Sweet Potato Soup with Cumin and Cream Recipe
A creamy and comforting sweet potato soup made with sautéed aromatics, cumin, and finished with a swirl of cream and crunchy toppings. Perfect for a cozy meal, this soup combines the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes with warm spices and rich textures.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 28 minutes
- Total Time: 43 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: International
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter (or more oil)
- 2 onions, diced
- 2 leeks, white and pale green parts only, quartered and cut into 1cm / 1/2″ slices
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 kg / 2 lb sweet potato, peeled, quartered lengthwise, cut into 2cm / 0.8″ chunks
Seasonings and Liquids
- 1 tbsp cumin powder
- 1.25 litre / 1.25 quarts low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- 1.5 tsp cooking / kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/3 cup cream (any type) or an extra knob of butter
Garnishes
- Extra virgin olive oil, cream, yogurt, or sour cream for drizzling/dolloping
- Crunchy toppings such as flatbread strips, croutons, pistachios, pepitas, or crispy fried shallots
Instructions
- Sauté aromatics: Heat the olive oil and melt the butter in a large, heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions, sliced leeks, and chopped garlic. Cook for 5 minutes until the vegetables have softened and become fragrant.
- Add sweet potato and cumin: Add the sweet potato chunks and cumin powder to the pot. Cook for another 3 minutes, stirring regularly to coat the sweet potatoes with the spices and to begin softening them.
- Simmer the soup: Pour in the low sodium chicken or vegetable stock along with salt and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are very tender.
- Blend the soup: Remove the pot from the heat. Using a hand-held stick blender, carefully puree the soup until smooth and creamy. Stir in the cream or extra butter to enrich the soup.
- Garnish and serve: Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle with your choice of extra virgin olive oil, cream, yogurt, or sour cream. Sprinkle with a crunchy topping such as pistachios, crispy flatbread strips, croutons, or fried shallots to add texture and finishing flair.
Notes
- Note 1: Use only the white and pale green parts of the leeks to avoid tough green leaves.
- Note 2: Low sodium stock allows better control of the soup’s saltiness.
- Note 3: Crunchy toppings like flatbread strips and pistachios add delightful texture contrast.
- Note 4: If using a blender instead of a stick blender, allow the soup to cool slightly and blend in batches to avoid splattering.
Keywords: Sweet Potato Soup, Creamy Soup, Comfort Food, Healthy Soup, Gluten Free Soup, Cumin Soup, Autumn Soup
