This delicious, thick and creamy sweet potato soup tastes like it was cooked all day with bacon. But in reality, it’s made in a flash and that smoky flavor is from all the rockin’ seasonings you add. This is what cozy and comforting looks, feels and tastes like.
Serves: 4
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ medium sweet onion, diced
2 lbs (900 g) sweet potatoes, diced
2 tbsp (30 ml) pure maple syrup
2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce or liquid aminos
1 tbsp (15 ml) liquid smoke
1 tsp smoked paprika
Salt, to taste
8 cups (1.9 L) vegetable broth, divided
Black pepper, to taste
Scallions, for topping (optional)
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onion and sweet potatoes. Sauté for about 10 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are getting brown and starting to soften.
Add the maple syrup, soy sauce, liquid smoke, smoked paprika and a pinch of salt to the pot. Stir to coat the vegetables with the seasonings, then sauté for 5 minutes.
Add 6 cups (1.4 L) of the broth and a few pinches of salt and black pepper.
Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes can easily be smashed with a fork.
Turn off the heat and transfer the soup to a blender. Blend on high until the soup is completely smooth (see Hot Tip), then transfer the soup back to the pot. You may also use an immersion blender to blend the soup in the pot.
Turn the heat to low. Add the remaining 2 cups (480 ml) of broth and stir to combine. Season the soup with more salt and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings, then serve. Top with scallions, if desired.
Hot Tip: If you use a blender to blend the hot soup, make sure you remove the small cap that is in the center of blender’s lid and cover the hole with a kitchen towel or paper towel. Often, if you blend something hot without leaving the blender jar open a bit, whatever is in the blender will explode out of the top of the jar.