Cozy up with a bowl of this delicious, flavorful Sweet Potato Leek Soup. You’ll love this healthier twist on the classic potato leek soup.
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As some of you may know, I have an 11 month old son. And I am pretty obsessed with trying to get him to eat a variety of food. We won’t tolerate picky eaters in my house!! Just kidding, we’ll love him either way. But I am trying to expose him to as many flavors as possible now before we get into the terrible toddler years.
And it turns out my baby doesn’t like plain steamed carrots or baby rice cereal. Oh no. He wants food with flavor. So that is awesome. It works out well that a lot of the things I cook for dinner end up being foods that Elliot will gladly eat.
This Sweet Potato Leek Soup is a perfect example. I wasn’t even thinking of this soup as baby food when I created the recipe. I just wanted a flavorful, healthy, easy, filling soup. A soup that goes great with crackers. Or with a baguette that is topped with cheese and broiled.
So there I was making my sweet potato leek soup for lunch, and as I was pureeing it I realized this would make awesome baby food. Luckily Elliot thought so too – he ate about a quarter cup before he decided playing with his food is more fun. As usual.
I love this version of the classic potato leek soup. Sweet potatoes have so much more flavor and are so much healthier than white potatoes.
I also use a teaspoon of turmeric in this recipe which adds a bit of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties to the soup. I try to add turmeric powder to a lot of my cooking. I love the yellow color and I think turmeric tastes pretty neutral so it goes perfectly well into many dishes. I think this soup is perfect for adding turmeric.
Give this Sweet Potato Leek Soup recipe a try! It is a great soup during colder weather and even when it is getting a littler warmer out – it’s easy to make and something about its bright, festive color makes me want to eat it year round.
Cozy up with a bowl of this delicious, flavorful Sweet Potato Leek Soup. You'll love this healthier twist on the classic potato leek soup.
- 1 large leek (about 1/2 lb, or 3 cups sliced leek)
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1.5 lb sweet potato (1 very large or 2 medium sweet potatoes)
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder (optional)
- Salt & pepper, to taste (1/8 teaspoon each is a good start)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves , chopped, for garnish
Prepare all the ingredients: Thinly slice the leek, discarding the tough green parts. Rinse the leek very well - it traps dirt easily. Mince the garlic cloves. Peel the sweet potato and dice into ~2 inch pieces
Cook the soup: In a 3-4 quart soup pot, heat the olive oil. Add the sliced leek, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes, if using. Saute over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. This will allow the leeks to release their sweet flavor. If you wish, set aside about 2 tablespoons of sauteed leeks for garnish
Add the vegetable stock, diced sweet potato, and turmeric. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are fully cooked.
Use an immersion blender to carefully blend the soup until the desired consistency. I like mine mostly smooth with a few chunks of sweet potato left. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish with fresh parsley leaves and sauteed leeks.
If you have a can of vegetable stock, you may use a 15-oz can + 1 cup of water instead of 3 cups of vegetable stock. It won't make a difference to the flavor of the soup.
