make sure you adjust the seasonings if you do that.
• You can add a can of lentils or chickpeas if you want to boost the protein intake of this soup.
• Extra toppings for this soup include roasted chickpeas, fresh thyme and red chilli flakes.

If you liked this vegan sweet potato soup, you might also like some of my other easy vegan soup recipes:

• Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
• Sopa de Fideo
• Celeriac Soup with Pearl Barley
• Vegan Enchilada Soup
• Vegan Pasta e Ceci

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