There’s nothing better than the warmth of a comforting soup on a cold autumn day. And this Sweet Potato Coconut and Chilli Soup hits all the right notes. It’s creamy, hearty, and has a deliciously spicy kick. Make it ahead for grab-and-go lunches and when you crave a cozy dinner on the table in a flash.
This sweet potato, coconut, and chili soup recipe is one of my favorite meals if I want to settle down for a cozy night following a cold day out and about. It’s really easy to prepare and made with simple real food ingredients that can be found in your local grocery store. All you need is four fresh ingredients and a bunch of pantry ingredients you probably already have at home.
If you love sweet potatoes, check my take on Colcannon (Irish mashed potatoes), a Healthy Full English Breakfast, or this Slow Cooker Vegan Chilli.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Make-Ahead. Sweet Potato Coconut and Chilli Soup tastes fab when you first make it. And it tastes even better the next day when the flavors have had a chance to develop. If you ask me, that makes it a great soup recipe to make ahead and enjoy over the entire week.
- Warm and comforting. When you want a bowl of something warm and cozy, this delicious and nutritious bowl of goodness will hit the spot.
- Suitable for a range of dietary lifestyles. This sweet potato soup with coconut recipe is vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free, and paleo-friendly, making it a fantastic soup if you have dietary restrictions or are following a specific lifestyle.
Health Benefits
Ingredient Spotlight: Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a delicious and nutritious real food source that can support your health when eaten as part of a balanced diet. They are rich in carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that provide a wealth of health benefits. Here are just a few.
- Antioxidant Properties: Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants, which can help shield your cells from damage caused by harmful free radicals.
- Anti-Inflammatory: Consuming sweet potatoes may assist in reducing inflammation throughout the body.
- Blood Sugar Regulation: Sweet potatoes are considered an anti-diabetic food source, as they have the potential to help regulate blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity in some people.
- Antimicrobial Effects: Sweet potatoes possess antimicrobial properties that may help fight infections and support your immune system.
- Weight Management: Sweet potatoes can be an ally in weight management efforts due to their low-calorie content and high-fiber content, helping you feel full and satisfied.
- Anti-Aging Benefits: Sweet potatoes contain nutrients like vitamin C that stimulate collagen production to preserve youthful skin. [Source]
Ingredients
Here’s the list of simple ingredients you will need to make this delicious sweet potato and coconut chili soup:
INGREDIENT NOTES
- Sweet Potatoes: You want the red-skinned sweet potatoes with the orange flesh. We will dice them into small chunks and roast them to bring out their natural sweetness.
- Onions: For flavor. Onions add the perfect balance of sweet and savory to the soup.
- Garlic Cloves: The ideal seasoning for soup if you want a ton of flavor, fast!
- Red Chili Pepper: For heat. You want medium-hot fresh chili pepper for a pleasant heat that doesn’t overpower the other ingredients.
- Spice Mix: I’m using a blend of spices for this recipe, including ground cumin, coriander, and garam masala. They bring this soup to life by adding warmth and incredible depth of flavor.
- Gluten-Free Vegetable Stock: A flavorful liquid that makes this soup… well, soupy.
- Creamy Coconut Milk: This contributes to a really creamy texture and imparts a delicious coconut flavor that works perfectly with the sweet potato’s sweetness and the chili’s spiciness. Use full-fat coconut milk for a more creamy soup or light coconut milk if you prefer a lower-calorie option.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Helps the sweet potatoes to caramelize in the oven.
- Sea Salt Flakes and Black Pepper: Helps make all the flavors pop!
Instructions
These visual step-by-step instructions provide a quick overview of the recipe. You can find the recipe card with the complete list of ingredients and detailed instructions at the bottom of this post. ⇩
1: Place the diced sweet potatoes on a sheet pan (baking tray), drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
2: Place in the oven to roast for 25-30 minutes or until tender and caramelized. At the end of the cooking time, remove from the oven and set aside.
