Delightfully different, this Thai Sweet Potato Soup combines sweet potatoes with carrot, coconut milk and Thai red curry paste for a vibrant and flavourful soup!
Why you’ll love this sweet potato soup!
- Coconut milk and Thai red curry paste bring great Thai flavours to this sweet potato soup. Add some lime and cilantro for both a flavourful and beautiful soup.
- Roasted sweet potato is such a great flavour and the added carrot adds another great note to the mix and of course, more vegetables!
- The roasted sweet potatoes can be done ahead (or you can use left-over roasted sweet potatoes). After that, this soup comes together really quickly.
Ingredients and substitutions
Sweet Potatoes – you’ll need about 2 medium to large sweet potatoes for this soup. You can roast them specifically for this soup or if you are enjoying roasted sweet potatoes for another meal, roast a couple of extra and refrigerate or freeze the sweet potato for this soup later.
Carrots – you’ll need about 1 large carrot for this soup.
Coconut Milk – full-fat coconut milk is best for the thickest soup consistency, but reduced-fat coconut milk will also work here.
Thai Red Curry Paste – Thai red curry paste is easily available in most grocery stores. Thai Kitchen makes one that is widely available. Look for it with the other Thai and/or Asian foods.
Step-by-Step Photos
- Roast whole sweet potatoes in the oven until soft.
- Remove sweet potato flesh and measure out. (This can be done ahead and refrigerated or frozen).
- Sautè the carrots and garlic, then add the ginger, lemongrass paste (optional) and Thai Red Curry Paste.
- Add the coconut milk.
- Add the roasted sweet potato flesh.
- Add the chicken or vegetable broth.
- After simmering, blend the soup with an immersion blender (or regular blender).
- Finish the soup with a bit of Fish Sauce, lime juice and salt, as needed.
Making ahead, storage and freezing
This soup can be made ahead, refrigerated and reheated to serve. It will keep well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Due to the coconut milk in this soup, it doesn’t freeze as well as some soups. Will it can be frozen, you may notice a slight change in texture after freezing.
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Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 cup carrot, shredded
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemongrass paste, optional
- 2 Tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 13.5 oz can coconut milk, full-fat recommended (400ml)
- 3 cups sweet potato, roasted
- 2 cups chicken broth, or vegetable broth
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Fish sauce
- Salt, to taste
Optional:
- 1/2 teaspoon Sambal Oelek
To Serve:
- Fresh Cilantro, chopped to serve
- Lime wedges, to serve
Instructions
Roast the sweet potatoes:
- Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easy clean-up). Pierce the sweet potatoes a couple of times with a fork. Place onto the baking sheet and bake in preheated oven until soft when tested with a fork, about 40-50 minutes, depending on the size of the sweet potatoes. Remove from oven and when cool enough to handle, split open and spoon the flash into a bowl or measuring cup. *Can be done ahead and refrigerated or frozen.
For the soup:
- Heat oil in a large pot on the stove-top over medium heat. Add the shredded carrots and cook, stirring regularly, for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, about 30-45 seconds more. Add the ginger, lemongrass paste and Thai red curry paste to the pot and cook, stirring, about 1 minute.
- Add the coconut milk to the pot, followed by the sweet potato and the broth and stir to combine. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or so, to soften the carrot and blend the flavours.
- Use an immersion blender or a blender to blend the soup smooth. *If using a regular blender, do in small batches and remove the lid plug to allow steam to escape. Cover the lid hole with doubled up paper towel to keep the soup from escaping.
- To finish the soup, add the Fish sauce and the lime juice. Taste the soup and add additional salt, as needed.
- To serve, garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and lime wedges, for drizzling. (I've garnished here with black sesame seeds and drops of cream, as well).
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Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
Hi Jennifer,
Does this recipe use “Canadian” sweet potatoes (cream coloured flesh) or what Americans call sweet potatoes (and we Canadians call yams, with the much more orange flesh)?
Thanks!
Pam
Hi Pamela, this recipe would use the orange-fleshed sweet potatoes/yams :)
This is exceptionally good! One of those soups that is completely crave-able. Â I added 1/2 cup of red lentils and an extra cup of water to add a bit more protien and fibre,Â
So glad you enjoyed it, Carolyn and love the addition of lentils! Thanks so much :)
Will try this one . Just bought a bag of sweet potatoes and was wondering what to do with them. I have everything else in pantry
Hi Pat and I always have sweet potatoes around, too. I like this soup as another nice way to enjoy them :) Enjoy!
I bet adding some peanut butter would make it even better.
Perhaps :) If you try it, let me know how it was!
I do not like sweet potatoes. Would butternut squash be an alternative?
Hi Margory and yes, you could use butternut squash or any squash in place of the sweet potatoes if you like :) Enjoy!