Carrot Sweet Potato Soup with Ginger is a creamy and rich root vegetable soup that is perfectly balanced by coconut cream and ginger. Ideal for a light lunch or with a sandwich as a comforting dinner, the delicious combination of onion, garlic, ginger, and coconut with carrots and sweet potatoes is perfect any time of year.
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If you enjoy the Thai flavors in this comforting sweet potato carrot soup, try my easy slow-cooker Thai peanut chicken recipe and this amazing Thai-inspired pasta salad recipe.
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What you need to make Carrot Sweet Potato Soup with Ginger
- Vegetable stock or broth. Chicken stock can be used if you aren't worried about keeping this recipe vegetarian.
- Ginger. You can use dried ground ginger, but I think fresh grated ginger is always worth the effort.
- Sweet potatoes.
- Carrots.
- Apple. You can use any sweet, red apple variety when making this recipe. Apples like Honeycrisp or Fuji work well and add just the right amount of sweetness to the soup.
- Dried crushed thyme. Fresh thyme is a nice alternative if it is available.
- Crushed red pepper. Feel free to adjust the amount to your family's preference.
- Coconut cream. Be sure to get coconut cream and not coconut milk (which contains more water than coconut cream) or cream of coconut (which has added sugar and is often used as a mixer for drinks).
- Onion.
- Garlic.
- Paprika.
- Olive oil.
- Salt & pepper.
- Not pictured: Sour cream and cilantro for garnish (optional).
See recipe card for quantities.
- Immersion blender. Many people ask if they really need an immersion blender. It's true that you can work around not having one by using a potato masher, but it is difficult to get the desired texture without an immersion blender. The investment in a good immersion blender is worth it in time savings and safety when working with hot liquids. I like the one below because it includes a pan guard to protect non-stick surfaces, and it has a good reliability rating. Immersion blenders are wonderful for puréeing hot soups, emulsifying salad dressings, blending sauces, frothing milk, and making smoothies.
How to make Carrot Sweet Potato Soup with Ginger
1. Prepare the ingredients by chopping and mincing as needed, then sauté the onions in olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot until tender and translucent. Add the garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and paprika to the onions and cook for two additional minutes.
2. Add the prepared sweet potatoes, carrots, and apple, and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the vegetable broth, and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender, then add the coconut cream and continue simmering for about five minutes.
4. Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to carefully purée the soup until it is creamy. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme, and mix well. Serve garnished with sour cream and cilantro if desired.
Hint: For a beautiful presentation, garnish by placing drops of sour cream in a spiral and draw a toothpick through them starting at the outermost drop, and place a bit of fresh cilantro in the center. If you would like to make it vegan, use unsweetened non-dairy yogurt in place of sour cream.
Make it your own
Soups are easy to adapt to your preference, so try these adaptations or come up with your own.
- Roasted - roasting the carrots and sweet potatoes before adding them to the soup adds amazing depth of flavor
- Spicy - increase the amount of crushed red pepper or use a chili oil (make your own by heating up dried chilies in oil to release the heat into the oil, then remove the peppers before using the oil) instead of olive oil
- Mild - omit the crushed red peppers
- Peanut - add a bit of peanut butter to the soup and chopped peanuts as garnish for additional protein
- Curry - add a couple of tablespoons or red curry paste
Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup with Ginger is naturally gluten-free and vegetarian, and is vegan if non-dairy garnishes are used.
Storage and freezing
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
This soup can be frozen for 3-4 months after preparation. Place in freezer bags in the desired quantity and label with the date and recipe name. Freeze flat on a cookie sheet until contents are frozen, then remove cookie sheet. To use, thaw and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Carrot Sweet Potato Soup with Ginger Date____________________
Thaw completely in a leak-proof container and heat on the stovetop. Garnish with sour cream and cilantro if desired.
Recipe
Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1½ teaspoons fresh ginger, or ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes
- 2 large carrots
- 1 sweet apple, such as Fuji or Honeycrisp
- 32 ounces vegetable stock
- 13.5 ounces coconut cream
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- sour cream, for garnish
- fresh cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Chop 1 large yellow onion.
- Grate 1½ teaspoons fresh ginger (or use ¼ teaspoon ground ginger), and mince 3 garlic cloves.
- Peel and dice 2 pounds sweet potatoes and 2 large carrots.
- In a large soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onions and cook until they become soft and translucent, which should take about 5 minutes.
- While the onions cook, peel and chop 1 sweet apple.
- Stir the minced garlic, grated ginger, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, and ¼ teaspoon paprika into the cooked onions. Cook for two more minutes until the spices become fragrant.
- Add the diced sweet potatoes, chopped carrots, and chopped apple to the pot. Continue to cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pour in 32 ounces vegetable stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for approximately 20-25 minutes or until the sweet potatoes and carrots are tender.
- Once the vegetables are tender, stir in 13.5 ounces coconut cream and continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Remove the soup from the heat and use an immersion blender to carefully purée the soup until it's smooth and creamy. Alternatively, carefully use a potato masher or hand mixer to blend the vegetables. Take care not to splash the hot contents to avoid burns. (If making the soup ahead, you could refrigerate until cool, then blend the soup in batches in a blender. Do not use a blender with hot liquids.)
- Season the soup with 1½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and ½ teaspoon thyme, adjusting to taste.
- Serve the sweet potato and carrot soup hot or cold. Garnish with sour cream and fresh cilantro.
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