Make Ahead

Lightly Curried Sweet Potato, Carrot, and AppleĀ Soup

by:
September 22, 2011
2
1 Ratings
  • Prep time 30 minutes
  • Cook time 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Serves 8
Author Notes

I went to the farm stand this morning with the intent to buy only tomatoes, but came home with one of the largest sweet potatoes I have ever seen. The purveyor had a huge assortment of fantastically shaped sweet potatoes, and explained that the supermarket shopper only wants a certain sized tuber. She had sweet potatoes shaped like deer antlers, bizarre bottles, and more. I opted for a very large one that would be easier to peel. This soup has a delicate flavor with just a hint of curry. A little lemon zest and fresh apple cider gives the soup a mildly apple-y and refreshing taste. I served the soup with a dollop of Fage 2% yogurt - from a batch of 1/4 cup yogurt mixed with 1 teaspoon of Grade B maple syrup, topped with fried and salted sage leaves for a bit of crunch.

If you make sweet potatoes and carrots for Thanksgiving, you can amend this recipe by completing Step 1, and then adding the apple only in Step 2. After the apple is sufficiently softened, then add leftover sweet potatoes and/or carrots a few spoonfuls at a time, until the vegetables can absorb the curry flavor. After you add stock, you will not need to cook the soup for a full 25 minutes before you blend with an immersion blender or other type of blender. —Bevi

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Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups onions, chopped finely
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 4 teaspoons curry powder
  • 2 pounds sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1-inch dice
  • 1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped into smaller pieces
  • 2 tart apples, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • zest of one lemon
  • 3 + 1 cups chicken broth
  • sea salt and ground pepper to taste
  • 1 cup fresh apple cider
  • Optional: 1/4 cup Greek yogurt mixed with 1 tsp. maple syrup
  • Optional: a few sage leaves fried briefly in Olive oil and salted lightly
Directions
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or saucepan. Add the onions and butter. Saute for a few minutes, then stir in the curry powder. Reduce the heat to simmer, cover the pot, and let cook for about 25 minutes. Chop your vegetables and apple while you wait. Stir the onions occasionally.
  2. Add the sweet potato, the carrots, and the apple. Stir around to allow the onion and curry mixture to cover all the vegetables and the apple. Grate in the lemon zest and stir. Add 3 cups of chicken broth and bring to a boil. Then, reduce that heat, partially cover the pot, and allow to simmer for about 25 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
  3. Take the pot off the heat and add some salt and pepper - about 1 tsp. salt and a half teaspoon pepper. Allow the soup to cool a little.
  4. With either an immersion blender or using a regular blender, puree the soup. Add the apple cider, and puree again. Depending on how thick or thin you like your soup, add up to 1 more cup of chicken broth. Reheat, and season to your taste. Serve with a little dollop of Greek yogurt mixed with maple syrup, topped with sage leaves that have been fried in olive oil and salted.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

Recipe by: Bevi

Cooking is an important part of my past. I grew up and worked on our family resort. These days, I cook good food to please my friends and family.

13 Reviews

Pegeen September 19, 2013
This sounds so delicious and a favorite combination - apples, sweets and curry. Perfect for the cooler days finally creeping in. I also have a favor to ask: would you be able to share the name of the maker of the green soup plate shown in your photo? Thanks so much for the recipe (and any info on the soup plate).
Bevi September 19, 2013
Hi Pegeen -thanks so much. The soup plate is produced by Varages, France.
Pegeen September 19, 2013
Thanks, Bevi. I thought the service might be French as it appears to be one of those "Louis xxx" traditional patterns. The color is striking... beautiful for an orange soup... like the green stripes or stem of an orange gourd. You could swirl the yogurt or creme fraiche to mirror the swirl in the edge of the dish. :-) Will be making your recipe later this week. Thanks so much.
Bevi September 19, 2013
I messaged you more info.
Pegeen September 19, 2013
Thank you!
JanetFL September 18, 2013
Sounds wonderful! We're just now getting fresh apple cider and I'm looking forward to trying your recipe.
Bevi September 19, 2013
I hope you enjoy it. I love to combine apples and orange vegetables this time of year.
Hark November 9, 2011
This is a really hearty seasonal soup. I supplemented with a little squash (I didn't have enough sweet potato in my CSA bin). Thanks for this!
Bevi November 9, 2011
You are so welcome. I am glad you enjoyed it. I don't think you can go wrong with squash!
wssmom September 23, 2011
Deer antler-shaped sweets!! Wow! (The soup sounds lovely, too!)
Bevi September 23, 2011
Yes, antler shaped sweets among others! I want to have 6 or 8 people to dinner and serve a huge baked sweet spud. That should be a crowd pleaser, or at least a conversation piece!
EmilyC September 22, 2011
Yum -- what a lovely, seasonal soup!
Bevi September 22, 2011
Thanks EmilyC! And I still have a third of the sweet potato left! A 3-pounder!