Thai sweet potato soup made with red curry paste and coconut milk for a deliciously spicy and creamy soup. A perfect appetizer or main course.
I love soups. And this gorgeous Thai sweet potato soup is NO exception.
In fact it came out so well that I can’t get enough of this soup at the moment.
It ended up being a totally different soup to what I initially envisioned but it turned out better than I could have ever expected.
The reason it came out differently was I had initially planned to make a roasted carrot and sweet potato soup. First I would roast the ingredients in the oven, and then blend them up with coconut milk and spices. I had tested it out like this and it came out well.
But right before our scheduled photoshoot to make this – our oven died on us. While preheating it to make THIS soup, there was an awful burning smell, and smoke pouring out of it (luckily it’s still under warranty – just. Literally like a week before the warranty expired!).
But thankfully the stove top was still operational, so I switched gears and decided to do it all on the stove top. A nice, simple, one-pot recipe.
And honestly it came out better than the original version. Maybe something to do with those flavors cooking together, but the result was incredible.
If you love creamy and delicious Thai inspired soups then you’ll also love our Thai butternut squash soup.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Ingredient Notes
- Sweet potatoes – the best sweet potatoes to use are the ones that have the orange flesh inside. They usually have a reddish or orange peel.
- Coconut sugar – this balances the spicy flavors perfectly. You can also use brown sugar.
- Thai red curry paste – check the label for vegan friendliness as some brands are not vegan.
- Sesame oil – can be replaced with a different oil if you prefer.
- Vegetable stock – or vegetable broth are both fine to use.
- Coconut milk – should be canned, full fat and unsweetened. You can also use canned coconut cream (unsweetened) for an even richer soup.
How To Make Thai Sweet Potato Soup
You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.
- Add sesame oil and chopped onions to a pot on medium heat and sauté until the onions are softened.
- Add crushed garlic, minced ginger and red curry paste and sauté for a minute to lightly toast the spices.
- Add sweet potato and carrots and toss with the onions and spices.
- Add vegetable stock, soy sauce and coconut milk and stir together. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat, cover the pot and leave it to simmer (checking regularly and stirring) until the veggies are soft and cooked (about 30 minutes).
- Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender to blend the soup directly in the pot. If you don’t have an immersion blender then allow the soup to cool for a few minutes before transferring it in stages to your blender jug and blend it. When it’s all blended move it back to the pot.
- Stir in coconut sugar and then add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve topped with a swirl of coconut milk, fresh cilantro and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and black sesame seeds. Some toasted bread on the side for dipping is also a wonderful idea.
Recipe Tips
Immersion blender. It’s ideal to use an immersion blender (handheld blender) to blend your soup as you can blend it directly in the pot. This is the most handy tool for making soups ever and I highly recommend getting one if you don’t already have one.
Soup consistency. This makes a fairly thick, ultra creamy soup. If you want a thinner soup simply add in more vegetable stock/broth while cooking.
Seasonings. If your soup tastes AT ALL bland then simply add more salt and black pepper in at the end. This is the simple fix for any bland tasting food. Vegetable stocks/broths have differing levels of salt added, and if you’re using a low sodium option it could make your soup taste quite bland at the end. This is easily fixed by generously adding more salt and pepper.
Storing and Freezing
Keep your leftover Thai sweet potato soup in a covered container in the fridge where it will stay good for 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove. If it’s a little thick, just add in some vegetable stock or water when reheating.
It’s freezer friendly for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
More Vegan Sweet Potato Recipes
- Vegan Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
- Vegan Sweet Potato Salad
- Vegan Sweet Potato Curry
- Vegan Sweet Potato Pie
- Vegan Sweet Potato Soup
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Thai Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 Medium Onion White, Yellow or Brown, Chopped
- 2 Cloves Garlic Crushed
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Ginger Minced or Finely Chopped
- 1 Tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste
- 6 cups Sweet Potatoes (900g) Peeled and Chopped*
- 4 Large Carrots (400g) Peeled and Chopped
- 4 cups Vegetable Stock (960ml) or Vegetable Broth
- 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 14 ounces Canned Coconut Milk (400ml) Full Fat, Unsweetened
- 1 Tbsp Coconut Sugar
- ¼ tsp Sea Salt or To Taste
- ¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper or To Taste
Instructions
- Add sesame oil and chopped onions to a pot on medium heat and sauté until the onions are softened.
