Southern Sweet Potato Soup

It’s January.  And while everybody else is talking about detoxing and getting organized, let’s you and I talk about soup. 

Luscious, delicious soup that warms your belly and fills your house with the fabulously warm smells of promised satisfaction.  Soup that is absolutely perfect for winter days, especially perfect for days like today- a day that greeted us early in the morning with snowflakes that danced and swirled well into the afternoon.  A day that begs me to only stay inside bundled up by the fire, but for some reason inspires my kids (and husband) to run around outside like lunatics until their noses are red and they can’t feel their fingers or toes anymore.

Ah yes, soup. 

Specifically sweet potato soup.  Both savory and just a little sweet, this easy soup is one that is sure to make it onto your ‘favorite winter suppers’ list.

Southern Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 C diced onion onion
• 1/2 C diced celery
• 1/2 C diced carrots (I chop match stick carrots as a short cut.)
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 2lbs. canned sweet potatoes
• 4 C chicken stock
• 24 0z. unsweetened, natural applesauce
• 1 pint half and half
• 1 – 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 generous tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• paprika (optional for color)

Process

Melt butter in a large stock pot.  Add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic.  Sautee until onions are translucent.  This is the fundamental beginning to almost any homemade soup.

Stir in the sweet potatoes, mixing well.  Because the potatoes are soft, they will start to break down as you stir, but you don’t have to worry about stirring out all of the lumps.

Stir in the chicken stock, then the applesauce. Simmer for 10 minutes. 

Stir in the cream.   Add in the salt and spices, except paprika. Your soup is still lumpy, but that’s ok because we’re about to remedy that!

Use an emulsifier or pour soup into a blender to make it smooth and creamy.  Doing this after the cream has been added adds a little air into the cream, giving the soup a light texture.  It’s during this step that you can add paprika 1/4 tsp at a time for color if you like.

Pour soup back into the stock pot and allow the soup to simmer for another 10 minutes, and you’re ready to eat!  But wait just a minute.  What’s soup without a little toppings?  This soup has a comfort food flavor profile and is hard to beat when topped with of  food favorites.  For instance, here I’ve topped it with just a few shredded collard greens sautéed with bacon, corn bread crumbles, crushed red pepper, and a dollop of sour cream.  I also cooked up a pan of jalapeno cornbread because soup and dipping (or sopping depending on which parts you hail from).  Oh, sweet mercy.  The goodness.

If you’re in the mood for something a bit more “new South,” a spoon of sour cream, some coarsely chopped applewood bacon and shredded gouda is your ticket to soup heaven.

 ***

Pin this recipe here.

Want more soup recipes?  Check out these other ASD favorites!

Rustic Creamy Wild Rice and Creamy Chicken Portabella Soup

Creamy Tomato and Basil Soup

Beloved Texas Red (Chili Recipe)

Southern Sweet Potato Soup

Both savory and just a little sweet, this easy soup is one that is sure to make it onto your 'favorite winter suppers' list.

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Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 6

Author: Stacey | SouthernDiscourse.com

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 C diced onion onion
• 1/2 C diced celery
• 1/2 C diced carrots I chop match stick carrots as a short cut.
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 2 lbs. canned sweet potatoes
• 4 C chicken stock
• 24 0 z. unsweetened natural applesauce
• 1 pint half and half
• 1 - 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 generous tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• paprika optional for color

Instructions

• Melt butter in a large stock pot. Add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Sautee until onions are translucent.
• Stir in the sweet potatoes, mixing well. Because the potatoes are soft, they will start to break down as you stir. You don't have to worry about stirring out all of the lumps.
• Stir in the chicken stock, then the applesauce. Simmer for 10 minutes.
• Stir in the cream. Add in all of your spices and seasoning, except paprika.
• Use an emulsifier or pour soup into a blender to make it smooth and creamy. Add paprika 1/4 tsp at a time for color, if desired. Continue to emulsify or blend until completely blended and smooth.
• Pour soup back into the stock pot and allow the soup to simmer for a final 10 minutes.

  

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