Spicy Sweet Potato Soup Recipe

With the exception of gazpacho and perhaps a light tortilla soup, many people think of soups and stews as cold weather meals, passing on warm, hearty, and nutritious dishes during the warmer months. Once you try this one though, you might expand your thinking a bit. "This soup is one of my cold weather favorites," says chef and recipe developer Maren Epstein of Eating Works, adding, "Although I like it all year long. I just made myself a big pot of it and am eating it even while I'm in Florida." If Spicy Sweet Potato Soup is on the menu in Florida, it should be on the menu everywhere.

And considering this tasty, spicy soup uses ingredients you can find anywhere in any season, that's just one more reason to try a batch yourself. And to make a whole meal, Epstein says: "This soup pairs well with a hearty piece of roasted chicken and a glass of Malbec. A sweet dessert like apple pie would hit the spot after this spicy soup." So maybe it belongs on the holiday table along with the any-day-of-the-week table?

Only one way to find out. Gather your spices, potatoes, and other ingredients, pour yourself a glass of wine, and let's get cooking.

To make a batch of this soup that will yield 8 servings, you'll need 4 cups of sweet potatoes, cubed (about 4 small potatoes); sea salt; curry powder; chili powder; cumin; olive oil; diced sweet Vidalia onions; minced garlic; chopped carrots; half of an apple, chopped; Malbec wine (this is optional); water (not optional); coconut creamer or heavy cream; red wine vinegar; and a pinch of everything bagel seasoning (or sesame seeds) as an optional garnish.

Note that Epstein says: "The wine is totally optional. I have made this soup with and without the wine and it is delicious either way. The wine just helps make the flavor more complex."

The sweet potatoes are the main event of this soup, so take good care of them. "Easy mistakes to avoid here would be burning the potatoes," says Epstein. "Don't forget about them in the oven! One hack is to place the potatoes on the highest rack so they cook faster." And because they will simmer later for a long time, it's better to slightly undercook than roast them until they char.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, then peel and dice the sweet potatoes. Next, spread them out on a foil-lined baking sheet and toss the cubes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the salt, and 1 teaspoon each of the curry powder, chili powder, and cumin. Now pop the prepped potatoes in the oven for 45 minutes, stirring and flipping them at the halfway mark.

"To make this recipe less spicy just leave out the chili powder," Epstein says.

Heat the rest of the olive oil in a Dutch oven or a deep pot and the add the onions once the oil is hot. Atop the diced onions, add the rest of the curry powder, chili powder, and cumin. Sauté until the onions are translucent (which will take about 7 minutes), and then add the garlic and cook for another minute until the garlic becomes fragrant. 

Meanwhile, if you have not already, coin the carrots. Ideally you have timed things so the potatoes will be just about done when the onion and garlic are softened and ready. As you finish the sautéing, and just before you pull the potatoes from the oven, chop the apple.

Once the onion and garlic sautéing is done, add the sweet potatoes, carrots, and apple to the pot. Cook and stir for another minute and then add the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping at the bottom. Next add the water and bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for 15 minutes.

Now transfer the soup to a high speed blender (or use an immersion blender stuck down into the pot) and process the soup until it's smooth. Finally, add the coconut creamer and vinegar and stir (or blend) it in well. Then serve your finished soup into bowls, ideally with a sprinkle of the bagel seasoning (or just sesame seeds) to add some aesthetic charm and a bit of savory enhancement. Some chopped chives or green onions won't hurt, either!