Easy Sweet Potato Soup

Sautéing onions, peppers, and jalapeños with cumin and smoked paprika creates an aromatic base for soup that simmers with sweet potatoes and black beans until everything is tender. Coconut milk stirred in adds subtle richness without dairy, and fresh spinach wilted at the end provides color and nutrients. This comes together in one pot in about thirty minutes using mostly pantry staples, making it perfect for those nights when you need something warming and filling without much effort. Serve with tortilla chips, avocado, and cilantro for complete Southwestern-style meal.

Black bean and sweet potato soup became my go-to weeknight dinner after realizing how well the sweet potatoes' natural sweetness balances the earthy black beans. The first time I made this, I was skeptical about using coconut milk because I worried it would taste too tropical, but the full-fat version adds richness without obvious coconut flavor. Adding spinach at the very end keeps it bright green instead of that sad, overcooked olive color. Now I make this constantly throughout fall and winter because it's genuinely healthy comfort food that tastes indulgent.

Ingredients and Why They Matter

• Olive oil (2 tablespoons): For sautéing vegetables and building flavor base
• Yellow onion (1 large, diced): Aromatic foundation that sweetens during cooking
• Red bell pepper (1, diced): Adds sweetness and color; any color bell pepper works
• Jalapeño (1, seeded and minced): Provides heat; leave seeds in for more spice, omit for mild
• Garlic (4 cloves, minced): Essential savory depth
• Ground cumin (2 teaspoons): Earthy, warm spice essential to Southwestern flavor
• Smoked paprika (1 teaspoon): Adds smoky depth; regular paprika or chili powder substitute
• Sweet potatoes (2 large, peeled and cubed): Natural sweetness and substance; orange-fleshed variety
• Black beans (2 cans, 15 ounces each, drained and rinsed): Protein and fiber; cooked dry beans work too
• Vegetable broth (4 cups): Base liquid; low-sodium preferred so you control salt
• Full-fat coconut milk (1 can, 13.5 ounces): Creates creamy richness; light coconut milk makes thinner soup
• Fresh spinach (3 cups, packed): Added at end for color and nutrition; kale substitutes
• Salt and black pepper (to taste): Essential seasoning

How To Make It

Step 1:

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the diced onion, red bell pepper, and jalapeño. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4-5 minutes until the vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent and starts smelling sweet. The bell pepper should be tender and the onion should have lost its raw bite. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn't burn. You'll smell the garlic becoming fragrant and aromatic. This base of sautéed vegetables creates the flavor foundation for your entire soup.

Step 2:

Add the ground cumin and smoked paprika directly to the vegetables in the pot. Stir constantly for about 1 minute, letting the spices heat and become fragrant. This toasting process wakes up the spices and releases their essential oils, creating much more flavorful soup than just adding them later with the liquid. The spices should smell amazing and will slightly darken in color. Don't skip this step - it makes a noticeable difference in the final depth of flavor.

Step 3:

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into ½ to ¾-inch cubes - try to keep them relatively uniform so they cook evenly. Add the sweet potato cubes and drained, rinsed black beans to the pot. Stir everything together so the vegetables and beans get coated with the spiced oil. Pour in the vegetable broth and the entire can of coconut milk, including the thick cream that may have separated at the top. Stir well to combine everything. Scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure nothing is sticking.

Step 4:

Increase the heat to bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot with a lid slightly ajar to allow some steam to escape. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the sweet potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a fork. They should be soft enough to mash easily but still holding their shape. Some of the sweet potato pieces will break down slightly during cooking, which naturally thickens the soup. Taste the broth and season with salt and black pepper - start with about 1 teaspoon salt and adjust from there.

Step 5:

Once the sweet potatoes are tender, add all the fresh spinach to the pot. It will look like a huge pile initially but will wilt down dramatically. Stir the spinach into the hot soup, then place the lid back on the pot. Let it sit for just 1-2 minutes - the residual heat will wilt the spinach perfectly without overcooking it. Stir once more to distribute the wilted spinach throughout. The soup should look vibrant with bright green spinach, orange sweet potatoes, and dark black beans throughout a creamy, slightly orange broth.

Step 6:

Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve immediately. Top with your favorite chili toppings - shredded cheese or vegan cheese, dollop of sour cream or plant-based sour cream, diced avocado, chopped fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, jalapeño slices, squeeze of lime juice, or crumbled tortilla chips. Serve with warm crusty bread, cornbread, or tortilla chips on the side. Leftovers keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth or water if it seems too thick after sitting.

