Velvety smooth, delicious, and with plenty of savory umami flavor, this Vegan Miso Sweet Potato Soup is like a hug in a bowl! Read the notes below the recipe for tips and ingredient add-in ideas.
Peel or scrub clean the sweet potatoes. Cube the sweet potato. The smaller you cut them the faster they will cook, but I don't recommend going smaller than 1 inch.
1.5 lbs sweet potato
Dice the onion and celery finely. Peel and dice the carrot. Peel and mince the garlic. Grate the ginger
1 medium yellow onion, 2 stalks celery, 2 medium carrots, 2 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
In a large, heavy bottomed pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onion starts to turn translucent.
1 medium yellow onion, 2 stalks celery, 2 medium carrots, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil
Add the sweet potato, grated ginger, broth, and water.
1.5 lbs sweet potato, 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger, 3 cups vegetable broth, 1 cup water
Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 15-25 minutes, or until all the vegetables are very soft.
Add the miso paste, salt (if using), and pepper.
¼ cup white miso paste, salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Remove from the heat and use an immersion blender to pulse everything until smooth (or leave it a little chunky if you prefer that). Alternatively, allow to cool slightly and then use a regular blender. Taste and adjust the flavor with additional salt, pepper, or miso paste. Serve hot, garnishing with fresh herbs.
optional garnish: fresh cilantro leaves
Notes
Should I peel the sweet potatoes for soup? It's up to you! If you have organic sweet potatoes that are not old and have smooth skins, you can scrub them thoroughly to clean them and leave them unpeeled. The skin will soften as the sweet potatoes cook, and will be completely unnoticeable after the soup is blended. What other veggies can I add to this soup? Try parsnips instead of carrots. Add a few Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes) scrubbed clean. Add a bell pepper (red, orange, or yellow), diced and seeds removed.Want to add a coconutty creamy flavor? Use 2 cups broth and 1 can of coconut milk (lite or full fat). Skip the water, or add only enough to mostly cover the sweet potatoes and blend the soup. Make it creamy: Stir in or blend in some vegan sour cream, vegan cream cheese, silken tofu, or plain vegan yogurt. Or add a handful of cashews to the soup as it cooks to soften them, then blend with the cashews.