Sweet Potato and Coconut Quinoa Soup

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Start dusting off your Uggs, people, fall is a comin’! This is probably my favorite time of the year. When the air starts getting crisp, the days get shorter, and apple pies are baked weekly. Hot soups cool you down on a chilly night and the smell of pumpkin muffins fill the air. I can’t wait until the leaves start changing color and the outdoors are a mix of autumn colors.

Lately, I’ve been experimenting with quinoa recipes because it really is such a nutrient packed grain that I would like to incorporate more into my daily life. Last week I wrote a guest post for Buddha Sport featuring a nutritious kale and quinoa recipe that was really tasty! It had some goat cheese, scallions, and a zesty kick of lemon juice to pull it all together (picture below).

I’ve also been slightly addicted to sweet potatoes which always remind of the fall and Thanksgiving. Sweet potatoes are considered a super food by many because of it’s high contents of Vitamin A, Vitamin E, fiber, potassium, and complex carbohydrates. They’re also virtually fat-free and are healthier than white potatoes – and in my opinion, a lot tastier! I found a recipe the other day that combined quinoa and sweet potatoes with the addition of coconut milk to make a creamy, rich soup and knew I had to try it. To my surprise, it was super easy to whip up and was so tasty! I literally cannot get enough. I opted to half the recipe, but that still make more than enough for me to have for dinner and lunch the next day. The recipe is courtesy of Food and Whine, a foodie blog filled with yummy recipes and beautiful photographs.

Sweet Potato and Coconut Quinoa Soup
from Food and Whine

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 1/2 cup quinoa
  • 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 3 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream (optional)

Heat oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in quinoa, sweet potato, and vegetable stock and turn heat on high until boiling. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes until the quinoa and sweet potaotes are cooked. Puree mixture with an immersion blender, or in small batches in a regular blender. Return to low heat and add coconut milk and chili powder. Serve topped with yogurt or sour cream if desired.