3: Heat the remaining olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 3-4 minutes until translucent.
4: Add the garlic and chili and sauté for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
5: Stir in the fragrant spice mix and cook for 1-2 minutes to toast the spices, releasing their flavors.
6: Add the roasted sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and vegetable stock to the pot, and give everything a good stir.
7: Simmer for 15-20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. Remove the soup from the heat, and blend for a smooth consistency. Serve and enjoy!
Top Tips
Toasting spices. Toasting ground cumin, coriander, and garam masala in the pot before adding other ingredients enhances their flavors. Be careful not to burn them.
Double the recipe. Make a larger batch and freeze portions for future quick and easy meals.
Use an immersion blender. If you have an immersion blender, it’s handy for blending the soup directly in the pot without transferring hot liquid to a stand blender.
Substitutions
Don’t have all the ingredients or want to make some swaps? No problem. Here are some ideas for you to try:
- Sweet Potatoes: This might be a sweet potato soup recipe, however, butternut squash, pumpkin, and carrots are all great alternatives. They all kind of bring the sweetness of the sweet potato and provide a similar texture once blended. Plus, they are all vegetables that provide a good source of fiber for a healthy digestive system and vitamin C and beta-carotene for immune support.
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk: If you want a lower-fat option, use light coconut milk instead of full-fat.
- Fresh Chili Pepper (Fresh Chilli): If you don’t have fresh chili peppers, you can use red pepper flakes, red chilli flakes (red chili flakes), a pinch of chili powder (chilli powder), or cayenne pepper for heat. Add a little at a time until you reach your desired heat level. Also, if you’re using this recipe for meal prep, keep in mind that the heat will intensify over time.
- Ground Cumin and Coriander: A good-quality curry powder can be used instead of ground cumin, coriander, and garam masala.
- Vegetable Broth: If you’re not vegetarian or vegan, you can use chicken broth or stock for a slightly different flavor.
Variations
- Sweet Potato Soup with a Thai Influence: Swap the cumin, coriander, and garam masala for a natural red Thai curry paste. This will add a beautiful burst of Thai flavor. Garnish with fresh Thai basil, lime wedges, and crushed peanuts.
- Spiced Sweet Potato Soup with an Indian Influence: This soup already incorporates Indian flavors. But to take that up a notch, add a teaspoon of fresh ginger with the garlic, half a teaspoon of turmeric, and a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon. Serve with a dollop of yogurt, a sprinkle of chopped fresh mint, and warm naan bread. It’s so good!
- Sweet Potato and Apple Soup: Take advantage of even more seasonal produce by adding one or two diced apples to the soup pot along with the roasted sweet potatoes. This flavor variation is for you if you like the sweetness to shine through in your soup. Sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg and serve with whole wheat croutons. Yum!
Serving Suggestions
Toppings and dunkers are a fun and delicious part of eating a bowl of soup. Here are some of my favorites for sweet potato soup.
DUNKERS
- Wholemeal Crusty Bread
- Pan-Fried Halloumi Chips
- Naan Bread
- Whole Wheat Chapatis
TOPPERS
- Yogurt or Sour Cream
- Toasted Nuts
- Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Chopped Fresh Herbs
- Roasted Chickpeas
- Crispy Bacon Bits
- Crispy Shallots or Onions
- Toasted Coconut Flakes
- Sliced Fresh Chili (with or without seeds)
Storage
By following these storage tips, you can enjoy your sweet potato coconut and chili soup at its best, whether storing it in the refrigerator for a few days or freezing it for longer-term storage.
REFRIGERATION
- Cool Down First: Allow the soup to cool to room temperature before refrigerating it. Placing hot soup in the fridge can raise the internal temperature and affect your other food.
- Airtight Container: Transfer the soup to an airtight container. Glass or BPA-free plastic containers with lids work well. Make sure the container is designed for the refrigerator.