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Sweet potatoes versus regular potatoes made a huge difference once I understood they're from different plant families. Sweet potatoes have orange flesh, natural sweetness, and softer texture that partially breaks down during cooking to thicken soup naturally. Regular russet or Yukon gold potatoes have white or yellow flesh, savory flavor, and starchy texture that doesn't create the same effect. Using regular potatoes would make completely different soup that doesn't balance the black beans' earthiness the same way.

Coconut Milk Purpose

Full-fat coconut milk adds creamy richness that makes the soup feel indulgent without any dairy. The fat content creates smooth mouthfeel and helps carry flavors. Light coconut milk is mostly water with very little fat, creating thin, watery soup. The coconut flavor is quite subtle in the finished soup - most people don't identify it as coconut, just creamy and rich. For coconut-free version, use cashew cream (soaked cashews blended with water) or just additional vegetable broth, though it won't be as creamy.

Spice Toasting Technique

Toasting dried spices in hot oil before adding liquid is a technique that dramatically improves flavor. The heat releases volatile compounds and essential oils locked inside the dried spices. This blooming process creates deeper, more aromatic flavor than just adding spices to liquid. It only takes about a minute but makes the difference between flat-tasting and richly-flavored soup. The same technique works for curry powders, chili powder, and any ground dried spices.

Sweet Potato Cooking

The sweet potatoes serve dual purposes - they add substance and natural sweetness while their starches thicken the soup. As they simmer, the cubes soften and some break down, releasing starch into the broth that creates natural thickness. This means you don't need flour, cornstarch, or pureed vegetables to achieve creamy texture. Cutting them into uniform pieces ensures even cooking. Very small pieces break down too much, while very large pieces take forever to cook and stay hard in the center.

Bean Preparation

Using canned black beans saves hours compared to cooking dried beans from scratch. Draining and rinsing removes excess sodium and the thick liquid that can make soup too starchy. If using home-cooked dried beans, use about 3 cups cooked beans. Other beans work too - pinto beans, kidney beans, or chickpeas create different but equally delicious results. The beans provide protein and fiber that make this substantial enough to be a complete meal.

Greens Variations

While spinach is classic and cooks quickly, other greens work beautifully with different flavors and textures. Baby spinach wilts fastest and stays most tender. Kale provides heartier texture and earthy flavor but needs to be added earlier in cooking since it takes longer to soften. Collard greens need even longer cooking and more robust flavor. Swiss chard wilts quickly like spinach with slightly different taste. Frozen spinach works but squeeze it very dry before adding. Each green brings something different.

Storage and Freezing

The soup keeps refrigerated for 4 days in airtight containers, making it perfect for meal prep. It freezes well for up to 3 months, though the spinach texture may change after freezing - some people prefer adding fresh spinach when reheating rather than freezing it with the soup. Thaw frozen soup overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The soup thickens considerably when cold, so add broth or water when reheating to return it to desired consistency.

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This black bean and sweet potato soup represents the kind of weeknight cooking that proves healthy plant-based meals can taste as satisfying as anything with meat. The combination of creamy coconut milk, sweet potatoes, earthy black beans, and warming spices creates comfort food that happens to be packed with nutrition. When you serve steaming bowls topped with all your favorite fixings and everyone goes back for seconds, you know you've created something special. Sometimes the best recipes are the ones that become regular rotation staples because they're reliable, delicious, and actually achievable on busy nights, and this soup definitely accomplishes that goal perfectly every single time you make it.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can I make this soup ahead of time?

Yes, this soup actually tastes better the next day. Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.

→ Can I freeze black bean and sweet potato soup?

Absolutely. Let it cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

→ What can I use instead of coconut milk?

You can use regular milk, almond milk, or cashew cream. Keep in mind this will change the flavor slightly and may not be vegan depending on your choice.

→ How do I make this soup spicier?

Add more jalapeño, include the seeds, or stir in some cayenne pepper or hot sauce at the end. You can also top it with fresh chili slices when serving.

→ Can I use canned sweet potatoes instead of fresh?

Fresh sweet potatoes work best for texture and flavor. Canned ones tend to be too soft and may turn mushy in the soup.

→ What should I serve with this soup?

Crusty bread, cornbread, or tortilla chips are perfect. You can also add toppings like avocado, cilantro, lime wedges, or a dollop of sour cream.