Step by step

Method

4 steps

1. 1

   Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter in a pot over medium. Cook 1 diced onion 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in 2 minced garlic cloves for 30 seconds until fragrant.

2. 2

   Add 2 lb peeled cubed sweet potatoes, 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika if using. Bring to a simmer, then cook 20–25 minutes until the potatoes mash easily against the side of the pot.

3. 3

   Blend until completely smooth (immersion blender in the pot, or carefully in batches in a countertop blender). Stir in ½ cup coconut milk or cream. Season with salt and pepper — taste; sweet potatoes need enough salt to not taste flat.

4. 4

   Reheat gently without a hard boil. Ladle into bowls with pumpkin seeds or a cream swirl. You want a velvety, lightly sweet soup that coats a spoon — not a thin watery broth or a grainy under-blended puree.