Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup With Spinach
Sweet potato and carrot soup with spinach makes a hearty, satisfying starter or meal packed with nutrition. Robust, rich and spicy.
This delicious soup is super healthy and low-calorie. I use lots of vitamin C-rich baby spinach which turns the soup green. You can reduce the amount if you prefer. Curry powder, cumin and smoked paprika add big flavor.
What to expect
- It’s a nutritious, flavorful soup: This vegan sweet potato soup is packed with nutrition, wholesome ingredients and bold seasonings.
- Adapt the ingredients to what you have: Sweet potatoes, onions and carrots are the main ingredients. Other than that, use whatever vegetables you have on hand. You can also alter the seasonings, heat and flavors to your taste of course.
- You can cut the prep time and cook time in half with a few good shortcuts including an instant pot version (see shortcuts below and in the recipe card).
- Make a meal of it: The comforting soup is substantial enough for a whole meal along with some bread, croutons or Parmesan toast. Check out a few serving ideas below.
Ingredients – tailored to your taste
Vegetables: I use a large sweet potato, carrots, baby spinach and whatever other veggies I find in my fridge. Some good options are red bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower or root vegetables like parsnip and celeriac.
Seasonings: The recipe calls for curry powder, cumin, smoked paprika, thyme and red pepper flakes. Here’s a list of best curry powders to buy by Food and Wine.
Broth: I keep this soup vegetarian with vegetable broth or vegetable stock, but chicken broth or stock is fine too.
Variations
- Add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice before serving to brighten it up
- Substitute fresh herbs such as thyme or oregano. Add them at the end, not during cooking, for the most flavor. See herb basics (for cooking purposes) for more info.
- For a creamy soup, add a splash of cream (about 1/4 cup or so) after you puree it. Or, for a dairy free version, add coconut milk instead.
- Vary the heat by using more or less red pepper flakes.
- For an Indian-style profile, the cumin, chili pepper and curry powder are already in the recipe. You can also add a bit of fresh ginger and garam masala if you like.
Step by step instructions
Tip
For deeper, richer flavors in this sweet potato & carrot soup, roast the vegetables at 425F/218C for 20-25 minutes until slightly caramelized. And skip the initial step of sautéing onion.
Shortcuts
- Save half the time: Instead of chopping with a knife, pulse potato and vegetable chunks together in a food processor into very small pieces. This will also save about half the time simmering.
- Make an instant pot version in about 25-30 minutes (see recipe notes).
- Leave the soup chunky and skip the puree step.
- Use pre-cut sweet potatoes sold in grocery stores.
- Substitute fresh garlic with frozen garlic cubes or minced garlic in the jar.
- Serve with store-bought garlic bread or croutons.
Make Ahead
The soup keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It can also be frozen. Defrost and reheat on the stove top or in the microwave,
What to serve with sweet potato carrot soup
As a meal in a bowl, serve this healthy soup with crusty bread, store-bought or homemade croutons, parmesan cheese toast or naan bread.
As a soup starter, pair the soup with easy cheese quesadillas, crispy chicken burgers, a classic egg salad sandwich or a grilled cheese on the grill.
Other hearty vegetarian soup recipes
- curried lentil soup (instant pot)
- root vegetable soup
- hearty ratatouille soup
- red lentil soup recipe with vegetables (one of our most popular recipes)
- homemade creamy tomato soup with parmesan croutons
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Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup With Spinach
Equipment
- immersion or stick blender or blender
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 – 1 1/2 cups/54-75 grams)
- 1 sweet potato, peeled, cut into small pieces (1/2 inch/ 1,3 cm)
- 2 small carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 red pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (2-3 tsp)
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 4-5 cups baby spinach use less if you don't want the color so green
- Garnish: grated Parmesan cheese, pumpkin seeds or pepitas.
Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin (or more)
- 1/2 teaspoon each, salt and black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (pretty spicy)
Instructions
- SAUTE VEGETABLES: Heat oil in large pot on medium-high heat. Add sweet potato, onions, peppers and carrots. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and all seasonings – stir for 1 minute.
- SIMMER SOUP: Add broth. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer soup for about 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Stir in spinach and cook for 1 minute until wilted.
- FINISH AND SERVE: Using an immersion blender (or blender), puree the soup to the level of smoothness you prefer. (I like to leave some small pieces in the soup for texture, but it's up to you). Taste and adjust seasonings. If too thick, add a bit more broth or some cream. Ladle into bowls and, if desired, garnish with grated Parmesan cheese, croutons or bread toasted with Parmesan cheese on top.
Recipe Notes
- Shortcuts:
- Chop vegetables in food processor – this will reduce chopping time and cook time.
- Buy pre-washed baby spinach.
- Buy pre-cut and peeled sweet potatoes
- Use frozen garlic cubes or jarred minced garlic.
- Variations
- Add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice before serving to brighten it up
- Substitute fresh herbs such as thyme or oregano. Add them at the end, not during cooking, for the most flavor. See herb basics (for cooking purposes) for more info.
- For a creamy soup, add a splash of cream (about 1/4 cup or so) after you purée it. Or, for a dairy free version, add coconut milk instead.
- Vary the heat by using more or less red pepper flakes
- For an Indian-style spice mixture, the cumin, chili pepper and curry powder are a good start. Add a little bit of fresh ginger, ground coriander and/or garam masala if you like.
- Instant Pot version (pressure cooker): Press Sauté function. Heat oil and add onions – sauté for a few minutes. Add rest of veggies, all seasonings and then broth. Press Cancel. Secure lid and turn knob to Sealing. Set pressure to High for 12 minutes. Soup will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure – then countdown will start. When done (it will beep), do a natural release letting button drop on its own. Use a hand blender or immersion stick to purée soup and add a bit of cream for a creamy texture (optional).
- Make Ahead: Keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
