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I’ve never been a fan of pureed soups, I’ much more of a Ben & Jerry’s type of girl – I like it nice and chunky. But I came across this soup on the blog Cook and Be Merry a while back and I was instantly attracted to the Thai pesto. The tanginess of the herbs and lime juice provide a bright contrast to the rich, creamy soup. I’ve added “sweet potato croutons” and grilled shrimp for extra texture and flavor. I think this is a beautiful alternative to your typical sweet potato soup and would be a colorful addition to any Thanksgiving spread. For more holiday news, visit The Christmas Club.

sweet potato coconut soup + thai pesto

serves 6

adapted from Cook and Be Merry

soup ingredients

• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 6 cups peeled cubed sweet potatoes (about 2 large)
• 1 cup cubed sweet potatoes with skin on
• 1 red onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1-2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
• 18 shrimp, shelled and deveined (optional)
• Salt and crushed red pepper to season shrimp 

Thai pesto ingredients

• 2/3 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 2 long green chilies, seeded and chopped
• 1 small bunch fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 small bunch fresh mint leaves
• 1 large handful of fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add skinless sweet potatoes and onion. Cook and stir until soft and just starting to turn golden, about 15 minutes.

2. Add curry paste; cook and stir until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add broth and coconut milk; stir and bring to a boil. Simmer until potatoes are fork tender. Once sweet potatoes are soft, transfer mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth or use an immersion blender and puree in pot until smooth.

3. Meanwhile,  make the “sweet potato croutons”. In a small frying pan, heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil over high heat. Add remaining 1 cup cubed sweet potatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and blistered. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until fork tender; set aside.

4. If using shrimp, season shrimp with remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil, salt and crushed red pepper to taste. Heat frying pan until hot, add shrimp and cook until pink and firm, about 5 minutes each side. Remove from pan and set aside.

5. To make pesto, combine all ingredients in a food processor; whirl, occasionally scraping down the sides of bowl. Pesto will be chunky and evenly chopped.

5. To serve, ladle pureed soup into bowls. Add a generous spoonful of the pesto, a few “sweet potato croutons” and three shrimp if using.