Thai Coconut Sweet Potato Soup

Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables and a wonderful choice in order to achieve a rich, creamy, and satisfying soup like this. Their natural starchiness makes them an excellent ingredient, if you don’t want to use any additional binders like cornstarch or flour. Sautéed vegetables, crispy toasted coconut chips and Thai basil contribute a delicious variety of different textures, colors, and flavors to this Thai-inspired soup. Mild or spicy, whichever you prefer, you’ll love it!

You will need:

• an immersion blender

Ingredients (for about 4 servings):

for the soup:

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (25 oz/700 g)
• 2 large carrots, greens removed, scrubbed, cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) chunks
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 Tbsp Thai seasoning
• 4¼ cups (1 liter) vegetable broth
• 1 can full fat coconut milk (13.66 fl oz / 400 ml)

for the vegetable topping:

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb (450 g) Asian mushrooms of your choice, sliced (smaller ones can stay whole)
• 1 thumb-size piece of ginger, minced
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce (I used gluten free) or coconut aminos
• 1 tsp Thai seasoning
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 2 large stalks celery, diced
• 1 small red bell pepper, cored, cut into wedges, then sliced

additional toppings:

• 1/3 cup (15 g) toasted coconut chips
• Thai basil or Italian basil to taste
• red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat a large pot with extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add diced sweet onion, and sauté for about 7 minutes until lightly browned.

Add sweet potatoes and carrots. Cook for 2 more minutes while stirring frequently.

Stir in turmeric, garlic, and 1 Tbsp Thai seasoning, then add vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes or until sweet potatoes and carrots are soft. Turn off heat.

Transfer about 1 cup of sweet potatoes and carrots to a small bowl. Best done with a slotted spoon.

Use an immersion blender to thoroughly purée the soup, stir in the coconut milk, but reserve about 4 Tbsp for later. Return the reserved sweet potatoes and carrots, and season to taste.

Preheat a large, deep frying pan with extra virgin olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and ginger, and sauté for about 10 minutes until liquid has evaporated, then add soy sauce or coconut aminos, 1 tsp Thai seasoning, and maple syrup. Stir well, add celery and bell pepper, then cook for 2 more minutes. Turn off heat.

Over medium heat bring soup back to a simmer while stirring frequently. Ladle into individual bowls, garnish with reserved coconut milk, add the mushroom mix, and top off with toasted coconut chips, Thai or Italian basil, and red pepper flakes to taste. Enjoy!

Notes:

• I used my homemade veggie broth concentrate for the broth, but you can, of course, use store-bought as well.
• If you like the soup thinner, just add a little bit more broth and season to taste again.