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Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup

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This sweet potato and red pepper soup is a lovely, healthy bowl of something special, packed full of flavour. Soups are somewhat underrated nowadays, often relegated to the starters section of restaurant menus. I, on the other hand, love soups, and once you try this sweet potato and red pepper version, I’m sure you will too.

In addition, this soup is simple to prepare and yet full of flavour. Would you believe me when I mention that this is a vegan soup recipe? It’s exactly what you need to warm you up on a cold day, and you can of course still serve the soup as a starter. However, it is so tasty that you will probably want to make it the main course – keep reading to discover what you can pair or top the soup with to make it more filling.
A bowl of sweet potato and red pepper soup

roasted sweet potato and red pepper soup

The secret to getting the maximum amount of flavour into sweet potato and red pepper soup is to roast the vegetables in the oven first. Simply prep the vegetables by cutting them into small pieces and place them on a tray in a single layer and drizzle with olive oil. I love the process of cooking this particular soup. The bake tray full of the vibrant, cut vegetables is very appealing and usually increases my hunger.

Here’s a good tip, cut the vegetables evenly. In addition, cut the sweet potatoes into smaller pieces (also evenly). The sweet potato will roast slower than the red pepper. 

If you are by any chance suffering from a sugar intolerance or from diabetes, then hold off from roasting the vegetables. The roasting process increases the glycaemic index (GI) of the vegetables. For a more diabetes-friendly version of this soup, boil the vegetables instead. Better yet, blitz in the red pepper raw for best results!  
Ingredients to make sweet potato and red pepper soup: Potato Spring Onion Red Pepper Onions

sweet potato and red pepper soup with coconut milk

As you might have figured, this sweet potato and red pepper soup is very healthy and, as mentioned, it’s vegan! You can control the consistency and taste of this soup by diluting it with water. The sweet potato will give the soup quite a thick texture, so simply add as much water as you like until you’ve reached the desired consistency.

Next, if would like to make this soup even more creamy, then I recommend adding either coconut cream or coconut milk. The coconut milk will give a lovely creamy texture and a sweet milk flavour. Add the amount stipulated in this red lentil, tomato and coconut soup. Of course, the choice is yours whether or not you want to include coconut milk. This step is completely optional.

vegan sweet potato and red pepper soup recipe

Omit any butter, cream or chicken/beef stock and you’ve got yourself a fabulous vegan sweet potato and red pepper soup recipe. This soup is perfectly nutritious and is totally suitable for those on a vegan diet.

roasted sweet potato, red pepper and smoked paprika soup

This sweet potato and red pepper soup calls for a dash of smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne pepper. The smoked paprika gives the soup its intense flavour. You may even opt for hot smoked paprika if you want even more heat; in which case my recommendation is to hold back on the cayenne pepper. 

If you are not a huge fan of paprika powder, or you don’t have paprika in the cupboard, then check out these top paprika substitutes. 
Vegetables in a Baking Tray

curried sweet potato and red pepper soup

This is what I love about making soups! If you have a nice base, you can jazz the soup up with some decent spices. Just like with the smoked paprika, you can simply omit and use something more exotic. By doing so, you can spin the soup in any direction you want.  

First of all, you can experiment with curry spice and asafoetida. For example, check out this curried carrot and split pea soup. This curried butternut squash and apple soup is also an excellent example. However, if you haven’t got asafoetida, check out these 9 excellent asafoetida substitutes. You can also add cumin for a Middle Eastern flavour, just like in this kabocha squash and cumin soup.

For extra heat, add even more cayenne pepper and adjust to your desired level of heat. For example, try the proportions from this spicy red kidney and black bean soup.

other spices and herbs you can consider

Baked vegetables in a tray

toppings

I will divide these topping suggestions into two categories: low calorie and filling. This way, you can really think about how you plan to eat this healthy recipe.

