Autumn Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup
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With carrots, sweet potatoes and apples, this savory soup with a hint of sweetness is the essence of fall.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
It seems I’ve always got the components of this soup lingering in my veggie bin (along with other mysterious things, but I’ll spare you those details), so it’s easy to whip up on a cool fall day. The nice thing is that the sweet potatoes add body to the soup, making it luxuriously silky, without even the slightest bit of heavy cream.
Now, I have to admit that I’m not one of those people who look forward to fall; my pessimistic side knows all too well that winter is looming. But the thought of comfort food and cozy clothes does make it more bearable. So go ahead and think of this dish as that soft knit sweater you can’t wait to put on at the first sign of a chill. Pair the soup with crusty artisan bread, challah, or dinner rolls.
“Absolutely scrumptious! My husband is still talking about how delicious dinner was last night!”
About Sweet Potatoes
Before we get started, let’s talk about sweet potatoes. It’s common practice in the U.S. to use the words “sweet potato” and “yam” interchangeably. This is confusing since yams aren’t sweet potatoes at all, but rather thick white tubers with dark brown skin. But chances are you won’t find real yams at the supermarket, so if you see “yams,” you’re probably looking at sweet potatoes. As for the different varieties, look for Garnet, Jewel, Beauregard, all of which have orange flesh and reddish-brown skin and are delicious in sweet potato pie, mashed sweet potatoes, and sweet potato casserole.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the aromatics. Begin by cooking the onions in butter until they are soft and translucent. Then, add the curry powder and cook until fragrant.
Step 2: Add the veggies and broth. Add the carrots, sweet potatoes, and chicken broth and bring to a boil.
Step 3: Simmer and add apples. Cover and simmer over low heat until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes, then toss in the chopped apples.
Step 4: Blend. Purée with a stick blender until smooth and creamy.
Step 5: Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls and enjoy!
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Autumn Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon curry powder, plus a bit more for serving
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
- 1½ pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 small), peeled and chopped into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
- 8 cups chicken broth, best quality such as Swanson
- 1¾ teaspoons salt
- 1 tart yet sweet apple, such as Honeycrisp or Fuji, peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons honey
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Do not brown. Add the curry powder and cook a minute more.
- Add the carrots, sweet potatoes, chicken broth and salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in the apples and honey. Using a stick blender, puree the soup until smooth and creamy. (Alternatively, cool the soup slightly, then puree in a blender in batches. Be sure to leave the hole in the lid open, and cover with a kitchen towel, to allow the steam to escape.) Season to taste with salt, pepper and more honey if necessary. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with more curry powder if desired. (Note: As the soup sits, it will thicken up so you may need to add a bit of water to thin it out.)
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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This is fantastic. I did it in the instant pot, added a little curry, garam masala and cumin to the onion. I used applesauce and no honey. I added a dollop of sour cream and it was perfect.
Just got the cookbook & this is the 1st recipe tried. Followed recipe precisely w/exception to amount of stock – I knew 6 cups would be the right consistency for this family. It turned out well – kids like the flavor but adults thought it bland which is why I’ve rated in between. I look forward to trying many recipes in the book & APPRECIATE they’ve been thoroughly tested before sharing.
A wonderful blend of flavors in this soup. It has become a family favorite. My son love this even though officially he does not like curry.
deeeeelicious: Everyone who said this was an excellent recipe was so right. Thank you so very much. I know it must be a lot of work for you to post all the recipes, but so happy that you do. Joan
Wonderful! So delicious…so perfectly explained…as are all your recipes.
Used one cup less broth and omitted the honey.
Think your suggestion of the kale, apple, pancetta salad would be a great accompaniment.
Thank you!
I’m planning on making this today but only have Granny Smith apples. Can I use them instead?
Thanks! Barb
Granny’s are more tart then what I usually use, but it should work. Enjoy!
Delicious comforting soup
Delicious on a cold fall day.
I made your soup today and I was a little apprehensive. It was delicious! I appreciate your step by step instructions and information you give (difference between yams and sweet potatoes). I’ve made several of your recipes and they have all been outstanding. I now always go to your site first to search for a recipe. Thank you.
I made a double batch of this Autumn carrot and sweet potato soup on the recommendation from a friend. I am so glad I did. It was delicious. This is a keeper recipe for me now. I found it very flavourful exactly as written. I look forward to trying more of your recipes.
PS
I have passed this recipe on to some family members and so far loved by all.
Despite the condescending Yams bit at the start, great recipe.
It’s not condescending, it’s accurate. Calling sweet potatoes “yams” is totally wrong. The description in that paragraph is just educating people on the proper terminology. Try using an actual yam, if you could even find one, in this recipe and let us know how it turns out.