Fans of Hungarian Mushroom Soup and Wild Rice Mushroom Soup tend to add this one to the rotation quickly.
There’s something about Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup that makes you want to ladle out a second bowl before the first one is gone. The sweet potatoes and red bell peppers cook down into a velvety, deep-orange broth — the kind of color that looks like far more effort went into it than actually did. Cumin and paprika round out the natural sweetness of the vegetables without overtaking it, adding enough depth that the finished soup tastes more considered than its short ingredient list suggests. A swirl of sour cream or Greek yogurt on top and a handful of fresh parsley, and you have something that looks genuinely put-together even on a Tuesday night.
The process is more straightforward than most soups this flavorful. You sauté the onion and spices, add the sweet potatoes and bell peppers, pour in the broth, and let everything simmer while the potatoes turn tender — about 20 to 25 minutes of mostly unattended time. Then an immersion blender does the heavy lifting directly in the pot, or you ladle in batches into a standard blender if that’s what you have. The optional heavy cream at the end is just that: optional. The soup stands on its own without it, but the cream does push the texture into genuinely lush territory if you’re after something richer. The batch makes 8 servings, which means there’s plenty left for the next few days — and it reheats well.
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Reader Love
This soup was so delicious. We had ours with paninis and everyone even went back for seconds.
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💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- One pot from start to finish — everything happens in a single large soup pot: sautéing the onion and spices, simmering the vegetables in broth, and blending the finished soup. Fewer dishes, less cleanup.
- Mostly hands-off once it’s going — after the initial 5-minute sauté and 10 to 15 minutes to bring the pot to a boil, you simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender. You’re not standing over the stove.
- Makes 8 servings — a full batch is worth making at the start of the week and eating through it (up to 4 days in the fridge), or it’s enough to feed a group at the table.
- Adjustable to your equipment — an immersion blender lets you blend directly in the pot and gives a thicker result. A standard blender or food processor works too; just blend in batches and handle the hot liquid carefully.
- Flexible on richness — the heavy cream is optional for a reason. The soup is substantial without it. Stir cream in at the end if you want a richer, creamier texture; skip it for a lighter bowl.
- Stores and freezes well — refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months, making it a practical recipe to cook ahead and come back to throughout the week.
➡️ Ingredients
⏲ How to make this recipe
This is an overview of the recipe’s instructions. The full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large soup pot, heat the avocado oil or butter over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add Spices: Add the ground cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to the pot. Stir, then sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add Sweet Potatoes and Bell Peppers: Add the chopped sweet potatoes and red bell peppers to the pot. Stir to combine with the onion and spices.
- Pour in Broth: Add the broth to the pot (if you’ll be using a blender instead of an immersion blender to blend the soup after cooking, see the Recipe Tip note below). Increase the stovetop heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil (this may take 10-15 minutes).
Recipe Tip: I have found that using an immersion blender yields a thicker soup than if you blend with a blender. If you’re going to blend the soup with a blender, use only 5 cups of broth to start with. Then, after blending, if you want to thin the soup out a bit, you can always stir in an additional 1 cup of broth before adding in the heavy cream.
- Simmer: Reduce stovetop heat to low and simmer soup uncovered until sweet potatoes are tender, about 20-25 minutes.
- Blend Soup: Use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot until smooth. Alternatively, carefully ladle soup into a blender or food processor, and, in batches, blend until just smooth (do not over-blend!), and then return to the pot (you may need to do this in batches, depending on the capacity of your blender).
- Add Heavy Cream (Optional): If you want a creamier soup, pour in heavy cream, then stir.
- Add Additional Seasoning: Carefully taste the soup and, based on preferences, add more salt and pepper.
- Garnish and Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt and chopped parsley, then serve.
👉 Easy ingredient swaps
- Garlic powder → fresh garlic: Use one finely minced clove in place of the ½ teaspoon of garlic powder. Add it to the pot along with the onion so it has time to soften.
- Heavy cream → half-and-half or coconut milk: Half-and-half works for a slightly lighter finish. Coconut milk is a good dairy-free option — it keeps the soup creamy without any dairy.
