Sweet potato peanut soup
A creamy, savory soup with sweet potato, tomato, ginger, and peanut butter, finished with lime and cilantro. This makes 2 generous servings and blends into a smooth, spoon-coating puree with a nutty, lightly spiced finish that is thick enough for a bowl but still pourable.
Estimated calories and US ingredient costs.
This recipe scales well to 4 servings in a 4-quart saucepan, but keep the simmer gentle so the sweet potato cooks evenly and the peanut butter blends smoothly. Do not increase the heat to shorten the simmer, because a hard boil can splatter and make the texture less silky.
Your whole cook, in one place.
Ingredients, steps and a live timeline. Ready for 2 people.
Step timeline
Cooking order
6 leftBuild the flavor base
~6 minBuild the flavor base.
Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat.
Add the 6 oz chopped yellow onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
Stir in 1 tsp minced garlic and 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger, then cook for 30 seconds so the mixture smells fragrant but does not brown.
Ingredients
- 1 tbspVegetable oil
- 6 ozYellow onion
- 1 tspGarlic
- 1 tbspGrated fresh ginger
Add the sweet potato and spices
~1 minAdd the sweet potato and spices.
Stir in 8 oz peeled, diced sweet potato, 1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, and 3/4 tsp kosher salt.
Cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat the vegetables so the spices bloom in the hot oil and tomato mixture.
Ingredients
- 8 oz total for recipeSweet potato
- 1/2 cupCanned crushed tomatoes
- 1 tspGround cumin
- 1/2 tspSmoked paprika
- 1/4 tspCayenne pepper
- 3/4 tspKosher salt
Simmer until tender
~16 minSimmer until tender.
Pour in 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth and 1 cup water, scraping the bottom of the pan to dissolve any stuck bits.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 14 to 16 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the sweet potato is completely tender and breaks easily against a spoon.
Ingredients
- 2 cupsLow-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cupWater
Blend until smooth
~8 minBlend until smooth.
Remove the pan from the heat.
Add 1/4 cup natural peanut butter and whisk until mostly dissolved.
Use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pan until smooth, or carefully blend in batches in a countertop blender and return it to the saucepan.
If the soup looks too thick to pour, whisk in 2 to 4 tbsp extra hot water.
Ingredients
- 1 cup total for recipeWater
- 1/4 cupNatural peanut butter
Adjust the finish
~2 minAdjust the finish.
Set the blended soup over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring, just until fully heated through and silky.
Stir in 1 tbsp lime juice.
Taste and adjust only if needed with an extra pinch of salt, but keep in mind the broth and peanut butter already contribute some salinity.
Ingredients
- 1 tbspLime juice
Serve meal
~1 minOnce all dishes are cooked and ready, plate and serve the meal together.
Sweet potato peanut soup: Serve with crunch.
Sweet potato peanut soup: Ladle the soup into warm bowls and top each serving with 1 tbsp chopped cilantro and 1 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts.
Sweet potato peanut soup: Serve immediately while hot so the peanut aroma stays vivid and the garnish keeps its crunch.
Make the next one yours.
Create a custom meal with what you have.
Read the traditional recipe
Ingredients
For 2 people
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 6 oz yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 8 oz sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
Method
- Build the flavor baseHeat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the 6 oz chopped yellow onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in 1 tsp minced garlic and 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger, then cook for 30 seconds so the mixture smells fragrant but does not brown.
- Add the sweet potato and spicesStir in 8 oz peeled, diced sweet potato, 1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, and 3/4 tsp kosher salt. Cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat the vegetables so the spices bloom in the hot oil and tomato mixture.
- Simmer until tenderPour in 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth and 1 cup water, scraping the bottom of the pan to dissolve any stuck bits. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 14 to 16 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the sweet potato is completely tender and breaks easily against a spoon.
- Blend until smoothRemove the pan from the heat. Add 1/4 cup natural peanut butter and whisk until mostly dissolved. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pan until smooth, or carefully blend in batches in a countertop blender and return it to the saucepan. If the soup looks too thick to pour, whisk in 2 to 4 tbsp extra hot water.
- Adjust the finishSet the blended soup over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring, just until fully heated through and silky. Stir in 1 tbsp lime juice. Taste and adjust only if needed with an extra pinch of salt, but keep in mind the broth and peanut butter already contribute some salinity.
- Serve with crunchLadle the soup into warm bowls and top each serving with 1 tbsp chopped cilantro and 1 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts. Serve immediately while hot so the peanut aroma stays vivid and the garnish keeps its crunch.
Before you cook
What to get ready
Heavy soup pot, ladle, chopping board and an immersion blender only if the method calls for blending.
Stir natural peanut butter before measuring and dice sweet potato evenly.
If something needs adjusting
Peanut butter stays in lumps
Whisk it with a little hot broth before incorporating, then blend once the vegetables soften.
Soup tastes saltier after simmering
Reduction concentrates salt. Start with low-sodium broth and adjust seasoning near the end; loosen an over-reduced soup with water.
Store for later
Divide soup into shallow containers for prompt chilling rather than leaving a large hot pot on the counter. Reheat to 165°F while stirring so the center heats evenly.
Refrigerate perishables within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Keep the fridge at 40°F or below; use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days. USDA storage and reheating guidance.
Make the ingredients go further
Use remaining peanut butter in chickpea stew.
Next use for your ingredients: Chickpea peanut stew →
Calculate this meal with your own prices →
Cooking notes updated October 24, 2026. How we create recipes.
Tips, swaps and questions
A little kitchen know-how
For a deeper, rounder flavor, let the onion cook a full 6 to 7 minutes before adding the garlic and ginger. If your peanut butter is salted, keep the listed salt as written and season at the end only after the soup is blended, since the flavor concentrates as it thickens.
Make it work for you
For a slightly lighter soup, replace up to half of the peanut butter with smooth tahini, but expect a more sesame-forward flavor and a thinner, less sweet finish. If you need a milder version, omit the cayenne and use sweet paprika instead of smoked paprika; the soup will still be aromatic but less warm and smoky.
Use more of your yellow onion and vegetable broth in black bean soup.
Can I make this soup ahead and reheat it without it separating?
Yes. Cool it quickly, refrigerate within 2 hours, and store covered for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring often and adding a splash of water if it becomes too thick. If it gets slightly grainy from the peanut butter, whisk briskly as it warms and it will smooth out again.
Times are estimates. Check ingredients for allergens. For safe temperatures and storage, see FoodSafety.gov.