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Soup's On: Sweet Potato Soup with Goat Cheese

By Molly Durham in Food on Nov 7, 2011 4:00PM

It's soup season. Dust off your crock pots, embrace root vegetables and make the most of being indoors. If you find yourself wanting nothing more than to give in to the weather by staying in and watching Netflix, you might as well accompany it a with good soup full of a superfood like sweet potatoes. This soup is simple, well spiced, and will give you all of the warmth you need to battle the winter.

Sweet Potato Soup with Goat Cheese


Ingredients

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 tablespoon flour
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 sweet onion, diced (about 1/2 cup chopped)
2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
goat cheese (our favorite is Prairie Fruits Farm, which can be purchased at Green City Market or Whole Foods) and shallots for topping

Directions
Prepare potatoes: peel and cube sweet potatoes, then add to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high power for about 10 minutes or until very tender, tossing 2-3 times during cook time. You can also roast the potatoes. This slows down the process but adds some depth in the flavor.

In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the butter and diced onions and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for about a minute, then add the flour and whisk continuously to create a roux (a fancy name for a flour and butter mixture that will make a soup thickalicious) with the onions. Cook the onion roux for about 2-3 minutes, until it starts to turn golden. Then add the broth, milk, paprika and potatoes, and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer for 15-20 minutes over medium heat, stirring often to make sure the bottom doesn't burn. The potatoes will soften up, but might need a but of mashing with a fork.

Once you dish the soup out, add the cheese into the bowls and stir lightly to melt.

This recipe can easily be customized. If you like thinner soup, add more broth. Put it in the blender to make it creamy and chunk-free. Add other toppings like bacon or another soft cheese. Load it up and make it your own.