Top | Soup Night

Santa Fe Sweet Potato and Chipotle Soup

(recipe, Maggie Stuckey)

Introduction

Cumin and chipotle peppers give this version a Southwestern flavor.

Ingredients

1. 1½ Tbsp. olive oil
2. 1 medium onion, chopped
3. 2 garlic cloves, minced
4. 2 tsp. ground cumin
5. 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
6. 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped (see Note, below)
7. 6 cups chicken broth
8. Sour cream, for garnish

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and cumin, and sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the sweet potatoes, chipotle, and broth; for a little extra punch, stir in a bit of the adobo sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the sweet potatoes are very soft, about 20 minutes.
3. Working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender (be careful, it’s hot!) and purée until smooth, then return it to the pot. Or use an immersion blender and purée the soup right in the pot.
4. Bring the soup back to a simmer. Serve hot, adding a swirl of sour cream to each serving.

Note

Chipotles (pronounced chih-POHT-lays) are jalapeño peppers that have been smoke-dried. They are most commonly sold in cans packed with adobo sauce; check the Latino section of your supermarket. One small can has several chiles, more than you will need for one recipe. Store the remainder in a glass jar, and it will keep in the refrigerator for weeks.