Enjoy this healthy one-pot soup in fall or winter. Full of sweet potato, sage, pear, and curry spices, it is perfect for holidays and vegan & gluten free.
My favorite thing about cooking is when things come out of nothing. After the holidays, we had an empty fridge, empty countertops… contents of a meal (or even a snack) nowhere in sight. I had a pear that was on the verge of way-too-ripe, half an onion… and then I noticed a sweet potato that I never remembered buying. I’ve seen recipes for butternut squash soup with pears, so I figured this would work just as well. I foraged through the back of the fridge and pantry for the rest of the ingredients. Then I remembered I had this delicious coconut/lemon zest/yogurt cream leftover from the night before that would become the perfect garnish to balance the bold indian flavors in the soup.
The result was a rich & creamy warming meal. The pear provided a sweet tang, the garam masala and paprika brought a smoky flavor. The coconut milk was lush, and the fresh sage brought it all down to earth.
Sweet Potato & Pear Soup with Sage
- 1 large sweet potato (just under 1 lb)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 ripe pear, peeled and chopped
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 4 sage leaves
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ cup coconut milk (I used regular, light would also work)
- ¼ cup plain Skyr or Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup regular or light coconut milk
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- Squeeze of lemon
- Sea salt
- Preheat the oven to 400. Poke holes in the sweet potato, wrap in foil, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until fork tender. The timing will depend on the size of your potato.
- When the sweet potato is done, let cool slightly, peel, and cut into messy cubes. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, garam masala, and paprika and cook for one minute. Add the cooked potato cubes and the raw chopped pear and cook for two minutes more. Add the water, salt, sage, and cayenne. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to a large blender and puree, working in batches if necessary. Stir in the coconut milk, taste, and adjust seasonings. If it’s too thick, add more water. For a creamier soup, add more coconut milk.
- Make the yogurt-coconut cream: combine the yogurt, coconut milk, lemon zest and juice, and salt. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve on the side.
Recipe adapted from Sassy Radish
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I made this soup today. As I had an acorn squash that had to be cooked I used it instead of the sweet potato. I also used ground coriander in lieu of the garam masal. I like the flexibility of this lovely autumn soup and the fact that it’s child-friendly. (My four year old liked it, especially with the lemon cream.)
I made this soup for having friends over and it was delicious. It ended up being way spicier than I realized it would be, which was only a problem for me because of my low spice tolerance. Next time I’ll lower the cayenne. The flavors complemented each other super well, and I was surprised how creamy it tasted without even having that much coconut milk in it. The yogurt drizzle was excellent.
Just made this!
It easily made enough to feed four. The flavor is so wonderfully spicy fruity and creamy while not being too heavy.
Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Hi there – I just found this recipe through foodgawker and love it! I’m doing a cleanse series on my blog this week and wondered if you’d be okay with me using one of your pictures of this recipe and linking to your blog?
how funny! I just made a sweet potato apple and sage soup! I love the use of the coconut milk! Brilliant! 🙂
Love this soup! I’m a savory sweet potato fanatic and love how you’ve balanced the sweetness of the sweet potatoes and pear with lots of bold spices.
Love coconut milk in soups! Looks fabulous 🙂
I never thougt that pears and sweet potato worked together, it is an interesting combination, you always surprise me with your recipes and this soup looks delicious
I’m loving all the spices in this soup! For 2012 I’ve resolved to cook with spices more often, and a soup like this is great inspiration.