Southwestern Sweet Potato Soup is like a loaded baked potato soup but with a sweet and spicy kick!
We are totally on a Southwest or Southwestern flavor kick lately. My family loves Mexican flavors and food so much that I’ve been trying to branch out and bring those flavors to pretty much any recipe I can think of. And in doing that, bringing South-of-the-border flavors North, I have to call them “Southwest”. I have always loved a good loaded baked potato soup and so that was my starting point for this Southwestern Sweet Potato Soup.
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I really can’t always explain where my recipe ideas come from. But after creating this soup I was trying to figure out what to call it. I had some friends suggest a southwest potato corn chowder, but searching those terms revealed recipes that looked nothing like what I had created. However searching the words “Southwestern Sweet Potato Soup” actually brought up some results that looked similar.
My neighbor who is an excellent cook always roasts sweet potatoes with spicy seasonings. So the combination of sweet and spicy might have come from there. But honestly, this was another one of those recipes that I just went shopping at the store and this is what I came out with. It feels really good to be creative and coming up with what are (to me) new ideas again.
Tips for Southwestern Sweet Potato Soup:
- This is the brand of smoked paprika I use in this soup.
- I use a soup pot similar to this one to make this soup.
- We had eaten all my cooked bacon before I got to photographing this soup. I highly recommend crumbled bacon as a topping for this soup!
- Chopped avocado and lime wedges would also be great additions for topping this soup recipe.
- I use this brand of immersion blender to blend this soup right in the pot.
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Southwestern Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato
- 8 small Yukon Gold or red skinned potatoes
- 1 small yellow or sweet onion
- 10 slices bacon
- 1 15 oz can creamed corn
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ancho chile powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup chipotle salsa I used Frontera brand
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- shredded cheddar, sour cream and more chipotle salsa for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and evenly place 8 slices of the bacon on the baking sheet. Bake until bacon is crisp. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
- In a soup pot over medium heat, add the remaining two slices of bacon and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon to the paper towel lined plate.
- Crumble all 10 slices of the cooked bacon and use it as a topping for the soup.
- Chop the onion and add the onion to the pot with the bacon fat. Cook until the onion is starting to soften.
- While onion is cooking, peel and chop the potatoes.
- To the softened onion in the pot, add the creamed corn, salt, chile powder, smoked paprika, pepper, chipotle salsa and vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer and scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in the chopped potatoes. Cover the pot and simmer for about 25 minutes, or until all the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the 1/2 cup of sour cream.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the soup.
- Return the soup to the stove and heat until warmed through.
- Top each bowl of soup with cooked and crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, more chipotle salsa and sour cream.
Cliona Keane says
This looks beyond tasty! Perfect for cold winter days and evenings!
foodtasticmom says
Thank you Cliona! I agree 🙂
Sharon Chen says
Yum! Sweet potatoes are great for soups. Sweet and spicy is a great combination for this season 🙂
foodtasticmom says
Thanks so much Sharon!
Stephanie says
I’m loving all the flavors in this soup. What a great way to make sweet potatoes. Can’t wait to give this yummy soup a try.
foodtasticmom says
Come back and let us know what you think if you make it!
Shanika says
I love Sweet Potatoes, so this soup is a winner! It looks delicious!
foodtasticmom says
Thank you Shanika!
Danielle says
That looks like such a hearty and comforting soup. Loving all the flavours in it.
foodtasticmom says
Yes this soup is total comfort food for sure!
Sonia says
What a perfect timing! I was searching for something with sweet potato and here it is.. looks so delicious and Creamy.. definitely try it soon
foodtasticmom says
So happy to help 🙂 Thank you Sonia!
Theresa Bard says
I do not understand the 8 pieces of bacon saved. Recipe does not say what to do with them. The 2 addnl pieces I understand are for topping.
Thanks
foodtasticmom says
I’m sorry. I just reread the recipe and agree it’s confusing so I added an instruction step. The two pieces of bacon cooked in the soup pot allow the fat to render, so that you use it for cooking and flavor in the soup. Then, crumble all 10 pieces of the bacon (the 8 baked in the oven, plus the two cooked in the pot) to use as a topping on the soup.