Sweet Potato Soup is delicious when spiced with Moroccan flavours and brightened with fresh lemon juice.
Why Moroccan Spiced Sweet Potato Soup?
Sweet potatoes are, well, sweet. And, dishes made with them often enhance this sweetness even further, with maple syrup, and baking spices. However, for this recipe, I'm going to give the sweet potato a spicy spin.
Because of their sweetness, sweet potatoes lend themselves well to a little spice. Moroccan spices of coriander, cumin, cinnamon, chili peppers, caraway seeds, turmeric, and paprika, along with fresh lemon juice, are a delicious complement to the creamy sweetness of this beautiful orange tuber.
Sweet Potato or Yam, What's the Difference?
Yams and sweet potatoes are often confused or used interchangeably, when, in fact, they are two different veggies. Yams are not sweet and they have white, starchy flesh. They are a common ingredient in West African and Caribbean cooking.
Sweet potatoes, on the other hand, are sweet, of course. There are several varieties and the flesh colours can be purple, white, and of course, orange. Orange sweet potatoes are the ones that we (in North America) most commonly use in recipes, and as side dishes to our holiday meals.
Is Sweet Potato Soup Healthy?
Sweet potatoes are high in fibre and very filling. Most importantly, they are a rich source of beta carotene, which converts to Vitamin A in the body, as well as Vitamin C and potassium. Additionally, sweet potatoes are also a good source of B vitamins and minerals.
However, sweet potatoes are not a good source of protein.
Which is where chickpeas come in. This sweet potato soup contains chickpeas, both in the soup itself, and optionally, to top it off with these Spiced Lemon Roasted Chickpeas. Chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans, are very high in protein, as well as fibre, vitamins, and minerals.
Lastly, for more info about sweet potato nutrition, check out this evidence-based article: 6 Surprising Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
How to Garnish Moroccan Sweet Potato Soup
You can use any garnish you like, or none at all. I used, as mentioned, spiced lemon roasted chickpeas, parsley, and lemon slices. If you like cilantro, it would be perfect in place of the parsley. Some other garnish ideas are:
- A swirl of creme fraiche, sour cream, or Greek yogurt
- A swirl of olive, grapeseed, or chili oil
- A few speckles of hot sauce, especially harissa
- A tablespoon of chopped peanuts, walnuts, or pecans
- A few crispy fried sage leaves
- A sprinkle of chopped bacon
- A few croutons
- A sprinkle of paprika
Looking for More Sweet Potato Goodness? Try These:
Gluten and Dairy Free Sweet Potato Scallop
Egg, Sweet Potato & Mushroom Skillet
Apple & Sweet Potato Turkey Bake
Sweet Potato Soup with Black Beans and Corn
Salmon & Sweet Potato Frittata
Recipe
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Moroccan Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 sweet potatoes medium
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion medium, diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ยฝ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ยฝ teaspoon ground caraway seed
- ยฝ teaspoon cinnamon
- 6 cups vegetable stock low sodium
- 18 oz can chickpeas drained
- 1 lemon juiced
- salt & pepper to taste
- parsely for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ยฐ
- Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil
- Scrub sweet potatoes well, then poke several times with a fork
- Bake sweet potatoes on prepared pan in the center of oven 1 hour, or until tender
- In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat
- Add onion, celery, and garlic, and cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent.
- Add cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, pepper flakes, caraway, and cinnamon. Cook and stir until fragrant.
- Add stock, chickpeas, and lemon juice and bring back to a boil
- Slice potatoes in half lengthwise, and scoop out the flesh, adding to the pot
- Use an immersion blender right in the pot to puree the soup, blending until smooth, or, transfer in batches to a blender, using care not to overfill, and keeping the vent open.
- Taste and season with salt & pepper
- Serve hot, with lemon wedges, hot sauce if desired, and garnished with parsley and Spiced Lemon Roasted Chickpeas
Notes
Nutrition
Lorraine Meunier
Tasty and so easy to make! Perfect consistency as well.
Colleen
Hi Lorraine, This is one of our favorite soups. I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed it, too. Thank you for sharing!
TK
Hi! I just picked up some pre-diced sweet potatoes & was looking for a recipe to use them on! Do I need to bake them for the same amount of time???
Colleen
Hi TK. I haven't made this recipe with pre-diced sweet potatoes, but guessing they will need the same amount of time. I hope you'll come back to share how it went!
Jules
I just made this and it is delicious. Thank you for sharing. Can you freeze this for later as I like to do meal prep this recipe made 10 - 3/4 mansion jars (500ml)also are the Roasted lemon chickpeas to be stored in the fridge or pantry?
Colleen
Hi Jules! You are welcome, I'm so glad you loved the soup, and thanks for your questions. Yes, this soup freezes well and it's great for meal prep. And the roasted chickpeas can be stored in the pantry in a jar with a lid of other airtight container.
Di
This soup looks yummy! Can you freeze it?
Colleen
Hi Di, thanks for this question. Yes, this soup freezes really well. Freeze in airtight containers for up to 6 months. Enjoy!