With a well-stocked pantry, it’s not hard to come up with an easy and tasty dish for supper. This spicy curry sweet potato soup is a nice example. A couple of sweet potatoes, a carrot and a little onion complemented with Thai red curry paste and coconut milk yield a creamy, hearty, spicy and delicious soup. Topping it off with lime, sweet and spicy pumpkin seeds and sriracha (if desired), adds additional depth and texture.
You could serve it as a starter, a vegetarian entrée or a light lunch. It makes a great dipper for a grilled cheese sandwich. The recipe makes a large batch of soup, so you might find the need to freeze a serving or two for another day.
One thing to remember about puréed soups, is that they do thicken the longer they sit. Therefore, when you reheat it, you might need to add a little hot broth to return it to the original consistency. We aren’t fans of a thick puréed soup, so I did find that additional broth was necessary when reheating.
A creamy and spicy sweet potato soup seasoned with Thai red curry paste and lime. For additional depth and texture, top with a squeeze of lime and some sweet and spicy pepitas.
*See Kitchen Notes for links, more information and substitutions.
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- ½ large onion chopped
- ~1.5 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into small cubes
- 1 large carrot peeled and cut into small cubes
- 1 Tbsp. grated ginger*
- 2 Tbsp. Thai red curry paste or to taste
- 4-5 cups vegetable broth*
- Juice from 1 lime + lime wedges for individual servings
- 1 can coconut milk
- Sweet and spicy pepitas* (Link in Kitchen Notes)
- Sriracha or other hot sauce
- wedges of lime
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. When hot add the onion and reduce heat to medium low and sauté until onions are translucent.
- Add cubes of potatoes and carrots, grated ginger and red curry paste.
- Stir to coat vegetables with the ginger and paste.
- Add the vegetable broth. If it doesn’t cover the vegetable add a little more.
- Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and simmer 20 minutes until potatoes are tender.
Using an immersion blender (or regular blender*), purée the soup. If it is too thick, add ½ cup water/broth and the lime juice.
- Stir in the coconut milk. Add more broth or water only if the soup is too thick for your liking.
- If possible, let the soup rest for at least 2 hours before serving.
To serve, scoop hot soup into soup bowls and top with a sprinkling of sweet & spicy pumpkin seeds* and juice from a wedge of lime.
Grated Ginger – Grating ginger can be a real pain, but if you peel it, cut it into 3-4 inch lengths then freeze, it grates quite nicely. When you need grated ginger, pull out a frozen length and grate what you need. No dealing with the strings you get with fresh ginger.
Link to Sweet and Spicy Pepitas
Vegetable Broth – Use homemade if you have it or you can heat 4 cups water with 2 generous teaspoons of a vegetable stock bouillon (e.g., Better than Bouillon).
Blending the soup – If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a regular blender, but you will need to blend in batches.
Toppings – The pepitas and the lime are a must. However, the Sriracha is for those who want it a little spicier. You could also top with garlic croutons, toasted coconut, or crispy egg noodles. Makes a nice soup for a soup and sandwich lunch.
In the recipe’s Kitchen Notes you find a few ideas for toppings and serving suggestions. However, as with any soup, a variety of toppings is possible. What would you suggest as a topping for this red curry sweet potato soup? It’s always fun to try new things!
For more puréed soup ideas, check out the recipes below.
This looks amazing! I love your suggestion to eat it with a grilled cheese sandwich! Sounds perfect!.
Thanks Judee! It you are like me, almost every soup deserves a grilled cheese. 🙂
I could DRINK this soup any time of the year! Such a vivid color too, MJ! Any recipe that I can get my hands on that has coconut milk and curry combined is a keeper for me! Thanks for sharing another wonderful recipe from your kitchen! Stay safe my friend!
I agree with you Roz about the coconut and curry. It has becomes one of my favorite flavor combinations. Thanks so much for your comments!
What a gorgeous color! I’ll bet this soup is delicious.
Thanks Jeff! It is a pretty color isn’t? 🙂
It was perfect the first time. I learn so much from you as well! Keep it up great post.
This red curry soup sounds yum! Been working with limited pantry supply lately but I think I have most ingredients needed here. Will have to make this soon. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Yi! I know how eating from the panty can be a challenge especially if you’ve been already doing it for a few weeks. Thank goodness our small local market still allows us to get fresh vegetables. Stay safe!
MJ, we’re still eating soups here so your Thai Red Chile Curry Sweet Potato Soup will go right to the top of my “must make” soup list. I love the idea of dipping a toasted cheese sandwich in the soup. Stay safe and well over your way.