Low calorie toppings

The best low calorie toppings you can throw into this sweet potato and red pepper soup are:

  • fresh thin slices of red pepper
  • watercress
  • parsley
  • coriander
  • chives
  • spring onions
  • fresh red chillies

Filling toppings

You can vary between these many filling toppings:

  • bacon bits
  • small pieces of fried toast
  • pumpkin seeds
  • roasted sweet potato cubes
  • pasta: fusilli at best
  • double cream
  • cheese or, better yet, these amazing Monterey jack cheese substitutes

An aerial view of an orange coloured sweet potato and red pepper soup

serving

If you are planning to eat this sweet potato and red pepper soup as a main course, then I recommend pairing the soup with these two pieces of toast. The toast will fill you right up, and you can even control the amount of carbs you let yourself have. Better yet, if you don’t mind indulging in a bit of bread then why not serve your fantastic soup with these:

Personally, I love to pair these with almost anything! They freeze very well too. Lastly, my advice is to prepare maybe 2 or 3 of these and shove them in the freezer. When the moment is right, take one of these out and serve it with similar soup, like a good vegan leek and potato soup for example. 

What is your favourite vegan soup?

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Red pepper Soup

Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

  • Author: Michelle Minnaar
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 4 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Make this sweet potato and red pepper soup in just a few simple steps. Jazz it up with spices and spin it in any direction you want. Consider coconut milk.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 red onions, peeled and quartered
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 600g (1½lb) peeled sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
  • 2 red peppers, washed and cut into chunks
  • 30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
  • 600ml (1pt) vegetable stock
  • 5ml (1 tsp) smoked paprika
  • cream [optional]
  • cayenne pepper [optional]
  • finely sliced spring onions, for garnishing

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F/gas mark 6.
  2. Arrange the onions, garlic, sweet potatoes and peppers in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
  3. Roast the vegetables in the oven for 35 minutes. If everything isn’t cooked and tender, cook them for another 10 minutes.
  4. Place the vegetables with the stock and smoked paprika in a food processor and blend until silky smooth.
  5. Return the soup to a pan to heat through, then serve with a splash of cream, cayenne pepper and spring onions.
  • Category: Starter
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 212
  • Sugar: 11.9g
  • Sodium: 152mg
  • Fat: 7.9g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.3g
  • Carbohydrates: 33.2g
  • Fiber: 6.7g
  • Protein: 4g
  • Cholesterol: 1mg

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Comments

  6. nickie says

    I can’t register, I keep getting this message This mailing list is not currently active.
    Please notify the website owner.

    Reply

    • michelle says

      Hi Nickie,
      Thanks so much for highlighting the issue. We are fixing it for you immediately.
      Best,
      Michelle

      Reply

  9. Claire van de Meerendonk says

    This is an amazing soup!
    My mom and I are trying all kinds of different soupes this year and this may be a winner. I never used sweet potato before but I will defenitly use it in more of my dishes. The bite of the pepper balances so well with the sweet potato , but i still couldn’t help myself to add some extra garlic in there 😉
    The garlic breads that you recommended with the soup was also a big succes. This meal is great on a cold day , but i wouldn’t mind this in the summer as well!
    Thanks a lot 😉

    Reply

  11. Maxine G says

    I love making lentil soups – my favourite at the moment is a middle eastern spiced green lentil soup with added spinach and a yoghurt swirl

    Reply

  19. Emma Larkin says

    Spicy parsnip is a favourite – I’m uninspired (lazy) and just use an all-purpose curry powder instead of an A to Z of spices.

    Reply

  29. Ruth Harwood says

    We love a no frills tomato soup – there’s nothing like the classics, that’s why they’ve stood the test of time!

    Reply

  46. Emma Bradshaw says

    I love making vegan soup from any left over veg in the fridge at the end of the week – normally carrots, peppers, maybe some squash or sweet potato – whatever it always tastes good!

    Reply

  47. Margaret GALLAGHER says

    Carrot and lentil soup my all time favourites – a hint of chilli and sprig of fresh mint – perfect

    Reply

  59. Jillanne David says

    Eliza Acton’s vegan mulligatawny is amazing. I would never has guessed courgettes as the main vegetable.

    Reply

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