Recipe for yam, apple and carrot soup with ginger and honey {vegetarian, gluten-free}

For the past two years, since I started an all-things-soup blog, I haven't published many soup recipes here on The Perfect Pantry. Let me make amends with this super-comforting yam, apple and carrot soup. On a recent Sunday morning, I found a gorgeous yam on my counter top, alongside less-than-stellar carrots and apples that had more brown spots than good bits. After some judicious trimming, all went into the soup pot along with an onion, some aromatic ginger root, and garam masala, the blend of several warm Indian spices. If you don't have garam masala on your spice rack, use mild curry powder with a bit of cumin and coriander. Orange juice brightens the flavor of the root vegetables. The yogurt, optional for those who prefer a vegan soup, creates great "mouth feel" at the end.

Yam, apple and carrot soup with ginger and honey

From the pantry, you'll need: onion, ginger root, garam masala, honey, plain yogurt.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil
1 large yam (or sweet potato), peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 tart apples, cored and diced (do not peel)
1 heaping tsp grated fresh ginger root
1 tsp garam masala
Juice of 1 orange
1-1/2 tsp honey
3 Tbsp plain nonfat yogurt
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
Slivered almonds, for garnish (optional)

Directions

In a Dutch oven or heavy stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Combine the yam, onion, carrot and apples in the pot, and stir to coat with the oil. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Stir in the ginger and garam masala, and cook for 2 minutes.

Add 3 cups of water, and raise the heat to high. When the soup boils, reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes until the carrot is soft when pierced with a sharp knife (by this time, the apple and yam should have collapsed into the liquid).

Remove the pot from the stove, and, using an immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth. (Or, let the soup cool slightly, then purée in batches in a stand blender. Return to the pot.)

Add the orange juice and honey. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the yogurt, and use the immersion blender again to bring everything together. Taste, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with slivered almonds, if desired.

Serve hot, or allow to cool completely and refrigerate or freeze.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Sweet potato and apple potstickers
Mashed garlic sweet potatoes
Puff pastry cups filled with sweet potato, apple and nuts
Rosemary-parmesan sweet potato waffles
Vegan black bean and sweet potato stew

Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Baked yams with a citrus glaze and toasted pecans, from Food Blogga
Yam and ginger soup with apple mint raita, from Sacatomato
Sweet potato stuffed baked apples with toasted marshmallows, from Iowa Girl Eats
Sweet potato gnocchi with brown butter, sage, and green apple, from Playing House
Roasted sweet potatoes with cinnamon pecan crunch, from Cooking on the Side

Yam, apple and carrot soup with ginger and honey

From the pantry, you'll need: onion, ginger root, garam masala, honey, plain yogurt.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil
1 large yam (or sweet potato), peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 tart apples, cored and diced (do not peel)
1 heaping tsp grated fresh ginger root
1 tsp garam masala
Juice of 1 orange
1-1/2 tsp honey
3 Tbsp plain nonfat yogurt
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
Slivered almonds, for garnish (optional)

Directions

In a Dutch oven or heavy stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Combine the yam, onion, carrot and apples in the pot, and stir to coat with the oil. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Stir in the ginger and garam masala, and cook for 2 minutes.

Add 3 cups of water, and raise the heat to high. When the soup boils, reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes until the carrot is soft when pierced with a sharp knife (by this time, the apple and yam should have collapsed into the liquid).

Remove the pot from the stove, and, using an immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth. (Or, let the soup cool slightly, then purée in batches in a stand blender. Return to the pot.)

Add the orange juice and honey. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the yogurt, and use the immersion blender again to bring everything together. Taste, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with slivered almonds, if desired.

Serve hot, or allow to cool completely and refrigerate or freeze.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Sweet potato and apple potstickers
Mashed garlic sweet potatoes
Puff pastry cups filled with sweet potato, apple and nuts
Rosemary-parmesan sweet potato waffles
Vegan black bean and sweet potato stew

Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Baked yams with a citrus glaze and toasted pecans, from Food Blogga
Yam and ginger soup with apple mint raita, from Sacatomato
Sweet potato stuffed baked apples with toasted marshmallows, from Iowa Girl Eats
Sweet potato gnocchi with brown butter, sage, and green apple, from Playing House
Roasted sweet potatoes with cinnamon pecan crunch, from Cooking on the Side

Comments

I bet the apple was a great addition to this soup. The color is amazing!

Ben, the apple, yam and carrot all bring sweetness when they're cooked. The orange juice balances everything. And I love the color, too!

Whoa, baby! This soup so has my name on it! It's similar to how I have made butternut squash soup, but the addition of yogurt and garam masala are new for me. I hate to admit, I don't think I've ever tasted garam masala. Something new to try. Thanks!

It's look like something my girls will love,sweet and creamy-Thanks, going to make it tonight

Donna, garam masala combines a number of spices that work really well with potatoes: cinnamon, turmeric, cardamom, etc. It has a wonderful, musky aroma and color.

Rinat, there is definitely sweetness in this soup. I hope you like it.

This sounds like a wonderful combination of flavors. Adding this to my collection of pureed soups. Love the almonds on top too!

YUM!! I am going to try this at Easter with my long-time vegetarian mother!!

such a delicious and healthy recipe, To follow my doctor suggestion I have to find this type of healthy food recipe. Thanks!

Well this is another new sweet potato recipe for my family. I have collected some great recipes of this tuber plant and I think yours is the one I want to try first. Thanks for this one.