Food Rx: Instant Pot Sweetpotato Carrot Ginger Soup
by Julie Harrington, RD
This Instant Pot Sweetpotato Carrot Ginger Soup is ready in about 30 minutes, loaded with vitamins and nutrients and was developed by Julie Harrington-Lopez, RD and chef. You and your family will enjoy it as much as we do! This recipe and post was generously sponsored by North Carolina SweetPotato Commission. With over 60 years of growing experience North Carolina SweetPotato Commission is dedicated to increase sweetpotato consumption through education, promotional activities, research and honorable horticultural practices among its producers.
Were you gifted an Instant Pot and overwhelmed with what to start cooking with it first? Or do you have one and it’s just collecting dust on your countertop? Take advantage of their many functions. It can handle the tasks of a slow cooker, electric pressure cooker, rice cooker, steamer, yogurt maker, sauté/browning pan, and a warming pot. Plus, now many Instant Pots have additional attachments for even more features! Think of all those appliances taking up space in your kitchen that can be replaced by one.
7 Things you need to know about your Instant Pot
While your trusty slow cooker is great for soups and stews, I love using the Instant Pot because you can build more flavors with the sauté function directly in the Instant Pot before it is pressure cooked. With cold and flu season upon us, cooking up immune-boosting and comforting recipes like this Sweetpotato Carrot Ginger Soup Is going to support your health through these winter months.
Let’s talk about the star of this recipe – sweetpotatoes!
Versatility
I’m sure you’ve realized if you regularly cook with sweetpotatoes, that they have a unique combination of mild sweetness, soft creaminess, and robust heartiness. Sweetpotatoes can be baked, boiled, broiled, grilled, fried, steamed, sauteed, and pureed. They work well with both sweet and savory dishes.
Get inspired with these sweetpotato recipes
Nutrition
When eaten with the skin on, one medium sweetpotato contains over 100% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin A, which plays a role in vision, bone development and immune function. For maximum absorption of vitamin A, be sure to pair your sweetpotato with foods that contain some fat – such as olive oil or avocado.
Additionally, sweetpotatoes are a good source of fiber.
This can contribute to feelings of satiety, or feeling “full” and can aid in digestion, by helping to help keep you regular. Diets rich in foods containing fiber, such as some vegetables and fruits, may reduce the risk of heart disease, and some types of cancer (a disease associated with many factors). A medium sweetpotato baked in its skin has 4 grams of fiber, more than a packet of instant oatmeal.
Varieties
Did you know there are hundreds of different sweetpotatoes, ranging from white and mild to deep red and super sweet. There are even purple sweetpotatoes! Many of the more unusual varieties are grown in small quantities—and sometimes you can find them at farmers market. The most common varieties that you will see in the grocery store are Covington, O’Henry, and Japanese sweetpotatoes.
A favorite for mashing or roasting, the Covington Sweetpotato has rose colored skin and super sweet orange flesh. Eat it whole with your favorite toppings or cut into wedges and bake as a side dish.
The O’Henry Sweetpotato has a pale copper skin, almost like a potato, but don’t be fooled. This tater’s white flesh is sweet, creamy and ideal for soups and stews.
Japanese sweetpotatoes have red skin and dry, white flesh. Roast these up with a few of your favorite root veggies for a colorful side dish.
What to learn more? North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission can help you conquer the kitchen and learn the easy tricks of cooking sweet potatoes. Cash in on their heavenly sweetness by checking out our list of ways to incorporate sweet potatoes into your cooking all the way from A to Z.
Commonly Asked Questions About Our Instant Pot Sweet Potato Carrot Ginger Soup
Q: How long do you cook Instant Pot Sweet Potato Carrot Ginger Soup?
A: Cook for 10 minutes at high pressure.
Q: What ingredients are in Instant Pot Sweet Potato Carrot Ginger Soup?
A: Sweet potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, ginger, vegetable broth, coconut milk.
Q: Is Instant Pot Sweet Potato Carrot Ginger Soup vegan?
A: Yes, it’s vegan if you use vegetable broth and coconut milk in lieu of heavy cream.
Q: How many servings does Instant Pot Sweet Potato Carrot Ginger Soup make?
A: This recipe makes 6 servings.
Q: Do you have to peel the sweet potatoes for Instant Pot Sweet Potato Carrot Ginger Soup?
A: No, you can leave the skins on the sweet potatoes.
Q: What is a natural pressure release for Instant Pot Sweet Potato Carrot Ginger Soup?
A: Letting pressure come down naturally without quick-releasing.
Q: How long does it take to make Instant Pot Sweet Potato Carrot Ginger Soup?
A: Total time is around 30 minutes.
Q: What toppings can you add to Instant Pot Sweet Potato Carrot Ginger Soup?
A: Coconut milk, cilantro, pepitas or pumpkin seeds.
Now, let’s get to that yummy soup, shall we?!
Instant Pot Sweetpotato Carrot Ginger Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger minced
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth plus more if needed
- 1 cup full fat canned coconut milk or heavy cream
- 4 cups sweetpotatoes diced
- 2 cups carrots peeled and chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- Pinch ground black pepper
Optional toppings:
- Drizzle of coconut milk
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Pepitas
Instructions
- Select SAUTE function on HIGH and wait for it to read HOT. Add oil and once shimmering, cook the onion for 2 minutes.
- Add garlic, and ginger and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the broth, coconut milk, sweetpotatoes, carrots, salt, cinnamon, cayenne pepper (if using), and black pepper. Stir to combine.
- Close and lock the lid, point the valve to Sealed, then, manually set the timer to pressure cook for 10 minutes on high pressure.
- Once done, do a 15-minute natural pressure release, then, open the lid carefully.
- Puree the soup using an immersion blender or a high-powered blender. If the soup is too thick add more warm broth. Note: If using a traditional blender, allow the soup to slightly cool before blending and blend small batches at a time.
- Garnish with a drizzle of coconut milk, cilantro, and pepitas.
Notes
Nope! Keep them on for extra fiber. If your blender is powerful enough it will blend right up. If you prefer to peel then, you can do that too! What is natural release?
It’s when you allow the pressure to go down on its own (not opening the pressure valve). As the temperature inside the Instant Pot decreases, the pressure decreases slowly. Then release the pressure valve to release the remaining pressure.
So yummy! I waited to add the coconut milk at the end and added a bit more salt. I also used 2 TBSP minced ginger out of a squeeze bottle because that’s what I had in the fridge. Blended with my immersion blender. Perfectly creamy! Will make again.Â
HI Casey! So glad to hear that you enjoyed it as much as we do! Thank you so much for commenting 🙂