Swede Soup

This swede soup is exactly what you need when the weather turns bad. It’s full of vitamins, nutrients and it’s one of those soups that you can eat buckets of without having to worry about your waistline.

In addition to that, this winter warmer is also an excellent idea for an easy and healthy dinner. Just take a couple of swedes and pair them with your leftover vegetables in the fridge.

It’s a fantastic way to practise sustainable cooking. Add your favourite spices or herbs and make this root vegetable soup your own.

I recommend making a large batch of it and then making different versions with different spices. The soup stores very well, so you can easily stick it in the freezer.

For a more filling meal, feel free to serve this soup with your favourite type of bread. Enjoy! 

swede soup with carrots and sweet potato

This swede soup is a very simple recipe. It calls for other root vegetables such as carrots, celery sticks and sweet potato. If you haven’t got celery, try these celery substitutes instead.

The sweet potato controls the consistency of the soup, making it thicker without having to use flour. The soup is tied together by vegetable stock.

So, naturally this soup is completely vegetarian and vegan-friendly. If you’ve got leftover swedes and carrots, then you can even try making this carrot and swede mash while the soup is cooking.

definition of swede 

Swedes are a root vegetable of pale or white colour. They are roughly the size of a larger potato or a kohlrabi.

You might know swedes as rutabaga, neeps, snagger or white turnip. If you’ve never heard of a swede or eaten a swede before, just think of it as a hybrid between a cabbage and the actual turnip.

If you are afraid to try swedes, then try this swedeaphobia cure recipe. You’ll love it.

The first time swedes were ever mentioned in print was all the way back in 1620 by the Swede botanist Gaspard Bauhin. In short, he recorded them growing wild in Sweden.

Hence, it is believed that the swede is actually native to Scandinavia and Russia. Only later was the swede introduced to Scotland in 1781.  Ten years later, the swede made its way down to England.

Did you know that the swede is historically quite an important vegetable?  It was used heavily throughout the food shortages and rationing programmes in World War I and World War II.

For example, during the war years, the Germans frequently make Steckrubeneintopf soup, which is basically a swede soup with water.

It couldn’t have been very appetising thanks to the lack of complementary ingredients!

Today, swede soup is actually a major part of eastern European cuisine. More specifically, Belarussians have their own swede soup called gryzanka.

swede and sweet potato soup

The key to making this the best swede soup possible is to roast the root vegetables first. This way, they caramelise and release tonnes of flavours.

If you happen to have problems with sugar intake or suffer from diabetes, then I highly suggest you boil the root vegetables instead. This way, they will retain lower levels of sugar on the glycemic index. 

soup varieties

As I’ve said before, there is plenty of room for you to experiment with this swede soup. For instance, you can add other root vegetables that you have in your refrigerator. Also, consider the following: 

cauliflower swede soup

Why don’t you try adding cauliflower along with the swede soup? It will also act as a thickener. If you do add cauliflower, then substitute sweet potato with normal ones.

Then you’ll end up with a delicious cauliflower and potato soup.

curried swede soup

You can jazz up your soup very easily with a couple of spices. Just take a look at my curried butternut squash and apple soup or my spiced carrot and split pea soup. 

pumpkin swede soup

Pumpkin is an excellent addition to this swede soup. Just take a look at my pumpkin and sweet potato soup recipe for inspiration.

You can use half of the pumpkin and then use the leftover roasted pumpkin in a delicious pumpkin and beetroot salad.

swede and lentil soup

If you would like a thicker soup, then add lentils into it. For inspiration, take a peek at my Lebanese lentil soup or my red lentil coconut soup.

swede coconut soup

Speaking of coconut, if you would like to make this a creamy soup, then add coconut milk. The swede soup will still remain a vegan soup.

I recommend adding coconut milk 45ml (3 tbsp) at each time. Add enough coconut milk until you have achieved your desired creaminess.

best spices for vegetable soup with swede

If you want to spice up this swede soup with some spices, you can easily do so. Here’s a list of spices that I think work best with a root vegetable soup:

• smoked paprika
• paprika
• curry powder
• ras-el-hanout
• chilli powder
• garlic powder
• za’tar
• cayenne pepper powder
• garam masala
• madras powder
• nutmeg
• dried thyme
• ground oregano

For a Middle Eastern twist, I recommend trying ras-el-hanout or za’tar. Feel free to serve the soup with some pita bread if you’ve got a hungry family to feed.

Otherwise, for an Asian spin, try curry powder. In brief, for an Indian flavour, just add a pinch of garam masala, dried chilli powder or madras spice mix.

toppings 

Fresh herbs and this swede soup are a match made in heaven. My favourite topping of all type of this vegetable soups is fresh thyme.

Thyme complements the root vegetables perfectly. Here are some other toppings you can consider for a little extra crunch or flavour:

• fresh leeks
• spring onions
• double cream
•  vegan cream alternative
• fresh chillies
• breadcrumbs
• bacon bits
• fresh bell peppers

side dishes

As mentioned before, this soup is quite light in terms of calories. So, if you would like to have a more filling soup, just pair it with this incredible cheesy garlic bread or this pesto stuffed bread.

Both recipes are really easy to make and they are irresistibly soft when served hot.

You can also serve the swede soup with rotis, naans, kerala paratha, pita bread and more. Also, traditional baguettes and bread are good options. In fact, any type of bread will do the trick.

More smooth vegetable soup recipes

Need some more soup for the soul? Check out these divine recipes.

• Zucchini and leek soup
• Marrow soup
• Wild garlic soup
• Leek and onion soup
• Pumpkin and sweet potato soup

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