I absolutely LOVE fall. There’s something about that feeling when you step outside and turn right back around to grab a sweater. That first chill of the season draws a rush of excitement from me. I crave coffee, not only to wake me up, but to warm me up, which means I also crave big mugs of steaming soup.
Recently, in an attempt to tame our sugar dragons, my husband and I completed the Whole30. And, while weren’t entirely successful at giving up wine, we did manage to go without added sugar, dairy, and grains for a month. During the process we discovered a love for sweet potatoes and Ghee (clarified butter). Today’s recipe, my spicy baked-sweet potato soup, includes both.
It’s layered with Indian flavors such as cardamom, cinnamon, and turmeric. You’ll seriously want to soak in the aroma of the spices sizzling with diced onions and leeks. The baked sweet potatoes give it a wonderful creamy texture and the carrots are an additional layer of sweetness. I like to add bone stock to up the protein and turn the soup into a satisfying meal. The soup itself is a beautiful fall color, perfect for sharing with a friend after a brisk morning walk under the falling leaves. It freezes well, so if the weather hasn’t changed in your neck of the woods yet, don’t hesitate to make it now and pull it out when you finally get to put on that comfy sweater.
- 6 sweet potatoes (Garnet preferred)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 tablespoon Ghee Butter (4th & Heart Madagascar Vanilla Bean preferred)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 leeks, white and pale green parts only
- 3 carrots, diced
- 2 quarts chicken broth
- 1 quart bone stock
- Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- Mini-marshmallows, for garnish (optional)
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Pierce sweet potatoes several times with a fork.
- Place on baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for 1 hour.
- Combine cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, and cayenne in a small bowl. Using a large saucepan, heat ghee and oil over medium heat.
- Add onion and leeks and cook until translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle with spice mixture.
- Add carrots and stir to combine. Cook for a few minutes.
- Add chicken broth and bone stock to the mixture. Scrape bottom of pan to loosen the brown spicy bits.
- Cut sweet potatoes in half and scoop flesh into pan with the other ingredients.
- Bring to a boil, stirring to combine.
- Reduce heat and simmer on low for about 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Blend with a hand-blender until the soup is smooth.
- Serve warm with a few mini-marshmallows on top. For added flair, use a grill lighter to toast the marshmallows.
Enjoy!
