This soul-soothing sweet potato coconut soup is a perfect Winter warmer. Vegetable-rich with onion, carrots, celery and sweet potato and flavoured with coconut milk, a touch of pumpkin puree and warm curry spices.

Sweet potato coconut soup in a bowl.

This sweet potato soup is everything I’m craving this time of year. It’s vegetable-rich with onion, celery, carrot and of course, sweet potatoes. Coconut milk brings the creamy, while a bit of pumpkin puree brings texture, flavour and more goodness. To finish it off, wonderful warm curry spices and a touch of lime to brighten the flavours.

Jump to:

Ingredients and substitutions

Ingredients laid out for a sweet potato coconut curry soup.

A few notes about the key ingredients …

Sweet potatoes – I’ve only ever made this soup with fresh sweet potatoes, but frozen, cubed sweet potatoes should also work for this soup. You can use them from frozen.

Ginger garlic paste – Ginger garlic paste is widely used in Indian, Thai and other Asian cooking and is a great addition to your kitchen. It has become much easier to find in the past few years. Look for it in a jar with the Indian foods and sauces at your local grocery store. If unavailable, you can substitute grated ginger and grated garlic in equal parts as detailed in the Recipe Card.

Coconut milk – Start with regular, full-fat coconut milk for the creamiest soup or opt for light coconut milk for a reduced-fat option. Light coconut milk may produce a bit thinner soup. You can thicken with a cornstarch slurry if needed.

Canned pumpkin puree – Yes, this is a bit of an unexpected addition, but it does add lovely texture and flavour and extra goodness to this soup. I do recommend it, if you can. If pumpkin is not an option, simply omit it.

If you need to open a can and you enjoy this soup, consider freezing the remaining pumpkin in 1/2-cup bags for future soups (or other uses). You can add it directly to the soup from frozen.

How to make sweet potato coconut curry soup

This is a visual summary of the steps to make this recipe. Always refer to the complete instructions in the Recipe Card below when making the recipe.

Onion, carrot and celery added to the soup pot.
1
Adding broth to the cooked vegetables
2
Sweet potato added to the soup pot.
3
  1. Start by heating a little oil, then adding the onion, celery and carrot. Cook together for 3-4 minutes.
  2. Add the broth to the pot.
  3. Add the sweet potatoes to the pot.
Covering the soup pot to cook the vegetables,
4
Using and immersion blender to puree the soup.
5
Adding pumpkin puree to the soup pot.
6
  1. Cover the pot and simmer the vegetables for 15-20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender.
  2. Use an immersion blender (or blender) to purée the soup.
  3. Add the canned pumpkin to the soup.
Adding coconut milk to the soup pot.
7
Adding spices and lemon zest to the soup.
8
Finishing the sweet potato soup with lime juice.
9
  1. Add the coconut milk to the soup.
  2. Add the spices and lime zest to the soup. Stir everything together and allow the soup to simmer for about 10 minutes to blend the flavours.
  3. Finish the soup with a drizzle of fresh lime juice.
Sweet potato coconut soup in a bowl.

Recipe tips!

  • If your soup ends up a little thinner than you’d like, you can thicken it a bit with the cornstarch slurry detailed in the Recipe Card. If the soup ends up too thick, add a splash more broth to thin.
  • If you happen to have tamarind paste on hand, you can add a dab in place of the brown sugar and lime zest.
  • Soups tend to need generous salting to bring out all the great flavours. If your soup tastes, it likely needs a bit more salt. It should be neither salty nor sweet, but perfectly balanced.
  • The spices in this soup do tend to amplify as the soup sits, and honestly, I prefer this soup after it has sat for a bit, so don’t hesitate to make this soup ahead.
  • This soup holds up really well in the fridge, making it perfect for storing, travelling, and reheating throughout the week.
  • This soup should freeze well for up to 3 months.

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email and I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get great new recipes from me every week!

Save Article

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Seasons and Suppers.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Sweet potato coconut soup in a bowl.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Coconut Curry Soup

This vegetable-rich sweet potato soup is a perfect Winter warmer. Onion, carrot, celery and sweet potato combine with coconut milk, pumpkin puree and warm curry spices, for a soup that will warm you from the inside out!
5 stars from 1 rating
Print Recipe Pin This Leave a Review
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup onion, diced
  • 1 cup carrot, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup celery, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 3/4-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons ginger garlic paste, or 3/4 tsp each of fresh ginger and garlic, grated
  • 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth, plus more, if needed
  • 1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree, can omit
  • 13 oz (400 ml) canned coconut milk, regular or light
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • zest of 1/2 lime
  • 1 teaspoon fine table salt
  • 1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 – 1 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 – 1 1/2 teaspoon coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or more, to taste for heat
  • Pinch allspice, optional
  • additional salt and black pepper, as needed
  • juice of 1/2 lime, to finish

Instructions
 

  • Add the oil to a soup pot and heat over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the onion and cook briefly, then add the celery and carrot. Cook, stirring, until the onion is softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the ginger garlic paste and cook with the vegetables briefly.
  • Add the broth to the pot and stir to combine. Add the sweet potatoes and stir them in. Bring the broth to a boil, then lower the heat to low, cover the pot and allow the vegetables to cook until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes. *Be sure to taste test to be sure the sweet potatoes are tender.
  • Remove the lid from the pot. Use an immersion blender (or blender) to puree the vegetables until smooth (or mostly smooth). Add the pumpkin puree and coconut milk to the pot and stir them in. Add the brown sugar, lime zest, salt and spices and stir in. (I've provided a range of measurements for spices. Start with the lower amount and add more, to taste.) Allow the soup to simmer for about 10-15 minutes, to blend the flavours and reduce the soup slightly.
  • Tip! If your soup is too thick, add a bit more broth, as needed. If your soup is a bit thin for your liking, mix together 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons of cold water and drizzle into the simmering soup a bit at a time, stirring, until the soup thickens to your desired level.
  • Taste the soup at this point and add additional salt, as needed and a bit of pepper. You can also add additional spices, if desired. Finish the soup with the juice of 1/2 lime, to brighten the flavour.
  • Store leftover soup in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This soup will also freeze well for up to 3 months.

Notes

Nutritional information is based on using full-fat coconut milk. You can reduce the added fat by substituting light coconut milk.
Tips!
If your soup ends up a little thinner than you’d like, you can thicken it a bit with the cornstarch slurry detailed in the Recipe Card. If the soup ends up too thick, add a splash more broth to thin.
If you happen to have tamarind paste on hand, you can add a dab in place of the brown sugar and lime zest.
Soups tend to need generous salting to bring out all the great flavours. If your soup tastes sweet, it likely needs a bit more salt. It should be neither salty nor sweet, but perfectly balanced.
The spices in this soup do tend to amplify as the soup sits, and honestly, I prefer this soup after it has sat for a bit, so don’t hesitate to make this soup ahead.
This soup holds up really well in the fridge, making it perfect for storing, travelling, and reheating throughout the week.
This soup should freeze well for up to 3 months.
Be sure to read the notes above this Recipe Card for substitution suggestions and step-by-step photos that you might find helpful.
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Course: Soup
Author: Jennifer Maloney
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 295kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 920mg, Potassium: 716mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 21835IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 71mg, Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Leaving a review is always appreciated and so helpful for our fellow cooks!

More sweet potato recipes to love!

Thai Sweet Potato Soup

Honey Sriracha Melting Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Mustard