Curried Roasted Sweet Potato Soup with Tarragon

Name: Curried Roasted Sweet Potato Soup with Tarragon
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 pound sweet potatoes (,peeled and cut diced); 3 cloves garlic (,peeled and halved); 3 medium shallots (,peeled and cut in half lengthwise); 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 3 cups hot chicken stock ((vegetarian/vegan: use vegetable broth)); 1/3 cup heavy cream ((vegan/paleo: use cashew or almond milk)); 1 sprig fresh tarragon; 1/2 teaspoon curry powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Written on 25 January, 2016

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I love creamy soups. Their creamy texture and vibrant flavors all spell “comfort” to me.

This deliciously rich and seductively silky soup showcases the sweet potato. An ancient tuber, sweet potatoes have been radiocarbon-dated in the Cook Islands to 1000 AD and are thought to have originated in either South or Central America.

Sweet potatoes have held an important place in U.S. history since its beginnings, especially in the southeast. Up until 1920 the average American ate 29 pounds of sweet potatoes per year. Then in the mid-20th century, after the Great Depression, its popularity started to decline and now the average American only eats about 3 pounds per year. That’s a huge decrease! Based on that statistic one could conclude that the average American only eats sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Does that sound about right?

Southern historian Kent Wrench writes: “The Sweet Potato became associated with hard times in the minds of our ancestors and when they became affluent enough to change their menu, the potato was served less often.”

That’s a shame. Not only because sweet potatoes taste wonderful, but also because sweet potatoes are loaded with nutrition. Among other things, they’re one of nature’s best sources of beta-carotene. They’re also a great source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. And despite the common misperception that sweet potatoes, like regular potatoes, are full of starch, because they aren’t simple carbohydrates sweet potatoes have actually been shown to help regulate blood sugar. This is especially great news for sweet potato-loving type II diabetics. And these are only a few examples of the health benefits of sweet potatoes.

BOTTOM LINE: Our ancestors were smart to load up on 29 pounds of sweet potatoes a year! Let’s break out of the mindset that they’re only for the holidays and enjoy them more throughout the year!

Ready to make some soup?

Let’s get started!

Peel, rinse and chop up the sweet potatoes.

Peel and either halve or quarter the shallots, depending on their size. Peel the garlic cloves and leave them whole.

Place the sweet potatoes, shallots and garlic cloves in a bowl and toss with olive oil.

Spread the vegetables out single-layer on a lined baking sheet.

Roast at 450 degrees F for about 25 minutes, flipping the veggies over after every 10 minutes or so, until browned.

Place the roasted veggies in a blender with the hot chicken stock and tarragon and puree until smooth.

Add the cream, curry powder, salt and pepper and blend until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

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5 from 2 votes