Peanut and Sweet Potato Soup with Chickpeas

Peanut butter gives this sweet potato soup body without cream. Mixing it with a little hot broth before adding it to the pan prevents stubborn clumps. The soup has a spoonable texture with intact sweet potato pieces; mash a few of them at the end if you prefer a thicker bowl.

Serves: 4 | Estimated preparation: 20 minutes | Estimated cooking: 30 minutes | Estimated total: 50 minutes.

Recipe development note: this recipe has not been kitchen-tested by Tasty Food. Times are estimates; follow the texture and safe-temperature checks in the method. The featured image is an AI-generated serving illustration and may differ from your result.

Equipment

A large saucepan with lid, a small heatproof bowl, a whisk, a ladle and a potato masher if desired.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 15 g fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes, optional
• 2 tablespoons tomato purée
• 1 × 400 g can chopped tomatoes
• 700 g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
• 900 ml vegetable stock, plus a little extra if needed
• 1 × 400 g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed, about 240 g drained
• 100 g smooth unsweetened peanut butter
• 120 g fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon lime juice, plus wedges to serve
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
• 2 tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped, optional garnish

Instructions

1. Soften the onion. Heat the oil in the saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 6–7 minutes, stirring, until soft. Add garlic, ginger, cumin and chilli flakes if using and stir for 30 seconds. Add tomato purée and cook for 1 minute, keeping the spices from sticking.
2. Simmer the sweet potatoes. Add chopped tomatoes, sweet potato cubes and stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partly and cook for 18–22 minutes. Stir occasionally and check several cubes with a knife. They should be tender through the centre but not falling apart completely.
3. Loosen the peanut butter. Put peanut butter in the heatproof bowl. Carefully ladle in about 200 ml hot broth from the pan a little at a time, whisking until smooth and pourable. Return this mixture to the soup and stir thoroughly. Keep the heat gentle after adding it.
4. Add chickpeas and greens. Add chickpeas and simmer for 5 minutes to heat through. Stir in spinach and cook for another 2–3 minutes until wilted. If the soup is too thick, add a little extra stock or water. If too thin, mash a few sweet potato cubes against the side and stir them back through.
5. Balance and serve. Remove from the heat. Stir in lime juice and the measured salt, then taste; stock and peanut butter vary in saltiness. Add more lime or salt in small amounts only if needed. Serve in bowls with optional chopped peanuts and lime wedges.

Cooking notes and substitutions

Choosing peanut butter

Use smooth peanut butter made mainly from peanuts, without a large amount of added sugar. Stir the jar well if its oil has separated before measuring. Sweetened spreads change the balance noticeably and may need more lime, but start with an unsweetened product where possible.

Adjusting heat and texture

Omit chilli for a mild version and offer it separately. Frozen spinach can replace fresh: thaw, squeeze it and add about 80 g drained. Do not blend boiling soup in a sealed countertop blender; the recipe thickens easily by mashing a few vegetables instead.

Cooling and freezing

Cool in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C/90°F. Use within 3–4 days. Freeze portions for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat to 74°C/165°F, stirring and adding water if thickened.

Allergens and food safety

Contains peanuts. Vegetable stock may contain celery and other allergens. This recipe is not suitable for anyone with a peanut allergy; do not treat a casual ingredient swap as a guaranteed safe version. Keep refrigerated food at 4°C/40°F or below. Use clean utensils when checking cooked food.

Food safety reference: CDC food safety guidance. For chilling and reheating guidance, see USDA leftovers guidance.

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