This sweet potato soup is ready in about 40 minutes and serves up pure cozy comfort. Simmered on the stovetop, it’s rich and creamy with a hint of sweetness from coconut milk and maple syrup. The crunchy pumpkin seeds on top give it that extra-special touch. Whether you’re cozying up on a cool night or want a heartwarming side dish, this soup is a Southern favorite.
Sweet Potato Coconut Soup – So Easy & Delicious!
Coconut milk and maple syrup combine with sweet potatoes for a slightly sweet and savory soup that can be thrown together last minute. Boil the potatoes and then mash them in the liquid they cooked in so you don’t miss any flavor. It’s an easy to make soup recipe that is cooked all in one pot in just 40 minutes.
You’ll be ready for winter with this recipe in your back pocket.
Even in the South, a piping hot bowl of soup in the Fall is just what you need to warm the soul. (even when it’s 70º in November) It’s even better if the soup is easy to make and packed with cozy flavors like this sweet potato soup!
This sweet potato soup made with coconut milk is the ultimate dairy-free soup for any occasion. It’s sweet and savory flavors and rich, velvety texture make it a versatile option for serving as a side or main dish and great to take for lunch.
First, you’ll boil and mash the sweet potatoes, then add the rest of the ingredients to simmer on the stovetop. Next, you’ll blend everything together for a creamy texture. It doesn’t get much easier than that. Make extra to have on hand to take to a friend who’s sick, it’s just as soothing as chicken noodle.
Once the soup is ready, ladle it into bowls and serve it with garlic rolls or buttermilk biscuits.
Sweet potatoes add a natural sweetness and unique flavor to so many recipes, but they really shine as the main course in this thick and velvety soup.
This might look like a butternut squash soup, but the flavors are completely different.
Why I Make This All the Time
- Simple: You only need a handful of ingredients to make this soup, most of which you probably already have in your kitchen.
- Make-ahead friendly: This soup is perfect for meal prep and eating throughout the week!
- Easy to make: Everything is made in one pot (minus the blending step), so it won’t make a mess.
Ingredients You Need to Make This Recipe
- Sweet potatoes: You’ll need 2 large sweet potatoes to make 6 cups.
- Pantry staples: You’ll need light or dark brown sugar, pure maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, cayenne pepper, honey, black pepper, salt, and cornstarch. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, just substitute cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Coconut milk: Adds a slight coconut flavor and creates a super creamy soup. Use full-fat coconut milk for the best flavor and texture.
- Pumpkin seeds: These are for garnish. You can omit them if you like but I love the contrasting texture they add.
What’s the Purpose of Adding Cornstarch?
It helps thicken the soup. We make a cornstarch slurry with an equal ratio of 2.5 teaspoons of cornstarch and 2.5 teaspoons of water and pour it into the soup. The soup will thicken as the mixture is absorbed. If you want a thinner soup, you can leave it out.
How to Make Sweet Potato Soup with Coconut Milk – Step-by-Step
Step One: Slice and Boil
Slice the sweet potatoes into rounds. Then, boil the sweet potatoes in water using a large pot or Dutch oven until they’re soft enough to mash. No need for perfection here—just get them nice and tender.
Step Two: Mash and Stir
Mash the potatoes right in the pot with any leftover water. Then, stir in the coconut milk, sweeteners, and spices. Let the soup simmer.
Step Three: Thicken and Blend
Mix a little cornstarch with water and stir that into the soup. Add a pinch of cayenne for a bit of heat.
Blend the soup until smooth in a food processor, then top it off with salted pumpkin seeds for crunch. Done!
Storage & Reheating Guidelines
Let the soup cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also pour the soup into individual bags or containers and pop it into the freezer for up to 6 months. Allow the soup to thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheat over medium heat in a small pot on the stovetop or microwave. If the soup is too thick, you can add vegetable broth or chicken broth.
A Few Recipe Notes
- Play around with different spices like ginger, herbs, chili powder, or anything else you like.
- If you don’t like heat, you can omit the cayenne pepper.
- If you’re not a fan of coconut, swap it out for vegetable or chicken broth. If you still want that creaminess, add a splash of half-and-half or heavy cream.
- You can use a regular blender or immersion blender instead of a food processor.
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Easy Sweet Potato Soup with Coconut Milk
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes peeled and sliced. About 6 cups
- 4 cups plus 2 ½ teaspoons water
- 1 14 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoons honey
- 2 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ cup salted pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Add sweet potatoes and 4 cups of water to a Dutch oven, the water should just cover the sweet potato slices. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for 15 minutes, until potatoes are soft enough to mash. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes in the pot with any remaining water.
- Add coconut milk, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, salt, pumpkin pie spice and black pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.
- In a measuring cup or small bowl, combine cornstarch with 2 ½ teaspoons of water, mix with a fork until it is combined then add to the soup. Add cayenne pepper and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a food processor or blender and process until it is smooth. Serve sprinkled with pumpkin seeds.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- You can also use an immersion blender to blend the soup but a food processor will make it the creamiest.
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, add a little cinnamon and nutmeg to taste.
Nutrition
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Amy says
Wow! This was great for a fall evening vegetarian soup! Ended up quite thick (which I like) and the pumpkin seeds were perfect additions to provide some salt and crunch. It does have a strong coconut flavor, which I felt balanced but could have felt overwhelming if you weren’t keen on it. Are there any alternatives?
Barbara Curry says
I would use whole milk instead.