Cream of Sweet Potato Soup is a warm and comforting main dish, perfect for colder days. The star of this recipe are these tuberous roots, also known as sweet potatoes or sweet potatoes, characterized by firm, compact flesh with a beautiful orange hue and an irresistible flavor reminiscent of a blend of pumpkin and chestnut.
Easy to make, simply sauté the sliced leeks in a saucepan with a knob of butter and a drizzle of oil. Add the peeled and diced sweet potatoes, then cook everything, covered with boiling vegetable broth , for about half an hour, or until the vegetables are tender. Finally, blend the ingredients with an immersion blender, along with a splash of single cream, and serve the soup, hot and steaming, with slices of sizzling pancetta and toasted bread croutons: these will give the dish a pleasantly crunchy note.
Perfect for a family meal, when you're craving something warming and invigorating, this sweet potato soup can also be served for a winter dinner with guests.
Ingredients
How to Make Cream of Sweet Potato Soup
Clean the leeks, cut them into slices and let them soften for 5 minutes in a saucepan with the melted butter and 40 ml of extra virgin olive oil.
Clean the leeks, cut them into slices and let them soften for 5 minutes in a saucepan with the melted butter and 40 ml of extra virgin olive oil.
Then add the sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes, to the sauté, and let it flavor for a couple of minutes.
Then add the sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes, to the sauté, and let it flavor for a couple of minutes.
Cover with the hot vegetable broth and spice with a couple of sprigs of peeled thyme, then continue cooking until the vegetables are tender.
Cover with the hot vegetable broth and spice with a couple of sprigs of peeled thyme, then continue cooking until the vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile, pour a drop of water into a non-stick pan and brown the bacon slices for 2-3 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, pour a drop of water into a non-stick pan and brown the bacon slices for 2-3 minutes per side.
Once golden and sizzling, drain the bacon on a sheet of kitchen paper and set aside.
Once golden and sizzling, drain the bacon on a sheet of kitchen paper and set aside.
Season the slices of bread with a drizzle of oil and a little thyme leaves and leave them to toast in a hot oven at 390°F/200°C for about 10 minutes; then take them out of the oven and keep these aside too.
Season the slices of bread with a drizzle of oil and a little thyme leaves and leave them to toast in a hot oven at 390°F/200°C for about 10 minutes; then take them out of the oven and keep these aside too.
Once the cooking time is up, blend the sweet potatoes with an immersion blender until you obtain a thick and creamy consistency.
Once the cooking time is up, blend the sweet potatoes with an immersion blender until you obtain a thick and creamy consistency.
Then pour in the liquid cream and blend for a few more moments.
Then pour in the liquid cream and blend for a few more moments.
Season with salt and spice with 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika and mix carefully.
Season with salt and spice with 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika and mix carefully.
Divide the sweet potato cream into individual bowls, top with a slice of crispy pancetta and sprinkle with more paprika and thyme, if desired; then bring to the table and serve with slices of toasted bread. Enjoy!
Divide the sweet potato cream into individual bowls, top with a slice of crispy pancetta and sprinkle with more paprika and thyme, if desired; then bring to the table and serve with slices of toasted bread. Enjoy!
How Else Can I Flavor The Soup?
We flavored it with sprigs of thyme and a pinch of paprika powder, but if you prefer, you can vary the mix of spices and herbs to suit your taste, adding turmeric, ginger, rosemary, or sage.
How Do I Make The Sweet Potatoes Tastier?
If you prefer, you can peel the sweet potatoes and roast them in the oven with a drizzle of oil: then simply place them in a food processor, pour in the chosen liquid and blend everything until you get the desired consistency.
Can I Substitute or Omit the Bacon?
Of course! Instead of bacon, for a lighter version, you can add strips of speck or prosciutto, browned in a non-stick pan without adding fat, or you can replace the liquid cream with milk.
If you like, you can completely omit any meat component and finish the dish with a quenelle of ricotta or other spreadable cream cheese, or you can complete the dish, for a guaranteed crunchy effect, with a mix of mixed seeds and flaked almonds.
Storage & Freezing Instructions
Cream of sweet potato soup can be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to 2 days. If you like, once cooked, you can also divide it into individual jars and transfer them to the freezer, so you always have it ready when needed.
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