Autumn Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
With carrots, sweet potatoes and apples, this savory soup with a hint of sweetness is the essence of fall.
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.
Table of Contents
“Absolutely scrumptious! My husband is still talking about how delicious dinner was last night!”
About Sweet Potatoes
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.
Add the carrots, sweet potatoes, and chicken broth and bring to a boil.
Cover and simmer over low heat until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes, then toss in the chopped apples.
Purée with a stick blender until smooth and creamy.
Enjoy!
You May Also Like
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.
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
- 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.
- 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.)
- 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 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
hi Jenn, this recipe is simply incredible! every single person that tried this soup loved it, including my michelin-star restaurant aficionado partner. i’ve also been sharing it with my neighbors, who all love it, too. however, one neighbor is completely plant-based, and never uses oil in their food! I have never seen this before! so I would like to find a suitable butter substitute that doesn’t use oil. does it exist? if not, can I just leave out the butter/ butter substitute from this perfect soup and hope that it still tastes so good? (they mentioned I should just use water to soften the onions..!)
Hi Kate, I haven’t done it, but I think you could probably get away with using water to soften the onions – if it evaporates, just add a tiny bit more. So glad you like the soup! 😊
Hi,
I also follow an oil free plant based diet. In making this recipe I halved it for 4 servings. I sautéed the onions in about 1/3 cup vegetable broth without problems. I used a 32oz carton of Pacific low sodium organic vegetable broth. To increase the protein, I added a can of drained and rinsed Organics brand sodium free cannellini beans along with the sweet potato and carrots. Followed the directions as provided. Came out creamy and delicious!
HI Kate,
I have made this vegan by using plant based “butter” like Earth Balance and Trader Joe’s organic brand. I use almond milk instead of cream. Still spectacular!
Made this soup last night on a cold wet, windy, dark day in the UK. This soup is warming and so tasty, I served with crusty bread. It warms you up and acts like a comforting blanket. Sent some over to a neighbour and put the rest in the freezer. Thanks Jenn for all your wonderful recipes which I love trying out. Your French apple cake is another favourite of ours too. Will there be some Christmas recipes to try?
Hi Marje, so glad you liked the soup! And yes, there will be Christmas recipes. If you want to get a headstart, just type the word “Christmas” into the search field, and you’ll see a number of collections (i.e., cookies, sides, dinners) in the search results. 🙂
I usually love the recipes from this website but this one proved to be a disappointment. Although the recipe concept is interesting and creative, the outcome was bland and uninspiring. With some modifications however I’m sure this recipe could gain the depth and richness it currently lacks.
The flavor is marvelous! The combination of sweet potato, carrots and apple go together so nicely with curry spices and honey.
There is no need to puree this recipe btw. The sweet potato dissolves into a melted cheese texture, and the carrots are easily chewable. Just make sure to cut the apple into smaller pieces and let them soak for a few. Delicious!
This is so good! I made it almost vegan using vegan butter and veggie “chick’n” broth. I did keep the honey. Very satisfying and comforting! Thanks!
LOVE this soup! I added a bit of cinnamon, and a dollop of yogurt. It made about 20+ cups. Can you tell me…how much is a “serving size” based on 8 servings? Thanks Debbie
Hi Debbie, Glad you like it! I’d guesstimate that each serving is about 2 cups.
Outstanding !! Since there are just 2 of us, I made a 1/2 recipe, and it was perfect. So nice for a chilly, wintery day. Thank you.
Hi Jenn,
This was outstanding, my husband loved it! Do you think I could add fresh ginger, if so, how much and when would you add it?
Thank you
Hi Sue, So glad you both liked it! Yes, you can add some fresh ginger – I’d suggest about 1 tablespoon, minced, and cook it along with the onions. I’d love to hear what you think of it with this addition!
Love this soup! I double the recipe – it keeps well in the fridge. I also use gluten free chicken stock, add 1/2 cup of white wine and some oregano.
I absolutely love this soup! The flavor is spot on, I wouldn’t change a thing. I’ve made it so many times, I don’t need to read the recipe anymore. I love making it so it does thicken by the next day and I make a vegetable curry with rice with leftovers. I also like how I can make it vegan by using vegetable broth if I want and it still tastes great!