This cozy vegan Sweet Potato Kale Soup recipe is healthy and made from scratch. It's easy and made with chickpeas and hearty vegetables!
Every year during the late spring and early summer months we plant a garden and during the late summer and early fall we get to enjoy fruits (and veggies) of our labor to make things like this Sweet Potato Kale Soup.
That is not the case this year because this summer our garden sucked.
This led us to sending a soil sample into our local extension office for testing and it turns out there is an over-abundance of phosphorus and basically no nitrogen in the soil which explains why the plants turned out the way they did.
The few steadfast plants that made their way in that barren soil include kale and bell peppers. What better way to enjoy our small harvest than to whip up a pot of soup?
It turns out that this Sweet Potato Kale Soup is just the thing.
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Our garden may have sucked this summer but this soup definitely does not. It's the type of soup that cool fall evenings were made for. There's nothing better than putting on a big pot of soup when you start to feel that first chill in the air.
This Sweet Potato Kale Soup is hearty and comforting while being totally healthy. It's vegan and gluten free.
This is one of those dishes that allows the flavor of the vegetables to shine through - There are no fancy spices and it's made without cream or dairy. This is clean eating at its best.
Is It Better To Peel Sweet Potatoes Before Cooking?
It's not necessary to peel sweet potatoes before adding them to a soup and to do so or not is really a matter of preference.
For this soup I prefer to peel sweet potatoes because the skin tends to be kind of tough and fibrous. If you like the taste and texture of the skins feel free to leave them on but make sure to wash and scrub the potatoes thoroughly before chopping.
If you choose to peel them a vegetable peeler works great.
As far as soups go this one is pretty minimal in its ingredients and amount of preparation. All you need is a cutting board, knife, and soup pot to make it.
- Start by mincing 6 cloves of garlic and 1 large onion (any color).
- Dice 1 bell pepper (any color).
- Peel 2 large sweet potatoes and cut them into chunks. Make sure the chunks are relatively the same size to ensure that they cook evenly.
- Roughly chop 2 heaping cups of kale.
Ingredients For Sweet Potato Chickpea Soup
In addition to the fresh veggies all you need are a few pantry staples.
Here's What You'll Need To Make It:
- 6 cloves Garlic
- 1 large Onion (any color)
- 1 Bell Pepper (any color)
- 2 large Sweet Potatoes (4-5 cups)
- 2 packed cups Kale (any variety)
- 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 5 cups Gluten Free Vegetable Broth
- 1 16 oz. can Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)
- 1 cup Crushed Tomatoes
- ¼ tsp. Italian Seasoning
- ½ tsp. Kosher Salt and Pepper
How To Make Healthy Sweet Potato Soup
- Start by heating a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pan to medium. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the pan.
- Add the minced garlic, onions, and bell peppers and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the chopped sweet potatoes along with ½ tsp. kosher salt and pepper and saute for 5-6 minutes, stirring often.
The vegetables will become fragrant as they are sauteed in the pan. Make sure to stir the veggies periodically to prevent them from sticking to the bottom.
What Spices Are Best For Vegetarian Soups?
I'm normally ALL about the spices when it comes to hearty dishes like this Curried Cauliflower and Potato Soup but this one really doesn't need them. The flavors of the vegetables come through strong.
It's got sweetness from the sweet potatoes, acidity from the crushed tomatoes, bitterness from the kale, creaminess from the chickpeas, and earthiness from the peppers.
- Once the veggies have been sauteed add 5 cups of vegetable broth, 1 cup of crushed tomatoes, and ¼ tsp. Italian seasoning.
- Bring the soup to a boil. Once it's boiling reduce to a low boil, cover, and cook for 20-22 minutes.
- While the soup is cooking drain and rinse 1 16 oz. can of chickpeas.
Cooking times may vary slightly but it's best to cook the soup until the sweet potatoes are softened but not mushy. The sweet potatoes should be easily pierced with a knife or fork.
Once the sweet potatoes are soft (but not mushy) remove the lid and add the remaining ingredients.
- Add the drained and rinsed garbanzo beans and the chopped kale to the soup.
- Stir in these ingredients and allow to cook for another 2 minutes.
Once the kale has wilted down a bit the soup is ready!
Can I substitute any of these ingredients?
This soup is super versatile - You can sub a number of the ingredients for similar ones if you like.
- Feel free to substitute butternut squash or pumpkin for sweet potatoes.
