Southwestern Corn & Potato Soup
Submitted by Davel
Southwestern sweet potato and corn soup with green chile, cumin, and red bell pepper, half-pureed for a thick and creamy texture. A naturally vegan, low-fat soup with bold Southwestern spice.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
35 minREADY
50 minThis soup gets its creamy body without a drop of cream or butter. Diced sweet potato simmered until soft, then half the pot gets puréed and stirred back in. The sweet potato starch does all the thickening naturally, giving you a velvety base studded with whole corn kernels, red bell pepper, and chunks of remaining sweet potato.
The Southwestern flavor backbone comes from cumin bloomed into a paste with broth before it goes into the pot, plus a fresh green chile for clean, grassy heat. Making a cumin paste rather than just sprinkling in the powder distributes the flavor more evenly and prevents those gritty bites of dry spice.
Simmering the onions, garlic, and chile in broth instead of oil keeps the fat content remarkably low while still building a flavorful base. The covered pot traps steam that softens the aromatics without browning.
A dollop of reduced-fat sour cream and chopped cilantro on top adds richness and freshness right where you taste it first.
Kitchen Tips
- Dice the sweet potato into uniform pieces so they cook at the same rate. Uneven pieces mean some are mushy while others are still firm.
- Purée half the soup for the best texture. All smooth loses the character; all chunky is too thin.
- Taste for salt after puréeing. Blending changes your perception of seasoning and you may need to adjust.
- This soup thickens as it cools. Add extra broth when reheating.
Variations
- Roast the corn in a dry skillet before adding for a smoky, charred sweetness.
- Add a can of black beans for protein and a more filling bowl.
- Stir in a squeeze of lime juice before serving for a bright citrus pop.
Ingredients
Directions
In covered soup pot, simmer onions, garlic, chile and salt in 1 cup of vegetable broth for about 10 minutes, or until onions are soft.
In small bowl, make a paste with cumin and 1 tablespoonful of broth, stir it into the pot, and simmer for another 1 to 2 minutes.
Add sweet potato and remaining broth and simmer for 10 minutes, until sweet potato softens.
Add bell pepper and corn, and simmer, covered, for another 10 minutes, or until all of the vegetables are tender.
Purée about half of the soup in blender or food processor and return it to the pot.
The soup will be creamy and thick.
Add another cup of vegetable broth, if desired, plus salt to taste.
Gently reheat on low heat.
If desired, top with a dollop of reduced-fat sour cream and chopped cilantro.
Makes 4 servings.
Comments