- Add crushed garlic, minced ginger and red curry paste and sauté for a minute to lightly toast the spices.
- Add sweet potato and carrots and toss with the onions and spices.
- Add vegetable stock, soy sauce and coconut milk and stir together. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat, cover the pot and leave it to simmer (checking regularly and stirring) until the veggies are soft and cooked (about 30 minutes).
- Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender to blend the soup directly in the pot. If you don't have an immersion blender then allow the soup to cool for a few minutes before transferring it in stages to your blender jug and blend it. When it's all blended move it back to the pot.
- Stir in coconut sugar and then add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve topped with a swirl of coconut milk, fresh cilantro and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and black sesame seeds. Some toasted bread on the side for dipping is also a wonderful idea.
Notes
- Sesame oil – can be replaced with a different oil if you prefer.
- Thai red curry paste – check the label for vegan friendliness as some brands are not vegan.
- Sweet potatoes – the best sweet potatoes to use are the ones that have the orange flesh inside. They usually have a reddish or orange peel.
- Coconut milk – should be canned, full fat and unsweetened. You can also use canned coconut cream (unsweetened) for an even richer soup.
- Coconut sugar – this balances the spicy flavors perfectly. You can also use brown sugar.
- Immersion blender. It’s ideal to use an immersion blender (handheld blender) to blend your soup as you can blend it directly in the pot. This is the most handy tool for making soups ever and I highly recommend getting one if you don’t already have one.
- Soup consistency. This makes a fairly thick, ultra creamy soup. If you want a thinner soup simply add in more vegetable stock/broth while cooking.
- Seasonings. If your soup tastes AT ALL bland then simply add more salt and black pepper in at the end. This is the simple fix for any bland tasting food. Vegetable stocks/broths have differing levels of salt added, and if you’re using a low sodium option it could make your soup taste quite bland. This is easily fixed by generously adding salt and pepper.
- Storing and Freezing: Keep your leftover Thai sweet potato soup in a covered container in the fridge where it will stay good for 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove. If it’s a little thick, just add in some vegetable stock or water when reheating. It’s freezer friendly for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- This recipe was first published in July 2016. It has been updated with new photos and an improved recipe.
Just finished blending this soup & it’s delicious. Not spicy at all which I was very surprised at. I’ve not added the sugar because I think it may make it a little too sweet for me but I have added a good grind of pepper & salt. Next time I make this I think I might add a little more Thai Red Curry Paste. Does anyone know what spices I could add to make it a bit hotter?
Hi Barb! So glad it was delicious! To make it hotter you can definitely increase the red curry paste, you could also add in a little cayenne pepper and/or some crushed red pepper flakes. 🙂
We made this tonight. It was so easy and delicious. We didn’t have red curry so used the massaman curry we had instead. The soup was outstanding! Thanks for posting
Fantastic! Thanks so much for the wonderful review Sharon!
I have every thing to make this recipe except red curry paste. Would it work with Thai green curry paste instead, or just yellow curry powder?
Hi Elena, yes either of those options would work great! 🙂
Absolutely delicious, I made it with a can of light coconut milk as that is what I had in the cupboard, feeling quite pleased that I’m the only soup eater in the family, as I can freeze the rest in portions for myself and don’t have to share it!
Hahaha good thinking! So glad you enjoyed it Ali! 🙂
Absolutely gorgeous soup – my favourite one at the moment.
Awesome Tracey, I’m so pleased to hear that! Thanks for the wonderful review. xo
Everyone loved it! Thank you!
Wonderful! Thanks for the awesome review! 🙂