- Label and Date: Use labels or masking tape to mark the container with the date the soup was prepared. This makes life so much easier as you can track its freshness.
- Refrigerate: Store the soup in the refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking.
- Consume: Eat your refrigerated soup within 3-4 days.
FREEZING
- Cool Completely: Allow the soup to cool to room temperature before freezing.
- Portion Control: Consider portioning the soup into individual servings before freezing so it’s easier to thaw and reheat what you need.
- Containers: Save each portion in a freezer-safe container or bag. Remove as much air as possible from freezer bags to prevent freezer burn.
- Label and Date: Clearly label each container or bag with the soup’s name and the date it was prepared. Frozen soup can typically be stored for 2-3 months.
- Thawing: When ready to use, thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight. You can place the sealed container in cold water for a quicker thaw.
REHEATING
- Stovetop: Reheat the soup on the stove over low to medium heat, occasionally stirring until it’s heated through. You may need to add a splash of water or broth to adjust the consistency.
- Microwave: If reheating individual servings, ensure the soup is in a microwave-safe container and pop it in the microwave. Cover loosely with a microwave-safe lid, as it will spit as it heats. Heat for 3 minutes, and then 1-minute intervals, stirring between intervals until the desired temperature is reached.
FAQs
Yes! In fact, it often tastes even better the next day as the flavors have more time to develop. Simply store the soup in the refrigerator in an airtight container and reheat it when you’re ready to serve.
To reduce the spiciness, use a milder chili pepper variety or remove the seeds and membrane from the chili before adding it to the soup. You can also start with a smaller amount of chili and adjust to taste as you go.
Yes, you can use frozen sweet potatoes and roast them directly from frozen. Most prepacked frozen sweet potato chucks can be roasted in 15-18 minutes. But, to get them crispy, I often find they need a little longer.
More Soup Recipes
Looking for more cozy soup recipes? Try these next time…
Have you tried this soup? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating below! It would make my day if you could also leave a comment to help other readers and this blog. Stay in touch by SUBSCRIBING to my newsletter and following along on social media ~ INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST, and FACEBOOK. I can’t wait to connect!
📖 Recipe
Creamy Sweet Potato Coconut and Chilli Soup (Vegan)
If you love this recipe, rate it with 5 stars below!
PRINT PIN RATEEquipment
- Large Soup Pot, or Dutch Oven
- Immersion Blender, or Stand Blender (see Note 1)
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds (680 grams) sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
- 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or coconut oil, divided
- ⅔ teaspoon sea salt flakes, or Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 brown onion, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 red chili, seeds removed, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 14 ounce (400 gram) can coconut milk, I'm using full-fat
- 3⅓ cups (800 ml) low sodium vegetable stock, gluten-free
Instructions
- Prepare: Gather and prepare your ingredients. Preheat your oven to 400ºF/200ºC/Gas Mark 6.
- Roast the Sweet Potatoes: Place the diced sweet potatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle with half a tablespoon of the extra virgin olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Roast in the oven for about 25-30 minutes or until tender and slightly caramelized. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Meanwhile, in a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the remaining extra virgin olive oil over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about 5-6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and chopped chili pepper and sauté for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the Spices: Stir in the garam masala, ground cumin, and ground coriander and cook for 1-2 minutes to toast the spices, releasing their flavors.
- Add Liquids: Once cooked, add the roasted sweet potatoes to the pot and pour in the coconut milk and vegetable stock. Stir well to combine. Let the soup simmer for about 15-20 minutes, melding all the flavors together.
- Blend: Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until it has a smooth consistency. See Note 1.
- Garnish and Serve: Ladle the sweet potato coconut chili soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves (fresh coriander leaves) and sliced chili if desired. Serve the soup hot, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Information (Per Serving)
Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutritional information is estimated using an online nutrition calculator. For accuracy, we recommend you calculate using the exact ingredients and brands you used.
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