Thanks Ron! Glad to read your a sandwich dipper also. 🙂 The perfect complement to any pureed soup is a grilled cheese for dipping. Hope you and your family are staying healthy and safe as well. Things are good here for what they are.
What a nice dish! I love sweet potatoes, and they make dynamite soup. Plus they work so well with curry flavors. And I happen to have some Thai red curry paste in my refrigerator — lucky me! Good stuff — thanks.
Thanks John! I’ve become addicted to the Thai curry pastes. Green, red, it’s all good!
Now this sounds like a delicious and comforting soup! Perfect for the colder spring nights, and surprisingly easy for a non-foodie like me 😀 xo
Thank you so much Gemma!
Well stocked…yes indeed. I’ve pinned your recipe as I have everything except lime.
Thanks Karen! Hope you are doing well and staying safe.
This soup looks super! I love Thai flavors and sweet potatoes. I have a large bag of them in the pantry right now, too.
Thanks Amy! I bet everyone is glad that the fall produced such a large sweet potato crop. 🙂
Good to know that works too! I learn so much from you as well! Keep it up great post.
Thanks Ghulam!
What a gorgeous soup and sweet potatoes are something I have on hand. Curry is something we always enjoy so I have no doubt we would love this. Hope you are doing OK MJ.
Thanks Abbe! I found my favorite curry blends a few years ago and now can’t love without it. It’s amazing how different the blends can be.
Just gorgeous!! And the coconut milk must make it taste as creamy as it looks!!
Thanks Liz! The coconut milk does make it creamy and I love the flavor compared to a heavy cream.
We’re having unseasonably cool weather in south Texas, and this soup looks delicious! I may even have all the ingredients! You may know I’m a fan of pepitas too? Pinning!
Thanks Tamara! I do remember that like pepitas. They are a pantry staple in this house. We put them on everything and sometimes we’ll just make up a batch of the sweet spicy and eat them as a snack. 🙂
I love sweet potato soup, I make a similar one all the time. I was never brave enough to use Thai red curry though, I might try it next time. 🙂
Thanks Adina! I’m addicting to a spicy sweet potato anything. 🙂
Its getting cold now here down under so this will be the perfect recipe for next coming days
Thanks Raymund! Yes it is a perfect soup for a chilly day.
Red curry and coconut milk is one of my favorite combinations. If you can believe, I bought a case (!) of red curry paste (Thai Kitchen) last year (really good deal and the stuff lasts forever) — am I ever glad I have it in my pantry; happy accident. This soup looks so good right about now, and your pepitas are the perfect topper. Might pop some red lentils in and call it dinner :)) thanks MJ.
thanks Kelly! I’m with you on the curry paste and coconut milk. It could just drink it. A case of red curry paste!!??!?!? Girl, you do love it. 🙂 I bet you’re putting it in everything at this point. Lentils sound like a great addition to this soup. Hope you safe and healthy.
It seems we all are so well stocked and this soup sounds like perfect to make to feel better immediately ! I hope you are all right and wish you remain that way ! 🙂
Thanks Davorka! Hope things are going well for you and your family and that everyone is safe and sound.
Yep. Got all those staples in my pantry. (I think….I think I’ve got red curry paste in the back of the fridge.) Thanks for a comforting recipe, MJ. Stay safe!
Thanks Debra! That curry paste does tend to get buried, doesn’t it? 🙂
You’ve created another great dish with so many flavors! I know it is delicious! Hope all is well with you. Stay safe!
Thanks Jan! It is delicious and having some leftover eat with a grilled cheese was a real treat. 🙂 Hope you are staying safe as well.
sounds like delicious flavours MJ. good to have some comforting soup in these troubling times. keep safe
cheers
sherry
Thanks Sherry!
Days like these that we crave comfort soups just like this delicious one. Love the fact that this recipe has just a handful of ingredients too and they are all ones we happen to have at the moment. Win – win! Stay well and take care
Thanks Bobbi! It’s amazing what we can all create with whats on hand. 🙂
Mmmm, so yellow! Love the colors, and I bet it smells as good as I imagine it to be.
Thanks! It does smell as good as it tastes. 🙂
It must have tasted amazingly delicious and comforting. Love the hot sauce 🙂
Thanks Angie! It is tasty!
This looks perfect for us! And I have all the ingredients on hand right now!!
Thanks Susan! Just proves it doesn’t take a lot of ingredients to make something good. 🙂