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Sweet Potato-Kale Soup

Apr 17, 2017

Sweet potatoes and kale are two vegetables that continue to embody the movement of healthful eating and I never tire of either of them. I’m especially crazy for kale and recently served my favorite Tropical Kale Salad for a celebratory ladies lunch. Here in Florida the mangos are just beginning to pop up at green markets and I absolutely couldn’t resist! For a moment it seemed the cooler weather was behind us.

Then an unexpected storm delivered a cold front to Palm Beach and inspired me to make a big batch of this delicious soup, with a little coaxing from my daughter Kayla, who found herself suddenly snow-bound in New York. Sweet potato is a vegetable that has protein, which is fairly unusual, but it also has complex carbohydrates that don’t spike insulin. Combined with kale, a nutritional powerhouse, it serves up a soup that is satisfying and full of antioxidants. Kayla loves it! She’s a devout yogi and this is her go-to post-yoga dinner, especially on cooler evenings.

It was her younger sister Gigi who introduced us to the fantastic Farmer’s Market in Durham, North Carolina. One of the best green markets I’ve ever been to, it’s full of local, producer-only vendors who are located within 70 miles of the market. It was here I discovered the most fantastic, truly sweet, sweet potatoes. Unfortunately, they are hard to come by this time of year. (I later learned that 47 percent of the nation’s sweet potatoes are grown in North Carolina and farmers are glad everyone else seems to be catching on to a classic Southern culinary tradition. It’s a crop that helps replace the money formerly made from tobacco and cotton.)

Luckily, I found some sweet potatoes and toted a big bag full back to chilly Palm Beach. I made the soup there then toted a container to New York for Kayla. The things we do for love—and love of Sweet Potato–Kale Soup!

Yield: Makes 5 ¼ quarts

Recipe Ingredients

In addition to its health benefits, this soup is hearty and full of flavor. Five-spice powder (a blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise, and Szechuan peppercorns), cumin, and coriander seed give it a South Asian pungency, while curry paste, chili powder, and fire-roasted tomatoes bring a nice heat.

2 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 ½ large sweet onions, roughly chopped

3 large celery stalks, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 ½ teaspoon five-spice powder, or more to taste

½ teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon celery salt

½ teaspoon coriander seeds

1 cup Woodstock brand grilled organic red pepper, chopped

1 pound lean ground turkey

¼ teaspoon salt, or more to taste

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste

1 (28-ounce) can diced, fire-roasted tomatoes

1 ½ teaspoons red curry paste, or more to taste

¼ teaspoon chili powder

2 ½ quarts chicken broth, divided

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (medium dice, see Notes)

5 ounces (5 leaves) organic curly-leaf kale, trimmed of thick stems and very coarsely chopped

6 ounces (12 leaves) organic redbor kale, trimmed of thick stems and very coarsely chopped

½ large butternut squash, roasted, cleaned, and cubed (medium dice)

1 (15-ounce) can Eden brand Organic Lentils with Onion and Bay Leaf

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, with some of the water drained (see Notes)

Recipe Instructions

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Raise the heat to brown the onion slightly, then add the celery and garlic and keep cooking, stirring to combine. Lower the flame and add the five-spice, cumin, celery salt, coriander, and grilled red peppers. Stir to incorporate and cook until all vegetables are soft, 3 to 5 minutes.

Turn off the heat and transfer the vegetable mixture to a bowl.

Return the stock pot to medium heat and immediately add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Crumble the turkey meat into the pot and sauté, breaking up any large chunks with a wooden spatula. Add the salt and pepper. Cook until the meat is evenly browned, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the fire-roasted tomatoes, stirring to combine.

Add the vegetable mixture back to the pot and stir to combine. Add the red curry paste, chili powder, and 2 quarts of the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, add the sweet potato, and cook for 10 minutes to soften the potatoes.

Add the kale, roasted butternut squash, lentils, black beans, and the remaining ½ quart of chicken broth. Increase the heat to bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are soft and the kale is cooked.

Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding more five-spice, salt, pepper, and/or red curry paste to taste.

Serve hot.

Notes: Sweet potatoes are best in the fall. By late winter, you may need to add 1 teaspoon of sugar to the recipe.

Not everyone in my family likes black beans. Chickpeas are my personal favorite and my father loved navy beans. Whatever your bean of choice, it doesn’t change the flavors the sweet potato and kale impart on this delicious soup. It’s a favorite in my family!

If you make this recipe, be sure to snap a picture and share it on Instagram with the #anniefalk so we can all see it!

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