Roasted Red Pepper and Sweet Potato Soup

One of my favorite dinners is a soup/salad combination. It's easy, simple, and generally healthy. I had a few sweet potatoes in the pantry, and jarred roasted red peppers that I got on super sale, so I combined the two! I wanted to make it a little spicy, but really focus on the sweet potato flavor, and the smoky red peppers.

You can microwave your sweet potatoes if you're in a rush, but they just have such better texture when roasted. I prick mine with a fork and place them directly on the oven rack. They roast for close to an hour, and then slip right out of their skins like a jacket!

This soup can be completely pureed and made thinner, or it can be left with a little texture and chunk. I know JJ likes chunky soups, so I chopped half a sweet potato and added it at the end.

Roasted Red Pepper and Sweet Potato Soup

2 medium sweet potatoes, roasted and skinned

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 onion, chopped

1 cup roasted red peppers (jarred pieces or 2 whole fresh)

2-3 cups chicken/vegetable stock

1-2 cups water

Salt and fresh black pepper

Sprinkle of cayenne

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. chili powder

Sour cream and green onions, for garnish

Heat a soup pot over medium heat.

Add 1 tsp. EVOO, garlic and onions.

Season with salt and pepper, stir and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Take pot off heat, add onions and garlic to a blender.

Add 1 1/2 sweet potatoes, red peppers, half of stock and water, pepper, cayenne, cumin and chili powder to the blender.

Blend until smooth, add more stock/water if necessary.

Add soup back to the pot, add more stock to reach desired consistency.

Chop the other 1/2 sweet potato, add to soup, stir gently.

Bring to a simmer, taste, adjust seasonings.

Serve with sour cream and onions.