- Cannellini beans, Great Northern Beans, Lima Beans, Kidney Beans, or any other canned beans may be used instead of chickpeas.
- Any hearty greens such as Swiss chard, collard greens, mustard greens, arugula, or spinach may be used in place of kale. Any variety of kale such as curly, flat leaf, or Lacinato kale will work great in this soup.
What To Serve With Sweet Potato Kale Soup
As far as soups go this one is so darn easy to make. It's totally versatile when it comes to serving as well.
I love a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top of soups like this for a little added richness and flavor. You can use vegan Parmesan if you'd like to keep it dairy free.
You can't beat a few slices of warm crusty bread with a hot bowl of soup and a sandwich like this Chipotle Chicken Panini, Italian Mozzarella Grilled Cheese, or this Lemon Basil BLT and a Curried Chickpea Salad Sandwich or Lemon Tarragon Chicken Salad are all great options.
A flatbread like this Mediterranean Veggie Naan Pizza or this Arugula Pesto, Prosciutto, and Tomato Pizza makes a perfect pair.
In all honesty a soup like this doesn't need a lot of fanfare. It might be vegan but it's super hearty and filling.
If you like hearty vegetable soups you've got to check out these recipes!
- Winter Root Vegetable Soup
- Roasted Carrot Soup
- Tuscan Vegetable Soup
- Healthy Harvest Vegetable Soup
- Cannellini Bean, Carrot, and Kale Soup
- Thai Potato Corn Chowder
- Chunky Italian Vegetable Soup
- Hearty Lentil Soup
- Vegetable Soup and Pesto Grilled Cheese
- Instant Pot Lentil Soup
- Potato Cauliflower Leek Soup
Can Sweet Potato Kale Soup Be Frozen?
This Sweet Potato Soup makes an excellent freezer meal. It contains no dairy and all of the vegetables are nice and hearty so it shouldn't break down and get mushy while storing.
How To Freeze:
Prepare the soup as directed and allow it to come to room temperature before freezing. Once cooled, place in heavy-duty freezer bags or airtight food containers, label with the date, and freeze up to 3 months.
How To Reheat:
Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove top.
You can also place the frozen soup in a Dutch Oven or heavy-bottomed soup pan, add some water or broth, thaw and reheat on the stove top.
How Long Does This Soup Last In The Fridge?
It will last 3-4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Love sweet potatoes? Check out these recipes!
- Sweet Potato Tacos
- BBQ Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Hash
- Healthy Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowls
- Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Sweet Potato Frittata
Looking For More Healthy Comforting Soups? Don't Miss These!
Healthy Mushroom Soup
Spiced Lentil and Chickpea Soup
Vegan Pea Soup
Healthy Broccoli Potato Soup
Pressure Cooker Creamy Garden Tomato Soup
Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Soup
Sweet Potato Kale Soup (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 large onion any color
- 1 large bell pepper any color
- 2 large sweet potatoes yields 4-5 cups
- 2 packed cups kale
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 5 cups gluten free vegetable broth
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 can chickpeas or garbanzo beans
- ¼ tsp. Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. pepper
Instructions
- Mince 6 cloves of garlic and 1 large onion.
- Dice 1 large bell pepper.
- Peel 2 large sweet potatoes with vegetable peeler (if you choose not to peel sweet potatoes be sure to wash and scrub them before chopping). Chop the sweet potatoes into chunks (make sure they are relatively the same size to ensure even cooking).
- Roughly chop 2 heaping cups of kale (or green of choice).
- Heat a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pan to medium and add 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Once the oil is heated add the minced garlic, onions, and bell peppers. Saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the chopped sweet potatoes along with ½ tsp. kosher salt and pepper. Saute for another 5-6 minutes, stirring often.
- Add 5 cups vegetable broth, 1 cup crushed tomatoes, and ¼ tsp. Italian seasoning. Stir all of these ingredients together. Bring the soup to a boil. Once it is boiling reduce to a low boil, cover, and cook for 20-22 minutes or until the sweet potatoes have softened but not become mushy. They should be easily pierced with a knife or fork.
- Drain and rinse 1 can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans).
- Remove the cover from the pan and add the drained and rinsed chickpeas along with the chopped kale. Stir in these ingredients and cook for another 2 minutes or so.
- To Serve: Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan (or vegan Parmesan if dairy free) and some crusty bread (optional).
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