Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Sweet Potato Soup


One pot meals are my favorites in the winter, particularly ones that can simmer on the stovetop long enough for seconds. Very recently, I wanted to make potato soup for a sick friend, but wanted better nutritional value than what my usual Irish potato soup recipe yields (I also wanted to avoid mucus-making dairy). So I grabbed some sweet potatoes (they're high in fiber and vitamin A, and are a great source for antioxidants) and started peeling.

The original recipe that inspired my dish suggested spicy chorizo, which I changed to Italian vegetarian "sausage." The sweet and savory tastes in this soup are terrifically well-balanced.

Ingredients

2 large sweet potatoes peeled and diced

1 large baking potato peeled and diced

4 Italian veggie "sausage" links chopped in 1/4-inch slices

2 teaspoons of vegetable base Better Than Bouillon

2 carrots diced

2 garlic cloves minced

1 red onion chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or extra virgin olive oil

fresh rosemary

cayenne pepper

nutmeg

1 handful of fresh spinach chopped

Preparation

Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook until brown, stirring often. Put sausage aside and add onions and garlic to pot and cook until translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add all potatoes and carrots (sprinkle with cayenne pepper and nutmeg to taste) and cook until they begin to soften, stirring often, about 12 minutes. Add vegetarian broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Using a hand-held mixer, mash some of the potatoes in the pot. Add browned sausage to the soup. Stir in spinach and simmer for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

2 comments:

  1. I should add that the soup was even better when reheated the next day. The sausage had a chance to really soak and enriched the taste. So if you plan on serving this dish with some hearty multigrain butter bread, it makes sense to prepare it in advance and refrigerate.

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  2. I cheated and added mozzarella and served with crackers.

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