Autumn Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

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With carrots, sweet potatoes and apples, this savory soup with a hint of sweetness is the essence of fall.

Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup

Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)

It seems I’ve always got the components of this soup lingering in my veggie bin (along with other mysterious things, but I’ll spare you those details), so it’s easy to whip up on a cool fall day. The nice thing is that the sweet potatoes add body to the soup, making it luxuriously silky, without even the slightest bit of guilt-inducing heavy cream.

Now, I have to admit that I’m not one of those people who look forward to fall; my pessimistic side knows all too well that winter is looming. But the thought of comfort food and cozy clothes does make it more bearable. So go ahead and think of this dish as that soft knit sweater you can’t wait to put on at the first sign of a chill. Pair the soup with crusty artisan bread, challah, or dinner rolls.

“Absolutely scrumptious! My husband is still talking about how delicious dinner was last night!”

Christina

About Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes on a counter.

Before we get started, let’s talk about sweet potatoes. It’s common practice in the U.S. to use the words “sweet potato” and “yam” interchangeably. This is confusing since yams aren’t sweet potatoes at all, but rather thick white tubers with dark brown skin. But chances are you won’t find real yams at the supermarket, so if you see “yams,” you’re probably looking at sweet potatoes. As for the different varieties, look for Garnet, Jewel, Beauregard, all of which have orange flesh and reddish-brown skin and are delicious in sweet potato pie, mashed sweet potatoes, and sweet potato casserole.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Begin by cooking the onions in butter until they are soft and translucent. Then, add the curry powder and cook until fragrant.

Onions, butter, and curry powder in a pot.

Add the carrots, sweet potatoes, and chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Boiling pot of chicken broth.

Cover and simmer over low heat until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes, then toss in the chopped apples.

Chopped apples in a pot of broth and vegetables.

Purée with a stick blender until smooth and creamy.

Immersion blender in a pot of soup.

Enjoy!

Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)

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Autumn Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

With carrots, sweet potatoes and apples, this savory soup with a hint of sweetness is the essence of fall.

Servings: 8
Total Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder, plus a bit more for serving
  • 1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 1½ pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 small), peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 8 cups chicken broth, best quality such as Swanson
  • 1¾ teaspoons salt
  • 1 tart yet sweet apple (such as Honeycrisp or Fuji), peeled and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Do not brown. Add the curry powder and cook a minute more.
  2. Add the carrots, sweet potatoes, chicken broth and salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in the apples and honey. Using a stick blender, puree the soup until smooth and creamy. (Alternatively, cool the soup slightly, then puree in a blender in batches. Be sure to leave the hole in the lid open, and cover with a kitchen towel, to allow the steam to escape.) Season to taste with salt, pepper and more honey if necessary. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with more curry powder if desired. (Note: As the soup sits, it will thicken up so you may need to add a bit of water to thin it out.)
  3. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot.

Pair with

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (8 servings)
  • Serving size: 1 1/3 cups
  • Calories: 277
  • Fat: 9g
  • Saturated fat: 4g
  • Carbohydrates: 42g
  • Sugar: 18g
  • Fiber: 5g
  • Protein: 8g
  • Sodium: 941mg
  • Cholesterol: 22mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Gluten-Free Adaptable Note

To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.

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Comments

  • I have made this recipe so often that I know it by heart. It is a favorite of mine, my family, and many, many friends! Every time I make it, I get rave reviews. I always give you credit, Jenn. 🙂 The spice level is perfect, the honey gives it such a gentle sweetness, and I love the apple’s texture and freshness!

  • I received a box from Imperfect foods today that had two GIANT carrots and 4 small sweet potatoes and several onions – I googled for a recipe and found this soup. It’s sooo easy to make and amazingly creamy and delicious. I am sometimes skeptical of curry but it’s perfect with this soup.

  • I had some carrots and sweet potatoes, but when I saw that this recipe also called for apples, I was hesitant to make it. I’m glad I did make it, though, since it is flavorful and delicious!

    • — Paula Massanari
    • Reply
  • Even though this soup is full of fall flavors we make it year round. Good, hearty soup that is perfect with a slice of homemade bread. I first tried making it in a classic blender but it really is best to use an immersion blender. We add extra cayenne to give it a bit of a kick!

  • I tend to make this soup all the time as I seem to always have the ingredients necessary on hand. Comforting and creamy! I tend to use hot curry powder in the recipe, so it has a bit of a kick to it, which is an added bonus! Thanks again Jenn, for making cooking so easy!

  • Very delicious!

  • This soup is a family favorite, the perfect blend of sweet and savory. The sweet potato gives it such a smooth, silky texture, you don’t miss any of the cream that often goes into other similar recipes. It freezes beautifully, too. A perfect fall soup, but I can’t help making it year round.

  • Ok, you made me do it! I don’t usually do reviews but this is soooo good. I didn’t know I loved curry until we tried Thai food and now I want it all the time. And I love carrots but the thought of sweet potatoes – too sweet. But this soup should be on my stove every week.

    • — Pat McGlothlin
    • Reply
  • Really delicious! I used Melt Plant-based butter instead and added ginger and roasted green chiles for extra spice!

  • See, I’m one of those that *loves* autumn – it is my favorite time of year and I basically float through the days on a cloud of happiness. The colors, the smell of the air, sweaters…and the food. Oh, the food of autumn! This is my girlfriend’s favorite soup and mmmmmmm. (Love the idea of the shredded carrots below to make prep faster; I can often find already chopped sweet potatoes, too)

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