Now that it's soup season, whip up this easy instant pot sweet potato soup with silken tofu to warm up and feel super satisfied with the extra protein added. The tofu adds extra creaminess and makes this soup silky and delicious. Also try this Instant Pot Chicken, Mushroom, and Wild Rice Soup.
I made this recipe after attending a sponsored event with the North Dakota Soybean Council, my expenses were covered on this trip. I was not compensated for my time and was not asked to create this recipe.
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Make this Protein Packed Mac & Cheese, White Bean & Farro Bowl, Veggie Tacos, or Black Bean Pasta for a quick and easy vegetarian dinner.
I had the privilege of visiting a couple of soybean farms, a processing plant, and learning all about growing, producing, and cooking with soybeans in North Dakota earlier this month.
This sweet potato soup recipe is based off a cooking demo by JL Fields, she had the brilliant idea to not flavor the soup, and then add your spices of choice before serving so the soup doesn't get boring quickly.
[This recipe was originally posted in October 2018. It has been updated with new cooking instructions, expert tips, FAQ, and ways to repurpose/use up ingredients]
How will this sweet potato soup make your life easier?
Soup is a great meal in the fall and winter when it's cold outside. Instead of feeling like you have to make a protein on the side, add the protein directly into the soup. Here are a couple other fall recipes like this comforting protein packed mac & cheese, pumpkin & ground turkey chili, and curried pumpkin soup.
What makes this soup so good?
- Sweet potato
- Yellow onion
- Fresh thyme
- Silken tofu
- Vegetable (or chicken) stock
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
How do I make this instant pot sweet potato soup?
Prepare vegetables by scrubbing sweet potato, and slicing it in half. Slice ends off the onion, and then remove outer layers from onion.
Expert Tip: You can cook the whole sweet potato and onion if you'd like to use them in other recipes (highly recommend!)
Pour 1 cup of water into Instant Pot bowl. Place trivet in bowl, place ¼ sweet potato, ¼ onion, and one thyme sprig on trivet. Close lid, set vent to SEALING. Set to MANUAL, select high pressure and set timer to 15 minutes. Cook, then let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes (once cooking is done, let time count up to 10 minutes, then remove lid). Remove thyme sprigs.
Expert Tip: Cook whole sweet potato and whole onion in the Instant Pot. You can use the remaining vegetables in other dishes like this harvest bowl and soups
Expert Tip: The onion will become really soft if cooked with the sweet potato. This is fine for soup, or if you were to use the rest in a sauce-like tomato sauce.
Transfer ½ sweet potato and onion from Instant Pot to high powered blender. Also add ½ package silken tofu, stock, and salt to high powered blender (no need to chop or break anything up!).
Expert Tip: Thin with more stock or milk
Select soup setting, blend. Pour into bowl and serve immediately with crusty bread or your favorite rice.
Expert Tips
- Thin with more stock or milk
- The onion will become really soft if cooked with the sweet potato. This is fine for soup, or if you were to use the rest in a sauce-like tomato sauce.
FAQ
How do you make soup flavorful?
You can add spices, aromatic vegetables, or a good stock to add flavor to a soup. In this recipe, we use all three: thyme, salt, onion, and vegetable (or chicken) stock.
How do you make soup thick and creamy?
You can add condensed milk, cream, or silken tofu to make soup thick and creamy. The tofu is a great option because it adds extra protein to the soup.
What can I make with the leftover ingredients?
- (sweet potato) Swap it out for the butternut squash in this Harvest Bowl
- (tofu) Protein Packed Mac & Cheese
- (onion) chop it up and add to pumpkin turkey chili
Did you make this Instant Pot sweet potato soup? Leave me a comment & rating to share how it turned out!
Easy Instant Pot Sweet Potato Soup with Tofu
Equipment
- knife
- cutting board
- Measuring spoon
- Measuring Cups
- Large serving spoon
- Instant Pot
- High powered blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ¼ large sweet potato
- ¼ onion
- 1 sprig thyme
- ¼ package silken tofu
- ¼ cup vegetable (or chicken) stock
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- additional salt & pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
- Scrub sweet potato, and then slice ¼ off. Slice off ends and remove outer layers from onion. Cook sweet potato and onion in Instant Pot: pour 1 cup of water into Instant Pot, then place trivet in bowl. Place ¼ (or more) of the sweet potato and ¼ of the onion (or more) on top of the trivet.
- Close lid, set vent to SEALING. Set MANUAL, select high pressure and set timer to 15 minutes. Cook. Turn knob to release steam immediately. Remove thyme sprigs.
- Add sweet potato, onion, ½ package silken tofu, stock, and salt to high powered blender (no need to chop or break anything up!). Select soup setting, blend. Transfer to serving bowl, serve immediately with crusty bread or your favorite rice.
Video
Notes
- Cook whole sweet potato and whole onion in the Instant Pot. You can use the remaining vegetables in other dishes like this harvest bowl and soups
- The onion will become really soft if cooked with the sweet potato. This is fine for soup, or if you were to use the rest in a sauce-like tomato sauce.
- Thin with more stock or milk
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Caitlyn Erhardt says
Yum! I adore sweet potatoes and love that you combined it with tofu! Great recipe!
Rebecca says
awesome! thanks so much
Sara says
I have never had sweet potato soup,but you know, it sounds like something I would LOVE on a chilly fall day!
Rebecca says
it's perfect for a chilly fall day!
Annissa says
Great use of sweet potato as main recipe for this soup combined with the flavor of tofu. Looks so creamy and comforting!
Rebecca says
thanks so much!
Jacqueline Debono says
I've never actually tried tofu but this soup looks delicious. I'd love to try it out!
Rebecca says
this would be a great place to start if you're interested in trying it!
traci says
Oh yum! And such an easy recipe! I'm always looking for ways to incorporate tofu into recipes...and not know it's there. This is perfect for that! Thanks for the recipe...just pinned!
Rebecca says
yay! great to hear!
Rosey Rebecca says
Adding tofu is a great idea to thicken soups! I’ve never thought of that before. I’ve been a vegetarian for nine years and never cook tofu at home bc I’ve never been a fan of the texture but this looks like great way to get in that protein! Definitely keeping it in mind!
Rebecca says
ohh awesome! ya, the texture is hard for me too! using silken tofu is awesome in soups/smoothies because it's all blended and you barely notice it