- Avocado oil → unsalted butter: Either works as the fat for sautéing the onion. Butter adds a bit more richness to the base, which comes through in the finished flavor.
- Vegetable broth → chicken broth: Use whichever you have. Vegetable broth keeps the soup fully vegetarian; chicken broth makes the base a bit heartier and more savory.
- Sour cream garnish → plain Greek yogurt: Both work as a cooling, creamy finish spooned over each bowl. The recipe lists both as options — use whichever you have on hand.
✨ Variations
- Add chopped carrots or celery to the pot along with the sweet potatoes for extra body and more vegetable depth in the finished soup.
- For heat, add a finely diced jalapeño when you sauté the onion. Building the spice into the base means it’s distributed throughout the whole pot, not just layered on top.
- Finish individual bowls with a sprinkle of shredded Parmesan right before serving. It melts into the hot soup and adds a salty, nutty contrast to the sweet potatoes.
- If you’re using a countertop blender instead of an immersion blender, start with 5 cups of broth rather than the full amount before blending — blending tends to thin the soup. After blending, stir in up to one more cup of broth to reach the consistency you prefer.
〰️ How to serve
- Pair a bowl with bread — grilled cheese, whole-grain rolls, or a baguette all hold up well alongside this soup.
- A salad rounds out the meal: Quinoa Chickpea Salad is a hearty, filling option that complements the soup without repeating the same flavors.
- Add protein on the side — Garlic Butter Chicken Bites pair well with the richness of the soup and come together quickly.
- Halloumi fries or baked sliced zucchini are solid side options if you want something extra on the table alongside the soup.
💬 FAQs
How do I store and reheat this soup?
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. To reheat, pour into a saucepan and heat over medium on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, until hot throughout. You can also microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until heated through. This is also a strong make-ahead recipe — cook the full batch, cool it, refrigerate it, and reheat individual portions as needed throughout the week.
Does it matter whether I use an immersion blender or a countertop blender?
Yes — it affects the final texture. Blending directly in the pot with an immersion blender produces a thicker soup, which many cooks prefer. If you use a countertop blender or food processor, start with only 5 cups of broth before blending, since the blending process tends to thin the soup. After blending, stir in up to another cup of broth if you want a looser texture. Always blend hot soup in batches, hold the lid down firmly, and don’t overfill.
Can I make this soup vegetarian or dairy-free?
Yes to both. For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth — the rest of the recipe stays the same and the soup is just as full-flavored. For dairy-free, skip the heavy cream or swap in coconut milk, and use a dairy-free yogurt or leave off the sour cream garnish. The base soup — without the cream or garnishes — contains no dairy. It’s also naturally gluten-free and grain-free.
Can I make this in an Instant Pot?
This recipe hasn’t been tested in an Instant Pot, so results may vary. The stovetop method is the tested approach for this recipe.
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Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 2 red bell peppers, de-seeded and chopped
- 5-6 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth (see Recipe Notes below)
- ½ cup heavy cream (optional)
Optional Garnishes:
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped
- A dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large soup pot, heat avocado oil or butter over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add Spices: Add ground cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to pot. Stir, then sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add Sweet Potatoes and Bell Peppers: Add chopped sweet potatoes and red bell peppers to pot. Stir to combine with onion and spices.
- Pour in Broth: Add broth to the pot (if you’ll be using a blender instead of an immersion blender to blend the soup after cooking, see note below). Increase stovetop heat to high and bring mixture to a boil (this may take 10-15 minutes).
- Simmer: Reduce stovetop heat to low and simmer soup uncovered until sweet potatoes are tender, about 20-25 minutes.
- Blend Soup: Use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot until smooth. Alternatively, carefully ladle soup into a blender or food processor, and, in batches, blend until just smooth (do not over-blend), and then return to the pot (you may need to do this in batches, depending on the capacity of your blender).
- Add Heavy Cream (Optional): If you want a creamier soup, pour in heavy cream, then stir.
- Add Additional Seasoning: Carefully taste soup and, based on preferences, add more salt and pepper.
- Garnish and Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt and chopped parsley, then serve.
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