This creamy Sweet Potato Soup is smooth and velvety, with tons of flavor thanks to rosemary, garlic, shallots and – of course – sweet potatoes. It’s finished with a melt of cream cheese for an ultra rich, creamy, substantial bowl of comfort.

I’m obsessed with this Sweet Potato Soup!

a bowl of sweet potato soup with rosemary

The Story Behind the Recipe

I don’t want to whine about the weather, I really don’t. I mean, I don’t necessarily have to live in Washington State. It’s a free country. And these dreary, gray winters are the price we pay for stellar spring days, glorious summers, and amazing autumns.

But if I were to whine, I would mention that winters here stink, and I am in desperate need of a little sun, a lot of light, and the feel of warm sun on my skin. Ugh. Desperate need.

sweet potato soup in a dutch oven

I know, I totally know, that winters are the best time (and a wonderful excuse) to get cozy in front of the fire (or cuddle in bed in front of the TV and season 2 of Downton Abbey pretty much right as soon as the kid goes to bed at 7:30 p.m., as the case may be, not that we know much about that…).

And I guess since we are talking about the positives of winters and not whining about day after day of depressing damp gloom, I can also mention that soup – nice, piping hot, hearty, creamy, delicious soup – is also a bonus that the season brings.

Oh hey! Like, say, this soup, for instance!

gray bowl of sweet potato soup

Why You’ll Love It

  • Honestly, if it could talk, it would say, “Hello! I am the perfect winter soup!” But if it could talk, and if you’re a vegetarian, you might have a problem with eating a food that talks. So no worries – this soup does not talk. And because this Creamy Sweet Potato Soup is made with vegetable stock instead of chicken stock, it is a cozy, completely vegetarian bowl of comfort.
  • Perfect for bread-dunking. Sweet potatoes and rosemary, pureed with a hunk of cream cheese (light or vegan if you prefer, both work great – and there are more options too if you keep scrolling) make for a rich, velvety soup. No texture here, just smooth, rich, winter-cozy nirvana. Savory, creamy, perfect for dunking crusty bread into.
  • Super flexible, diet-wise. It’s vegetarian as written, but easily made vegan/dairy-free. Dairy-lovers will love it as it was originally written, with cream cheese. But this soup is still perfectly delicious without any cream cheese. Lately I’ve been enjoying it with a splash of almond milk instead. Cashew cream is great too. Or try vegan cream cheese.
sweet potato soup ingredients

Sweet Potato Soup Recipe Ingredients

  • Olive oil – For sauteeing the shallots and garlic.
  • Butter – Not strictly needed, but I like adding it to the olive oil for sauteeing – it adds nice rich flavor.
  • Shallot – You’ll need one large shallot, or 2-3 smaller ones. Feel free to sub in yellow onion instead, it’s still delicious.
  • Garlic – Just one clove; enough to add flavor but not overpower your sweet potato soup.
  • Rosemary – This is an ingredient to be careful with, IMO. It can easily overpower a dish. I find the sweet spot with this sweet potato soup is about 2 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary. If you prefer to sub in dried, go with 1 teaspoon, and be sure to crumble it into the soup to release some of the oils for max flavor.
  • Sweet potatoes – One pound of them, which is one large one or a couple of medium.
  • Vegetable broth – You’ll need 4 cups, which is one box from the store. Or, you can make your own homemade vegetable broth. I really like making broth from the Better Than Boullion jars, too. It’s super cost-effective and delicious.
  • Salt & pepper
  • Cream cheese – I like to use light cream cheese in this one, but you can use full-fat if you prefer. It won’t hurt; quite the opposite!

Dietary Options

  • Vegan/dairy-free option: Omit the butter and substitute the cream cheese with a vegan cream cheese. About 1/3 cup cashew cream or almond milk work instead too. You can also omit the cream cheese/milk entirely (it’s still plenty delicious without).
top view of sweet potato soup in a bowl

How to Make It

  1. First, you’ll saute your shallot in the olive oil (and butter, if using).
  2. Then, add the garlic and give it a quick saute.
  3. Add the rosemary, sweet potatoes, broth, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil.
  4. Reduce to a simmer and continue cooking, uncovered, until the sweet potatoes are tender.
  5. Let it cool for a bit, then puree the soup.
  6. Melt in the cream cheese.
  7. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if you like.
  8. Set a medium or large soup pot over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil and, if using, the butter. When hot, add the shallots (or onions). Saute, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until translucent and tender. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 more minute.
  9. Stir in the rosemary, sweet potatoes, and vegetable broth. Continue heating over medium heat until the soup comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 – 25 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Let cool until it’s safe to puree.
  10. Using an immersion blender or working in batches with an upright high-speed blender, puree the soup.
  11. Return soup to pan and add the cream cheese (or alternatives). Whisk briskly over low heat until cream cheese is completely dissolved.
  12. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve.
sauteing ingredients for sweet potato soup
simmering sweet potatoes for soup
pureeing sweet potato soup in a blender
adding cream cheese to sweet potato soup
sweet potato soup with a gingham linen and ingredients in the background

This Creamy Sweet Potato Soup recipe is a perfect example of how a few choice ingredients in a simple, easy recipe can really shine.

creamy sweet potato soup in a gray bowl with a wood background
No ratings yet

Sweet Potato Soup

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Author: Kare
Yield: 4 cups
Tender sweet potatoes pureed with shallots, rosemary, garlic, and broth, then enriched with a hunk of cream cheese for an ultra creamy finish.
Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (not strictly necessary but I like the extra flavor it adds)
  • 1 large shallot (thinly sliced [about 1 cup sliced]; can substitute 1 cup diced yellow onion)
  • 1 large clove garlic (minced)
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary (+ more for garnish if desired)
  • 1 pound sweet potatoes (approx. 1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces [about 3 cups])
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (32 ounces)
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (+ more to taste)
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ( + more to taste)
  • 4 ounces light cream cheese (half a block; room temperature [see "Vegan Option" below for alternatives])

Optional toppings

  • a drizzle of olive oil
  • a few fresh rosemary leaves

Instructions

  • Set a medium or large soup pot over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil and, if using, the butter. When hot, add the shallots (or onions). Saute, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until translucent and tender. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 more minute.
  • Stir in the rosemary, sweet potatoes, vegetable broth, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Continue heating over medium heat until the soup comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 – 25 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Let cool until it's safe to puree.
  • Using an immersion blender or working in batches with an upright high-speed blender, puree the soup.
  • Return soup to pan and add the cream cheese (or alternatives). Whisk briskly over low heat until cream cheese is completely dissolved.
  • Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve.

Notes

Vegan option:

Omit the butter and substitute the cream cheese with a vegan cream cheese. About 1/3 cup cashew cream or almond milk work instead too. You can also omit the cream cheese/milk entirely (it’s still plenty delicious without).
I originally posted this Creamy Sweet Potato Rosemary Soup recipe back in 2013, but I’ve been revisiting it lately (it’s so good) – making little tweaks here and there and adapting it to fit my now dairy-free diet. The recipe is now updated with a dairy free/vegan option.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1cup, Calories: 288kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 30mg, Sodium: 311mg, Potassium: 479mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 16421IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 82mg, Iron: 1mg

More Potato Soup Recipes

Thought I’d share some sweet potato soup/stew recipe AND regular ol’ potato soup recipes!

More Sweet Potato Recipes

Share or save:

This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a portion of the proceeds. More about this here.