Creamy Sweet Potato Soup

Claire shared this recipe with me in 2022.  I made a few tweeks.  This is one of my favorites. It doesn’t matter which type of sweet potato you use although the bright orange one (commonly identified as a yam) has a prettier color. 

4 large sweet potatoes, cut in half lengthwise

Olive oil 

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium yellow onion, diced 

2 stalks celery, diced

3 cloves garlic, diced fine 

3 cups chicken stock 

13.5 oz can coconut milk

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

3/4 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon cumin 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees  

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil.

Wash potatoes and pay dry. No need to peel.

Cut each potato in half lengthwise  and place cut side down on the sheet pan.  

Toast potatoes until very tender.

Peel off skin and discard.

While the potatoes are roasting:

In a medium pot, sauté the onion and celery in butter over medium heat until translucent.  Add the garlic and dry spices and stir to combine.  Cook for 1 minute. 

Add the chicken stock to the pot and simmer on low until the potatoes are ready.

Add the potatoes and coconut milk, vinegar and soy sauce and stir to combine. Blend using an immersion blender until the potatoes are fully combined. (Or you can blend in a blender but be careful using hot liquid)

Cook the soup on low for another 15 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Garnish individual servings with toasted pecans and sour cream.  I ate mine plain and it was delicious.