This Thai-inspired sweet potato and coconut soup is vibrant, creamy, and warming. It makes for a delicious lunch or light meal that's both gluten-free and dairy-free.
This soup keeps well in the freezer, so make a big batch and save it for future meals. If you have a vegan Thai curry paste, it would be great in place of some of the aromatic ingredients.
For more delicious sweet potato recipes, check out this sweet potato and black bean chilli and quinoa stew with sweet potato and lime.
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Is Thai curry paste vegan?
Thai curry paste may or may not be vegan depending on whether it includes fish/crustacean ingredients. While the flavours in this soup border on Thai-style, I didn't want to include a paste in the recipe in case anyone made the dish non-vegan without realising.
If you have a vegan Thai curry paste (and there are many out there), then by all means use it in this soup. Try a heaped tablespoon of the paste in place of the garlic, ginger, and chilli in this recipe.
You could also include typical Thai curry paste ingredients such as lemongrass and galangal if you happen to have these to hand.
Is sweet potato soup healthy?
Sweet potatoes are a great source of fibre and potassium, as well as vitamin C and most of our B vitamins. They rank among the healthiest and most cost-effective foods on the planet, with one of the highest nutrient-rich food scores per dollar.
The only things that could be considered unhealthy in this soup are the oil and coconut milk, but these dairy-free ingredients give the soup its silky, creamy texture. It still comes in at only 224 calories per serving.
Which spices go well with sweet potato?
This sweet potato soup recipe uses the super duo of ground cumin and smoked paprika. I use this simple combo a lot in my cooking, and the flavours combine with the aromatic ingredients here to make every spoonful warming and delicious.
If you wanted to play around with other flavours, I'd suggest spices such as garam masala, turmeric, cardamom, and chilli powder (see also this recipe for sweet potato dal).
How to make vegan sweet potato and coconut soup
Heat the oil in a large saucepan before adding the roughly chopped onion and carrot. You don't need to spend too much time chopping the veg as you're going to blend the soup at the end. Season with salt and pepper and soften on a low/medium heat for 6-8 minutes.
Next, add the chopped peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes, followed by the garlic, ginger, and chilli. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes.
Once the veg has softened, add the cubed sweet potato, cumin, and smoked paprika. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes, before adding the coconut milk.
Once the coconut milk starts to simmer, add the veg stock and stir to combine everything. Reduce the heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the sweet potato cubes have softened.
If including fresh coriander, stir in most of this towards the end of the cooking time, saving some to serve.
Once the sweet potato cubes are soft, turn off the heat and blitz thoroughly using a hand blender. Adjust the seasoning to taste and serve.
Serving suggestions
- Fresh coriander
- A squeeze of lime juice
- Crusty bread
- Homemade cashew cream
- Toasted coconut flakes
- Roasted red peppers
- Sliced spring onions
Variations and tips
- Veg: Since you're going to blend the soup at the end, don't worry about spending too much time chopping the veg into small pieces.
- Thai curry paste: If you have a vegan Thai curry paste (check the ingredients for any fish/crustacean items), then by all means use it in this soup. Try a heaped tablespoon of the paste in place of the garlic, ginger, and chilli in this recipe.
- Other aromatics: You could also include typical Thai curry paste ingredients such as lemongrass and galangal if you happen to have these to hand.
- Gluten-free: If you need to ensure that this recipe is 100% gluten-free, use a vegan stock that is certified or labelled as such.
- Extra heat: If you like your food with a kick, add more fresh chilli or chilli powder.
- Larger blender: I find that a hand blender is good enough to achieve a smooth consistency, but you could also transfer the soup to a larger blender. If doing so, you may need to blend in batches.
Storage
Refrigerate: You can store this sweet potato soup in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave or in a pan on low heat.
Freeze: This soup freezes very well for up to six months, so it’s worth making a big batch and then storing it in the freezer for an easy lunch or dinner. Defrost for a few hours before reheating on the hob, adding a splash of water if necessary.
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More vegan recipe ideas
If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:
- Vegan Scotch Broth
- One-Pot Sweet Potato Chilli
- Creamy Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup
- Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Soup
- Mushroom and Tarragon Soup
- Mashed Leek and Potato Soup
- Easy Vegan Pea and Mint Soup
- White Bean Soup with Lemon & Parsley
You can also check out my full list of vegan soup recipes.
Full recipe
Spiced Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup (Vegan + GF)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil (or other cooking oil)
- 1 large onion, roughly chopped
- 1 large carrot, roughly chopped
- 1 red pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 yellow pepper, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 inch piece of ginger, roughly chopped
- 1 chilli, sliced
- 2-3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1 cm cubes (approx. 800g)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1x 400 ml tin light coconut milk
- 1 litre vegan stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Good handful of fresh coriander, chopped (optional)
- Lime juice, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan before adding the roughly chopped onion and carrot. You don't need to spend too much time chopping the veg as you're going to blend the soup at the end. Season with salt and pepper and soften on a low/medium heat for 6-8 minutes.
- Next, add the chopped peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes, followed by the garlic, ginger, and chilli. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes.
- Once the veg has softened, add the cubed sweet potato, cumin, and smoked paprika. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes, before adding the coconut milk.
- Once the coconut milk starts to simmer, add the veg stock and stir to combine everything. Reduce the heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the sweet potato cubes have softened.
- If including fresh coriander, stir in most of this towards the end of the cooking time, saving some to serve.
- Once the sweet potato cubes are soft, turn off the heat and blitz thoroughly using a hand blender. Adjust the seasoning to taste and serve with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lime juice.
Notes
- Vegan Scotch Broth
- Celeriac Soup with Apple, Lemon & Thyme
- One-Pot Sweet Potato Chilli
- Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Soup
- Mushroom and Tarragon Soup
- Mashed Leek and Potato Soup
- Easy Vegan Pea and Mint Soup
- White Bean Soup with Lemon & Parsley
Nutrition
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Chris Roberts
Beautiful soup, which I made with Instant Pot pressure cooker. I left out the chilli because significant other doesn't care for that kind of thing, but added dried flakes at the table. Another fantastic recipe.
The Pesky Vegan
Brilliant, thanks for the review!
Vicky
This is my favourite ever sweet potato soup 🙂
The Pesky Vegan
Cheers Vicky, glad you enjoyed!