Sweet Potato Chowder.
This sweet potato chowder is a huge hug in a bowl for you!
Because… Monday. Yes yes. We all need a hug today.
Just LOOK AT THIS BOWL. I want to devour every last bite.
This soup is super comforting and hearty. It’s so warming and flavorful, it’s ridiculous! It’s a soup that can easily be a meal, no salad or bread needed. Of course those are welcome additions and if you feel like pairing with some beer bread or a house salad, I don’t blame you.
The whole pot starts off with some pancetta that we crisp up, then reserve for topping later. If you don’t eat meat, you can easily skip this part and use olive oil (or your oil of choice) to start everything off. The pancetta adds a lot of flavor and the crunch that I need on top.
The crunchy bits are what make it SO good. I’m never one to turn down a potato soup. I have a classic loaded potato soup recipe, as well as a loaded sweet potato soup too!
While they are both major comfort food, I always find that they need some texture on top.
Or should I say… that I need some texture on top.
Of course I do.
High maintenance for life!
My favorite way to add texture on top is the pancetta and a sprinkling of roasted, salted pepitas. So crunchy! So tasty! And so satisfying.
p.s.I actually loathe the word “tasty” but sometimes no other one will do. It’s a vibe.
After the soup simmers for a while, we’re going to toss in some tuscan kale too. I LOVE THIS. Getting in some greens, but in a warm bowl of comfort food, you know? I like to stir the greens in a few minutes before eating, because the kale holds a little crunch. It will soften by the next day for leftovers but it’s still super good.
Finally I stir in some milk or cream or even coconut cream. A little goes a long way and it makes the soup richer, more satisfying and overall more comforting. It’s not as brothy or thin and makes it FEEL like a heartier dish.
I mean, YUM. There is nothing like a giant pot of love to start the week off right.
Sweet Potato Chowder
Sweet Potato Chowder
Ingredients
- 4 ounces pancetta, diced
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground sage
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- ½ cup chopped carrots
- 3 cups chopped sweet potato, about 1 inch in size
- 5 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
- ⅓ cup cream, half and half or coconut cream/milk
- 2 cups chopped tuscan kale
- 3 tablespoons roasted salted pepitas, for topping
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium-low heat and add the pancetta. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered and the pancetta is crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel lined plate to remove any excess grease.
- Keep the pot on medium low heat and add the butter. Stir in the onion, garlic, salt, pepper and sage. Stir in the fresh nutmeg. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the carrots and sweet potato, tossing everything to combine.
- Pour in the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce it to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Cover and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes cubes soften. Stir in the cream/halfhalf/etc. Taste the soup and season with additional salt or pepper if needed, but remember we will add the salty pancetta back on top too!
- A few minutes before serving, stir in the kale. I like to serve it almost immediately, but you can simmer the soup for another 10 minutes or so to soften it.
- Serve with the pancetta and pepitas for topping.
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
Acceptable to eat for breakfast? I think.
66 Comments on “Sweet Potato Chowder.”
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Made this last night. :) I really loved it, as did my husband but my kids are not fans of sweet potato so they cringed…haha. I doubled the recipe and cut the broth by 2 cups and still had PLENTY of liquid. I also kept the onion to one…thought 2 would be overpowering. I used a hand blender before serving to thicken the soup a bit. The pancetta adds a very mild flavor to the soup…next time I will try bacon. :) I served with parmesan/garlic sourdough toast baked in the oven.
After two attempts at making this, first my Kale was bad…second day the pancetta I had purchased HOURS BEFORE was bad, I finally made this! I only had vegetable stock on hand, and added some bacon I had in the fridge because I’m scarred for life with the pancetta disaster now (my entire house smelled like dirty feet!). I also added in about a tsp of basil and let me tell you. This is going to become a staple fall soup. Thank you so much for the idea! Love it!
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This looks great, but I can’t stand kale. Any suggestions? Has anyone tried spinach instead?
A heartier green like chard or collards would work but spinach could be a last resort!
Followed the recipe to a T minus the pancetta since I didn’t have it on hand and I followed the sub for coconut milk. It was significantly more liquid than I expected so I doctored it up by adding a can of cannellini beans, more kale, and I still wasn’t totally impressed by the flavors so I added chili flakes and liquid aminos for some extra umami. I think it could be just my tastes but I will probably not use coconut milk if I make this again as the flavor just seemed strange to me. Overall a good recipe, but I would recommend others start with 4 cups stock and add more if needed.