This slow cooker sweet potato soup recipe features a simple combination of wholesome plant-based ingredients. It's vegan,
Sweet Potatoes
Did you know there are over 400 varieties of sweet potatoes? As I explain in Sweet Potatoes vs. Yams, they range in color and firmness.
The potatoes we often call yams in the U.S. are actually soft, deep orange sweet potatoes.
Soft sweet potatoes become tender and moist when cooked. I love to keep baked sweet potatoes in the fridge for quick meals, but they also make great soup.
The Convenience of Slow Cooking
By the end of the day, I often don't feel like cooking. Tossing ingredients in a slow cooker in the morning is a great coping mechanism for lazy cooks like me.
I don't always follow a recipe. More often than not, I experiment with what I have on hand. Then, if I create a winner, I write it down.
I encourage you to do the same!
Using an Instant Pot as a Slow Cooker
When I first created this recipe, I was using my twenty-five-year-old Crock-Pot. I sent that ancient contraption off to college with my son.
Now, unless I'm making an extra-large batch of soup, I use my Instant Pot as a slow cooker. It works great!
If you are not familiar with this all-in-one appliance, check it out. It has replaced my old Crock-Pot and my rice cooker! And, it pressure-cooks beans and grains beautifully!
I bought the Instant Pot Tempered Glass Lid so I can see ingredients when I use the slow cook setting.
Pressure Cooker Option
I developed this recipe for my slow cooker. But if I want to have it for lunch, or forget to set it up in the morning, I cook it in my Instant Pot on the Soup pressure cooker setting.
Refer to the Recipe Notes below for more information.
Save A Step with an Immersion Blender
An immersion blender is another handy tool. If you don't have one, I encourage you to get one. I use mine all the time.
You can read why it's worth the storage space in this article. But the short answer is, ladling hot chunky liquids into a blender can be tricky.
I appreciate being able to puree
Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Soup
I’m quite pleased with the results of this experiment.
My husband, who actively avoids eating sweet potatoes, was even willing to give the recipe a try. He declared this slow cooker sweet potato soup delicious.
Then he persuaded our daughter – who also claims to be a sweet potato hater – to have some. She grudgingly agreed it was tasty. So, the recipe made the winning cut!
Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 5 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 3 large sweet potatoes peeled and chopped
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 cup plant milk (I use cashew or coconut milk)
- 1 tsp. dried tarragon
- 1 tsp. McCormick Pinch Perfect Salt Free Seasoning
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 6-8 Tbsp. sliced almonds
- sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add broth, sweet potatoes, onion, celery, and garlic to a 4-quart slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-5 hours (or until potatoes are soft).
- Turn off slow cooker and add plant milk, tarragon, and Pinch Perfect Seasoning and blend 1-2 minutes with an immersion blender until soup is smooth. *
- Stir in baby spinach, cover and let sit for 20 minutes until spinach is soft.
- Ladle into soup bowls.
- Sprinkle each bowl with 1 tbs sliced almonds, sea salt and ground black pepper to taste.
Notes
Note: I do not include nutrition information with my recipes because I subscribe to the theories presented in the book Whole and believe we should focus on eating a variety of whole foods instead of counting calories or keeping track of individual nutrients. Also, this page contains affiliate links. I earn a commision if you use the links. I only recommend items/brands I use and trust.
Julie
What was great about this recipe was besides its great taste was it called for ingredients I all ready had in my kitchen !
Margaret
Those are always the best kind! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it!
Lis
If using dairy milk, would it be an equal amount to the plant based milk?
Margaret
Hi Lis - yes, I imagine the amount of milk would be the same. I have not made the recipe with dairy milk so I can't say for sure, but it shouldn't be an issue.
Asha Egenvall
Hi, what's in the salt free seasoning? I live in Sweden and might need to sub this for something similar if possible.
Margaret
The ingredients include onion, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, red pepper, garlic, lemon peel, celery, and paprika. Hope this helps! 🙂
Ceara
Could you blend first and then put in slow cooker?
Margaret
Honestly, I'm not sure what kind of results that would yield.
Stephanie
Can you use water instead of milk? I'm doing Paleo.
Margaret
Yes, you can use water - the soup with just be a little less creamy.
Jeannette
If making the day before, should I hold on adding the spinach until just before serving time?
Margaret
Adding the spinach before serving would be fine - so long as the soup is sufficiently heated and the spinach has time to wilt.
Sheree
I didn't have tarragon, so supplemented it for paprika and cinnamon. Delicious!
Margaret
Sounds like a yummy substitute! 🙂
Alex
Does this soup freeze well?
Margaret
Hi Alex - I think I've frozen it before and didn't have an issue, but I'm not certain. It might depend on what kind of milk you use. Rice milk should be fine. A higher fat milk like cashew or coconut milk might change in texture a bit. And, you may also want to hold off on adding the fresh spinach until it's thawed and reheated. If you try it, let us know how it goes—and I will do the same. 🙂