Potato Sweet Potato Chowder

This is one of my family’s favorite one-pot meals and a crowd pleaser for sure. I love to make this flavorful, satisfying dish during the colder season when we all crave a healthy, warming bowl of wholesome goodness. Sweet potatoes and corn add sweetness while cashews make this chowder deliciously creamy. Perfect for all your autumn gatherings and festivities when you have a crowd to feed. And yes – kids love it too! Be prepared though: what seems like a lot of soup in the beginning will be gone in no time!

Remember to soak cashews for at least 4 hours or overnight!

You will need:

• a high speed blender
• an immersion blender

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 3.3 pounds (1500 g) potatoes (I used Yukon Gold), cubed into ½-1″ (1½-2½ cm) pieces
• 3 medium-size sweet potatoes (generous 2 lb / 950 g), peeled and cubed
• 6½ cups (generous 1500 ml) vegetable broth (I made it with homemade veggie broth concentrate)
• 2 cups (260 g) frozen petite peas
• 2 cups (260 g) frozen sweet corn
• Celtic sea salt to taste
• cracked black pepper to taste
• fresh parsley galore, minced

For the blender:

• 1 cup (140 g) raw, unsalted cashews, soaked in sufficient filtered water for at least 4 hours or overnight, drained
• 1 cup (240 ml) filtered water
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 5 large cloves garlic, peeling not necessary
• 1 tsp Celtic sea salt
• 7 Tbsp nutritional yeast

Toppings (optional):

• more parsley
• ½ cup (60 g) pumpkin seeds

Preparation:

Preheat a large pot with extra virgin olive oil over medium heat, then add diced onion. Sauté for 7-9 minutes or until lightly browned.

Add potatoes and sweet potatoes, stir well.

Cook for about 10 minutes. Stir once or twice to make sure nothing sticks to the pot or burns. Some pieces should be lightly browned. It adds to the delicious flavor.

Add veggie broth and bring everything to a rolling boil. Reduce heat, partly cover, and cook for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Remove from heat source.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer about 3 cups potatoes/sweet potatoes to a little bowl or plate.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup.

Place all the blender ingredients into the container of your high speed blender and process at highest setting for about 2 minutes until very creamy.

Pour cashew cream into the chowder, but reserve ½ cup (120 ml) for a finishing touch. Stir in peas, corn, and potato/sweet potato chunks. Season to taste with Celtic sea salt and cracked black pepper. If necessary, add some more vegetable broth.

Close lid and, over medium heat, bring the chowder back to a simmer. Stir occasionally, but watch out: the chowder splatters!

Simmer for 5 minutes, remove from heat, then add parsley to taste.

To toast pumpkin seeds, preheat a small pan over medium heat. Add pumpkin seeds and toast them for about 2 minutes or until light brown. Stir continuously.

Ladle the chowder into individual bowls, spoon some of the reserved cashew cream on top of each, and give it a little swirl. Garnish with more parsley and toasted pumpkin seeds and enjoy!

Notes:

• As mentioned before, perfect to feed a crowd. You can transfer the chowder to a crock-pot to keep warm. Add all the cashew cream to the pot without reserving any.
• Leftovers can be frozen for quick lunches or dinners. Just remember to defrost in time.
• This mini crock-pot is perfect to heat up your meals at work. Just plug it in and, voilà, a healthy lunch is served! No microwave needed!