Sweet Potato Peanut Soup
Made with simple pantry ingredients, sweet potato peanut soup is a hearty, satisfying vegetarian meal that will have everyone heading back for seconds. Plus it includes both slow cooker and stovetop instructions, so everyone can make it!
About this Recipe
I don’t know about you, but I love leaning on easy crockpot recipes on busy weeks, especially when it comes to easy, delicious soups!
And this delicious sweet potato peanut soup has become a new favorite in my family’s weeknight dinner rotation.
The sweet potato peanut flavor combination of this soup was inspired by West African Peanut Soup.
I’ve simplified the recipe considerably based on ingredient availability and to reduce prep time – but for an authentic version, I highly recommend checking out In Bibi’s Kitchen: The Recipes and Stories of Grandmothers from Eight African Countries That Touch the African Ocean!
My take on this plant-based powerhouse peanut soup featuring a rich & creamy base and plenty of texture from the savory sweet potatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes, onions and leafy greens.
It’s one of those dishes that feels special enough to serve at a dinner party but is easy enough to throw together any night of the week!
Process & Tips
You can make this sweet potato peanut soup in either your crockpot, or in under 45 minutes on the stovetop, either way it comes out super flavorful!
I almost always go the slow cooker route to make this an even easier, mostly hands-off, dump and go crockpot recipe.
Simply add everything to your slow cooker and let it do all the hard work for you!
After everything cooks just add a bit of lime juice to lift & brighten up all the flavors, give it a quick blend, and before you know it you’ll have a super satisfying vegetarian slow cooker meal ready to eat!
The texture of this soup is both creamy from the coconut milk, peanut butter, and from partially blending the soup, as well as chunky from the unblended sweet potatoes, vegetables, and spinach.
Tip: If you want a fully creamy soup, simply blend everything together until smooth. And if you prefer an even chunkier soup, blend for just a few seconds, leaving most of the vegetables intact.
Serving Suggestions
Up the crunch and texture factor by serving this soup topped with roasted chopped peanuts, a shower of fresh cilantro, and some chopped green onions.
You can also add an extra squeeze of fresh lime juice over top, and (if you like a little more heat) a dash or two of hot sauce.
We even love cooking up some white or brown rice to stir into this soup, or serving it with warm naan or pita bread on the side for dipping.
Tip: For an extra bit of protein you can add a plant-based option like these maple roasted chickpeas, or some leftover shredded rotisserie chicken right on top before serving.
Fun Variations to Try
Make it Spicy: If you want to make a spicy sweet potato peanut soup, add 2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper flakes or 1 finely diced jalapeno along with the sweet potatoes.
Make it Thai-Inspired: Give this soup a Thai-inspired flavor profile by adding 1 tablespoon of Thai red curry paste to the soup along with the coconut milk.
Ingredients & Modifications
Sweet potato: Sweet potatoes are the star ingredient in this soup. Be sure to peel and chop them before adding to your crockpot for the best flavor and texture.
Onion: Onions add so much flavor to homemade soups. But if you don’t like or can’t eat onions, feel free to skip them in this recipe. I find yellow onions work best for this recipe.
Garlic cloves: Since we’re using so few fresh ingredients, I like using fresh garlic cloves in this recipe. But you could also use granulated garlic powder in its place.
Diced fire roasted tomatoes: Canned diced fire roasted tomatoes are a favorite pantry staple for me, they’re so convenient and add so much flavor without any extra prep steps besides opening the can. Regular diced tomatoes will work, too.
Broth: I used low-sodium chicken broth for this recipe but you could also use vegetable stock in its place. For a vegetarian and vegan option, be sure to use vegetable broth.
Coconut milk: Canned coconut milk is another convenient pantry ingredient in this recipe. Use full-fat for the best results. Wait to add at the end to give this soup lots of creaminess (without a drop of cream). You can also use traditional heavy cream in its place if you prefer.
Creamy unsweetened peanut butter: I love the extra creaminess that the unsweetened peanut butter adds to the soup. It helps to naturally thicken it and creates the most lovely velvety texture too.
