Sweet Potato Ginger Soup
Velvety orange soup with coconut milk, fresh ginger and toasted seeds.
- Preparation
- 15 min
- Cook/bake time
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 475 kcal
- Servings
- 4
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cooking & baking
- 45 min
Velvety orange soup with coconut milk, fresh ginger and toasted seeds. The sweet potatoes are roasted in the oven instead of boiled, which caramelizes their sugars and gives the soup significantly more depth. Warming, vegan and surprisingly complex in flavor with just a few ingredients.
Why this works
Sweet potatoes contain amylase, an inherent enzyme that breaks down starch into maltose. It works most actively between 60 and 75 °C, a range they pass through for minutes when heated slowly in the oven. Exactly during this time, the majority of the sweetness develops. In boiling water, the temperature jumps past this range too quickly, the enzyme is destroyed, and the potato remains as sweet as it was raw.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Roast the sweet potatoes
Toss the sweet potato cubes with two tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper and spread them out on a baking sheet with some space between them. Roast them at 200 °C convection for 25 minutes until they are soft and have distinct brown spots on the edges. This roasting is the reason why the soup later tastes not only sweet but also complex.
- 2
Sauté the aromatics
Heat the remaining oil in a pot and sauté the onion for six minutes until translucent. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for one minute until highly fragrant. Freshly grated ginger is important here, as ground ginger has neither the heat nor the freshness.
- 3
Toast the spices
Sprinkle the turmeric and cumin over the top and toast them in the fat for thirty seconds. Ground spices only release their aromas in oil, whereas in broth they remain dull and taste slightly floury. Stay close by, because they burn quickly.
- 4
Simmer and blend
Add the roasted sweet potatoes to the pot, pour in the vegetable broth and let everything simmer for ten minutes so the flavors can combine. Then blend the soup thoroughly with an immersion blender until it is completely velvety and no fibers can be felt.
- 5
Finish the soup
Stir in the coconut milk and lime juice and heat the soup again without letting it boil. The lime is crucial here, because it cuts the sweetness of the sweet potato and rounds out the soup. Serve with toasted pumpkin seeds, a coconut milk swirl and cilantro.
Our best tips
- Roast sweet potatoes instead of boiling them. The difference in taste is significant and the soup also becomes thicker.
- The lime juice at the end is mandatory, otherwise the soup becomes too sugary.
- Use full-fat coconut milk. The light version makes the soup thin and curdles more easily.
Tasty variations
Spicy
Sauté a red chili with the aromatics or stir in a teaspoon of red curry paste.
With peanut
Stir in two tablespoons of peanut butter, which makes the soup more filling and gives it a West African touch.
Nutrition facts
| Calories | 475 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 58 g |
| – of which sugar | 15 g |
| Fat | 24 g |
| Fiber | 9 g |
Where the 475 kcal come from
per serving
Calculated from the ingredients – how we do it
We add up reference values for every ingredient and divide by the number of servings. These assumptions are baked in:
- Reference values per 100 g – for the raw ingredient, exactly as listed.
- Tinned goods count at drained weight, bone-in meat at purchase weight: you eat about 70 per cent of a chicken thigh and leave the rest.
- Water evaporates as you cook. The energy stays in the pot, the weight does not – so the figure is per serving, not per 100 g of finished dish.
- Anything listed without a quantity – “salt and pepper” – is not counted.
A guide value, not a lab measurement: no two onions weigh the same, and fat content varies from pack to pack.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use pumpkin instead of sweet potato?
Yes, Hokkaido works well and does not need to be peeled. The soup will then be slightly less sweet and lighter in color.
Why is my coconut milk curdling?
It was heated too much. After stirring it in, only warm it up and do not let it boil anymore.
How long does the soup keep?
Four days in the refrigerator and it can be frozen without any problems. Add a little broth when reheating, because it thickens.
Comments & ratings(0)
Sign in to rate and comment on this recipe.
You might also like
Soups & StewsCreamy Tomato Soup
Velvety soup made from oven-roasted tomatoes with basil and a splash of cream.
Soups & StewsMinestrone
Italian vegetable stew with beans and small pasta, simmered with a Parmesan rind.
Soups & StewsLentil Soup
Hearty soup made from brown lentils with root vegetables and a splash of vinegar at the end.