Baked sweet potato and carrot soup with cheddar potato skin croutons - A warming healthier soup. Gluten free & vegetarian.
Did I just invent potato skin croutons?
No, I don’t think so. I thought I did, but after a quick google search, it seems nothing is really new in the recipe world.
Oh well.
They are flippin awesome though.
Baking the sweet potatoes gives a thicker, smooth and ever-so-slightly smoky flavour to the soup. Normally I would probably just eat the leftover skin with a bit of butter (I’m definitely a potato-skin girl), but not this time! Cutting that skin into little squares, sprinkling on some cheese and baking for another few minutes makes an amazing soup topping!
If a potato is baked properly – crispy skin a must – then that’s my favourite bit of a jacket spud.
I can’t understand people who leave it on their plate, like it’s a wrapper for their actual food. Eat your fibre people!!
I tend to make more regular baked potatoes than sweet, but in certain circumstances, I find sweet potatoes to be the better option (i.e these Thai inspired sweet potato skins).
I’ve yet to try that American classic – sweet potato with marshmallow. My UK tastebuds still find the thought of that combination a little too out there!! Maybe I should surprise everyone and put it on the table this Christmas 🙂
But for now, I’ll stick to the soup. Autumn has arrived, it’s cold and I just want warming bowl food.
I’m sure I’ll be working my way through all of my other soup recipes again too (especially the chicken pot pie soup one!!).
Fyi - I first created this recipe for Superfood Magazine.
Baked sweet potato and carrot soup with cheddar potato skin croutons Recipe:
Baked sweet potato and carrot soup with cheddar potato skin croutons
Ingredients
- 500 g about 3 medium sweet potatoes
- 300 g about 4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into large chunks
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 onions - peeled and chopped
- 1 clove garlic - peeled and minced
- 1 litre vegetable stock - use bouillon plus water for gluten free
- 35 g ⅓ cup cheddar cheese, finely grated
- 2 tbsp low fat Greek yogurt
- Small handful of pea shoots
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 200c/400f
- Place the sweet potatoes directly on the shelf of the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
- Place the carrots on a baking tray, drizzle on one tablespoon of the oil, add the paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Toss together with your hands, then place in the oven with the sweet potatoes for a further 25 minutes, turning the carrots once with a spatula.
- Heat the remaining oil in a large pan. Add the onions and cook for 8-10 minutes until the onions have softened. Add in the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a simmer.
- Remove the carrots and potatoes the oven. Carefully slice the sweet potatoes in half. Scoop out the flesh and place into the pan of stock along with the roasted carrots. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut the skins from one of the potatoes into 1cmx1cm pieces. Place back on the baking tray (with the inside parts of the skin facing upwards) and sprinkle on the cheddar cheese. Place in the oven to bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven.
- Take the soup off the heat, and very carefully blend using a hand blender (leave to cool before blending, then reheat if you prefer).
- Divide the soup between four bowls. Swirl half a tablespoon of Greek yogurt into each bowl, then top with fresh pea shoots and the potato skin croutons. Serve immediately.
✎ Notes
Nutrition
Julie Brazier says
Went down very well. 🙂 Most of the sweet potatoes in our shop were in the 400 - 500g range, I guess they class as extra-large? 😉 I was glad I chose to cook the potato on a baking tray, it popped a hole in its skin at the bottom and oozed some rather sticky juice out which quickly charred black in the oven.
Beverly Worthington says
You mentioned the American 'classic' sweet potatoes with marshmallow. I am American and I have never served it to my family. I can't imagine a less healthy vegetable. There are so many ways to serve sweet potatoes, that we needn't resort to something that awful. I thank you for your healthy and flavorful recipes, and I hope many will try to follow your example.
SC says
Love soups with added toppings and this looks fab. Just starting to think about soup recipes for autumn and this is on my list to make.
Natalie says
This soup looks just fantastic. Warming and comforting <3 Love it! Have to save this recipe! Thanks for sharing!
heather (delicious not gorgeous) says
i could have sworn they were bread croutons based on how they looked!! love that you added cheddar to them too (: my opinion might be in the minority, but i don't like sweet potatoes with marshmallows that much. it's super super sweet, and there's too many soft textures. it might be fun just to shock everyone though! (;
Marie @ Yay! For Food says
I love everything about this soup. Cheddar potato skin croutons are new to me and it sounds amazing!
Vicky @ HowDaily says
Awesome, Nicky. The colors look so lovely.
Louise Fairweather says
This looks delicious and perfect for a warming lunch
Bernadine says
Looks delicious, Nicki!! I just followed so you should have 100 followers now. Congrats!!????????????