This healthy sweet potato coconut soup is ultra creamy, flavourful and perfect for the whole family to enjoy! The ultimate warm and cozy soup for those cooler days. Easy to make and ready to serve in about 30 minutes! {Gluten-free, vegan & paleo}
Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup – So Easy & Healthy!
If you’re looking for a bowl of soup that will warm your soul, you have to try this delicious sweet potato coconut soup! With the perfect balance of sweet and savoury, I swear you won’t be able to stop eating this stuff!
In this soup, you’ll find the ultimate flavours…sweet potato and rich and creamy coconut milk. It’s so flavourful and has the perfect smooth, velvety texture without the addition of any heavy cream.
I absolutely adore sweet potatoes, not only for their taste, but also for their vibrant color and nutritional profile. They’re packed full of so many nutrients, so of course when I get the opportunity, I’m going to put them in a soup.
Hope you enjoy this easy sweet potato soup as much as we do, and if you love sweet potatoes, be sure to also check out these Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Sweet Potato Muffins recipes too!
Why We Love This Sweet Potato Coconut Soup
- Easy: This recipe is all made in one pot on the stovetop and requires just a handful of ingredients, most of which you probably have in your cupboards already.
- Healthy option: Made with coconut milk, this healthy sweet potato soup doesn’t require the addition of any cream. It’s completely plant-based, and packed with vitamins A and C, as well as potassium and fibre! It’s also a gluten-free and paleo-friendly option for those with dietary restrictions.
- Make ahead: This soup is a great option to make ahead of time to eat throughout the week. Ideal for meal prepping and freezer meals!
- Quick: This simple soup only takes about 10 minutes to prep and it’s ready to serve in about half an hour. Perfect meal after a long busy day or to reheat the next day for lunch!
Ingredient Notes
- Sweet potato: The sweet potatoes are the heart and soul of this recipe. You can use freshly diced or frozen cubed sweet potatoes. You can also sub in yams if that’s what you have on hand.
- Veggies: The onion, celery and garlic add so much additional flavour to this soup. You can’t really taste the celery; it just adds a nice base of flavour.
- Broth: I used a reduced sodium vegetable stock for this soup. If you don’t require a vegetarian or vegan option, you can also sub in chicken broth.
- Coconut milk: Use canned coconut milk for this recipe since it’s nice and creamy and a great replacement for cream. I prefer to use full fat rather than lite as it incorporates a much richer flavour which complements the sweet potato flavour so nicely.
How to Make Sweet Potato Soup with Coconut Milk – Step-by-Step
- Step 1 – In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, heat olive oil and add chopped onion, and celery. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally. Next, add garlic cloves and saute for 30 seconds.
- Step 2 – Stir in diced sweet potatoes, and dried thyme leaves. Pour in broth.
- Step 3 – Partially cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.
- Step 4 – Using a hand-held immersion blender or regular blender, puree soup until smooth. Pour soup back into pot (if using blender) and add coconut milk. Stir to combine. Season to taste. Drizzle with reserved coconut milk.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the complete recipe!
How to Puree Soup
There are a few different options for producing the ultimate rich and creamy soup! Feel free to choose the one that works best for you from the methods below:
- Immersion blender: The immersion blender is my FAVOURITE way to puree soup and one of my most-used kitchen tools. It’s so quick and convenient since you can essentially blend the soup right in the pot and the results are always outstanding! Plus, the clean up is so easy! Just be sure to blitz the soup slowly at first to prevent it from splattering all over the place and wear an apron in case some of the soup splashes onto your clothes. I also love using the immersion blender for this Instant Pot Curried Butternut Squash Soup and Creamy Cauliflower Soup.
- Regular blender: A high powered blender is my second favourite method since it results in that same velvety texture that the immersion blender creates. Be sure to puree the soup in batches and never fill the blender more than half way full to prevent the hot liquids from exploding out of the blender, which can not only create a huge mess but may also result in a burn.
- Food processor: I don’t generally use a food processor to puree soup as I find it doesn’t produce that same ultra creamy texture that a blender would, but it is an option if that’s what you have on hand.
Tips for the Best Sweet Potato Soup
- Cut up the sweet potato in advance or use frozen sweet potato cubes for super easy meal prep. That way, when meal time rolls around, you just have to toss the diced sweet potato in with the rest of the ingredients, and cook in the broth! If you use frozen cubes, you’ll need the equivalent of about 6 cups of diced sweet potato.
- Be sure to cut up the sweet potato in pieces that are uniform in size so that they finish cooking at the same time.
- Use full fat coconut milk for an ultra creamy sweet potato soup. Be sure to give the can a good shake before opening as it tends to separate.
- Use a hand blender to easily blend the soup right in the pot. This kitchen tool is so handy! Just be sure to blitz the soup slowly at first to avoid the hot soup splattering everywhere.
- If you don’t own a stick blender, you can purée the soup in a regular blender. I recommend blending the soup in batches so the hot soup doesn’t explode out of the blender. You don’t want to burn yourself…or get it all over the kitchen!
