Instant Pot Moroccan Sweet Potato Soup

It’s mid January and I’m FINALLY trying to get my 2018 goals started. You see, my birthday is January 7th, so I don’t even think about goals or resotutions until well after the birthday celebrations are over. There’s leftover cake it the kitchen and I still have outstanding birthday dinner invitations so it’s hard to get in the lose-the-holiday-bulge swing until the celebrations are over.

But I’m inching my way towards healthier habits as the month goes on. I’ve joined a new tap class, Kevin and I returned to swing dance lessons, and I made this healthy instant pot sweet potato soup.

The Instant Pot seems to be all the rage these days. I’ve had mine for almost a year but I’m still on the fence about how useful this gadget is. Maybe I’m a bit old school because most of the time I just use my stove to cook (even though I have ALL THE GADGETS!) But since most of us are no longer cooking over an open fire, I guess I should embrace innovation.

There are so many delicious looking recipes on my Instant Pot bucket list, like these Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps from Hunger Thirst Play and Instant Pot Fiasco Beans from 101 Cookbooks which I think is an apt recipe name! LOL! Not to burst the Instant Pot enthusiast’s bubble, but this machine is not intuitive!

I’ve played around with a bunch of meals in my Instant Pot, using it to hard boil eggs, slow cook stews and even bake a couple of cheesecakes. Honestly, the results have been mixed, with some real duds and a couple fabulous winners. What I love is how fast it is. What I don’t love is that it’s hard to control the texture of vegetables. Getting the timing just right so they’re not mush is difficult.

Well, texture is not an issue with pureed soups, so this gadget is PERFECT for making a quick weeknight soup (in about half the time of making one on the stovetop). Another reason why it’s great is that you can brown onions directly in the pot, which is the downfall of most crockpots. Putting raw onions into a soup often results in unwelcome bitter flavors making their way into your finished product.

That’s why this recipe starts off with a quick saute of onions. Then, you add the soup ingredients and pressure cook for 20 minutes. Easy peasy. While the soup cooks, there’s time to prepare the garnish and load the dishwasher. That’s a win for weekdays!

Now, lest you think that a quick cook, healthy soup can’t be flavorful, let me dispel that myth! I’ve learned over the years that citrus zest, herbs and spices have few to no calories. What they do have is zing! In fact, I would not recommend this soup without the garnish. The fresh mint, a squirt of lemon juice, and a swirl of creaminess are the bright counterpoint to a savory soup.

This Instant Moroccan Pot Sweet Potato Soup is warm, creamy (without a drop of actual cream) and it’s filling thanks to the hearty vegetables and chickpeas. But my favorite part of this soup is the herb garnish. We’ve tried it with a mint-parsley and mint-cilantro combo. Both are great and give that Moroccan flare that compliments the harissa flavor.

Hope this recipe helps you kickstart your New Years and Instant Pot goals! ~Kitty

Instant Pot Moroccan Sweet Potato Soup

Sweet potatoes and chickpeas are the base for this healthy pureed soup but don't skip the garnish! It MAKES the meal!

5 from 3 votes

Print Rate

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Fusion, Mediterranean, Moroccan

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 260kcal

Ingredients

Sweet Potato Soup

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions , diced
• 2 large sweet potatoes , diced
• 2 large carrots , diced
• 1 lemon , zested
• 1 can chickpeas , drained
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 2 tablespoons harissa
• 1/2 teaspoon ground corriander
• 1 tablespoon honey (optional)
• 6 cups vegetable stock

Garnish

• 1 small bunch parsley or cilantro , chopped
• 1 small bunch mint , chopped
• labneh, greek yogurt or coconut cream
• harissa
• croutons or sliced almonds
• lemon wedges

Instructions

Sweet Potato Soup

• Turn on your Instantpot to saute and place the oil in the bowl.
• Add in the diced onion and saute until golden.
• Stir in carrots, sweet potatoes, chick peas, lemon zest, spices and stock.
• Place the lid on the Instantpot and place the vent on "sealing."
• Manually set the time for 20 minutes.
• While the soup is cooking, prepare your garnish.
• When the Intantpot is done cooking, turn the vent to depressurize. Once the steam stops, pop off the lid.
• Use a stick blender to puree the soup, or alternatively, puree it in small batches in a blender. (The soup will be super hot, so be careful!)
• Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.

Serving

• Serve soup with dollop of labneh or a swirl of coconut cream
• If desired add a couple drops of harissa and top with sliced almonds or croutons.
• Finally sprinkle with herbs and serve with wedges of lemon.

Notes

• Don't have an Instant Pot? You can make this soup on the stovetop.
  After sauteing the onions, add the rest of the soup ingredients and bring to a boil. Then, turn down the heat to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender. Puree as instructed above.

Nutrition

Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 1027mg | Potassium: 215mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 4610IU | Vitamin C: 14.8mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1.2mg

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