Ingredients
- For the Soup:
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter (or more oil)
- 2 onions, diced
- 2 leeks (white and pale green part only), quartered and sliced into 1cm (½”) pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 kg / 2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled, quartered, and cut into 2cm (0.8″) chunks
- 1 tbsp cumin powder
- 1.25 liters / 1.25 quarts chicken or vegetable stock (low sodium)
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ⅓ cup cream (any type) or an extra knob of butter
- For Garnish (optional):
- Extra virgin olive oil, cream, yogurt, or sour cream
- Something crunchy: flatbread strips (see Notes), croutons, pistachios, pepitas, or crispy fried shallots
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat the oil and melt the butter in a large, heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the onion, leek, and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, until softened.
- Cook the Sweet Potato: Add the sweet potato chunks and cumin powder. Stir well and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Simmer: Add the stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 20 minutes at a gentle simmer until the sweet potatoes are very tender.
- Blend the Soup: Remove the pot from the heat. Use a hand-held stick blender to blitz the soup until smooth. (See Notes for blender instructions.)
- Stir in the cream or butter until well combined.
- Garnish and Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle with your choice of topping (olive oil, cream, or yogurt) and sprinkle with something crunchy like pistachios or crispy flatbread strips.
Notes
- Leeks: Wash thoroughly under running water before slicing, as they can have dirt trapped between layers.
- Stock: Chicken stock provides a richer flavor, but vegetable stock is a good vegetarian alternative.
- Garnishes: Use crispy flatbread strips, croutons, or nuts for crunch. To make crispy flatbread strips, cut flatbread into 1cm (0.4”) strips, fry in oil until golden, and sprinkle with salt.
- Blender Instructions: If using a blender, allow the soup to cool for 10 minutes before blending in batches. For a smoother texture, use a high-powered blender like a Vitamix.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Blending, Sautéing, Simmering
- Cuisine: Western
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