Storage & Reheating Guidelines
How to Store
This is a great soup to enjoy throughout the week for easy grab and go lunches. Let the soup cool completely and then transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep well in the fridge for up to four days.
Can you freeze this soup?
Yes! I don’t know about you, but I always have some soup stashed away in my freezer! Place the cooled soup into sealable freezer bags, a freezer-safe container or try these Souper Cubes to freeze smaller portions. It will keep well for up to 6 months. Thaw frozen soup in the fridge overnight before reheating.
How to Reheat
You can reheat this sweet potato and coconut milk soup in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- Stovetop: Place the soup in a pot and place over medium heat. Stir occasionally to warm through evenly before serving. Don’t boil the soup as it may start to stick to the bottom of the pan; you just need to warm it through.
- Microwave: Place the soup in a microwaveable bowl and cover loosely. Heat on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring half way through.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you certainly can! If you prefer a smooth and creamy soup, however, I recommend that you remove the skin prior to boiling the potatoes. It will provide a more velvety texture since little bits of skin won’t be floating around in the soup.
Definitely! Simply toss all of the ingredients other than the coconut milk into the crockpot and cook on low for about 5-6 hours. Blend until smooth and creamy. Stir in coconut milk and season to taste.
For sure! Just add the diced frozen sweet potato into the pot along with the broth and seasoning and allow it to simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender. Then proceed with the next steps.
What to Serve with Sweet Potato Soup
This sweet potato coconut soup tastes great on it’s own but you can also jazz it up with some additional toppings!
Try it topped with:
- Roasted chickpeas
- Croutons
- Toasted coconut flakes
- Crispy bacon
- Sprinkle of cheese
- Fresh parsley
- Diced green onion
- A drizzle of additional coconut milk
It’s also great served alongside a salad or wrap or with a slice of fresh crusty bread for dipping.
Recipe Variations
- Add extra veggies: Toss in some diced carrot along with the celery for additional flavour and nutrients.
- For extra sweetness: Add a diced apple to the pot and allow it to simmer along with the sweet potato. Alternatively, you can add a bit of maple syrup to the soup for some extra sweetness.
- For different flavour: To switch up the flavour profile, add in a dash cinnamon and nutmeg, fresh ginger and curry powder or curry paste, or chili powder and paprika!
- To add a kick of spice: Add a sprinkle of red chilli flakes.
- To make roasted sweet potato soup: Roast the cubed sweet potato instead of boiling them for more depth of flavour.
More Delicious Soups
- Butternut Squash Carrot Soup
- Sweet Potato Casserole without Marshmallows
- Easy Instant Pot Curried Butternut Squash Soup
- Easy Instant Pot Pumpkin Soup
- Roasted Sweet Potato Soup with Maple Glazed Walnuts
- Curried Pumpkin Chicken Soup
- Lemon Lentil Soup
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a rating and review!
Easy Sweet Potato Coconut Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 large celery stalks diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 medium sweet potatoes peeled and diced (about 6 cups diced)
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 4-5 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth (or more if you prefer a thinner soup)
- 1 cup coconut milk plus more for drizzling
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, over medium heat, heat olive oil and add chopped onion, and celery. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened and fragrant, stirring occasionally. Next, add garlic cloves and saute for 30 seconds.
- Stir in diced sweet potatoes and dried thyme leaves. Pour in 4 cups of broth, partially cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.
- Using a hand-held immersion blender or regular blender, puree soup until smooth. Pour soup back into pot (if using blender) and add coconut milk. Stir to combine. If you would like your soup to be a thinner consistency, add more broth until desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Distribute soup into bowls and drizzle with additional coconut milk or other suggested toppings, if desired.
Notes
- Cut up the sweet potato in advance or use frozen sweet potato cubes for super easy meal prep. That way, when meal time rolls around, you just have to toss the diced squash in with the rest of the ingredients, and cook in the broth! If you use frozen cubes, you’ll need the equivalent of about 6 cups diced sweet potato.
- Be sure to cut up the sweet potato in pieces that are uniform in size so that they finish cooking at the same time.
- Use full fat coconut milk for an ultra creamy sweet potato soup. Be sure to give the can a good shake before opening as it tends to separate.
- Use an immersion blender to easily blend the soup right in the pot. This kitchen tool is so handy! Just be sure to blitz the soup slowly at first to avoid the hot soup splattering everywhere.
- If you don’t own an immersion blender, you can purée the soup in a regular blender. I recommend blending the soup in batches so the hot soup doesn’t explode out of the blender. You don’t want to burn yourself…or get it all over the kitchen!
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in February 2016 and was updated in January 2023 to include better tips and photos.
Looks delish! I’ve been looking for more healthy recipes- I’m doing the whole30 right now trying to get back on track after baby #2. Love your posts!
Thanks so much Sam! If you need any help with getting back on track, just let me know! Stay tuned for more healthy recipes ;)