Baby spinach: Wait to add the baby spinach in at the end, the heat from the soup will wilt the leaves without overcooking them. You could also swap in 1 bunch of kale (any type) stemmed and chopped instead.
Lime juice: Adding lime juice at the end of the cook time is one of my favorite tricks for crockpot soups. It lifts up all the flavors and brightens everything up. You can also use fresh lemon juice if you prefer.
Kosher salt: Look for kosher salt with the regular iodized salt at the grocery store (it has a subtler flavor). Use less iodized salt if that’s what you have on hand.
Tips for Storing & Freezing Leftovers
This sweet potato peanut soup stores and freezes beautifully.
Note that it will thicken quite a bit when cooled, but will thin out when rewarmed (you can also add a splash of stock or water when reheating it).
It keeps well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, in a sealed container.
This soup also freezes beautifully, either in a gallon ziploc bag, or individually in mason jars.
You can store it in a sealed freezer friendly container for up to 2-3 months.
More Slow Cooker Vegetarian Soup Recipes
Sweet Potato Peanut Soup
Ingredients
- 6 cups peeled, chopped sweet potato
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or finely grated
- 2 (15-ounce) cans diced fire roasted tomatoes, liquid drained
- 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
- 2 cups chicken broth, or vegetable broth for vegetarian/vegan
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
To Add at the End
- ½ cup creamy, unsweetened peanut butter
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups loosely packed baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
Optional Toppings
- Chopped cilantro, chopped green onions, chopped roasted peanuts, hot sauce
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Add the sweet potatoes, diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, coconut milk, and broth to a 6-quart slow cooker, stirring to combine.
- Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or low for 6-7, or until the sweet potatoes are tender. Do not uncover during this time.
- When the soup is done, uncover and add the peanut butter, stirring until well incorporated. Using an immersion blender, blend the stew for 10-20 seconds. Alternatively, carefully, remove 2-3 cups of the sweet potato and broth mixture to a blender. Cover, blend on high, then add back to the stew, stirring to combine. Note: Blending for just a few seconds will add a natural creaminess to the soup, while leaving the texture of some of the vegetables and sweet potatoes.
- Add the additional salt, spinach, and lime juice, stirring to wilt the spinach. Taste and add additional salt and lime juice if desired. Top with cilantro, peanuts and hot sauce if you like.
Stovetop Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, saute the onion and garlic in 1 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the sweet potatoes, diced tomatoes, coconut milk, and broth, stirring to combine.
- Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, covered, until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- When the soup is done, uncover and add the peanut butter, stirring until well incorporated. Using an immersion blender, blend the stew for 10-20 seconds. Alternatively, carefully, remove 2-3 cups of the sweet potato and broth mixture to a blender. Cover, blend on high, then add back to the stew, stirring to combine. Note: Blending for just a few seconds will add a natural creaminess to the soup, while leaving the texture of some of the vegetables and sweet potatoes.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the soup for 10-20 seconds. Alternatively, carefully, remove 2-3 cups of the sweet potato and broth mixture to a blender. Cover, blend on high, then add back to the soup, stirring to combine. Note: Blending for just a few seconds will add a natural creaminess to the soup, while leaving the texture of some of the vegetables and sweet potatoes.
- Add the spinach and lime juice, stirring to wilt the spinach. Taste and add additional salt and lime juice if desired. Top with cilantro, peanuts and hot sauce if you like.
This looks so good! I’m adding this to my meal prep for the week.
Yay, Lisa, I hope you love this one. It’s definitely one of my new favorites!
I made this yesterday, and it is SO GOOD!! So easy too! Love it:) I made the full amount, and have lots leftover, so I’m excited to freeze some and have a ready meal for when I need it/don’t feel like cooking:) THANKS Robyn!! I love how customizable this is too!
Yay, Robin, so happy to hear you enjoyed this one. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Another hit! Just my kind of recipe: nutritious, easy and super delicious.
Maria, woohoo, love that you’re loving all the soups. Thank you so much for leaving a review, too!