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Sweet Potato & Kale Soup

This nourishing Sweet Potato & Kale Soup is an easy warm and cozy healthy meal made with pantry staples! It’s 100% vegan, gluten-free and low-fat.

top down view of healthy sweet potato kale soup in a bowl with items surrounding.

Why We Love This Recipe!

  • It’s healthy and well-balanced. Brimming with hearty sweet potatoes, nutrient-dense kale, and protein-rich white beans, this soup makes for a well-rounded meal everyone will love. See the full nutrition label below!
  • Quick one-pot recipe. It’s a perfect recipe for busy nights when you want a fuss-free meal ready in 30 minutes with easy clean-up. Plus, it’s great for meal prep and stores well!
  • Easy to customize. Missing an ingredient or wanting to switch it up, no problem! Check the notes for variations!

Not to mention, it’s simply delicious and we think it’s the BEST sweet potato kale soup ever!

top down view of ingredients used to make sweet potato kale soup.

Ingredient Notes

This recipe is super easy to adjust when missing an ingredient. Here are a few ideas and variations to help you.

  • Sweet Potatoes – I’ve used orange and white sweet potatoes here, but one color type will do. I’ve also used purple sweet potatoes, but they tend to turn the broth pink. Feel free to mix in regular potatoes as well!
  • Kale – Large leaf (curly or flat) or baby kale can be used. For conveinence, use package kale that’s chopped and ready to use.
  • White Beans – Any white bean will do – cannellini, great northern, or chickpeas.
  • Onion – Use white, brown, or red onion.
  • Garlic – If you don’t have fresh garlic on hand, use 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
  • Sun-Dried Tomatoes – Sun-dried tomatoes have a wonderfully intense sweet-tart flavor, but if you prefer use a can (14oz) of diced tomatoes instead.
  • Nutritional Yeast – Adds a nice layer of flavor, but it is optional. Nutritional yeast should be added at the end to retain all the nutrients.
  • Vegetable Broth – I used 1/2 teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base (affiliate link) with the water called for in this recipe. It adds lots of flavor without too much sodium and the jar lasts a long time!
  • Herbs – We love herbs de provence and always have it on hand, but feel free to use thyme (even Italian seasoning or a mix of thyme and rosemary). And for a kick of heat add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
  • Salt & Pepper – My favorite salt is pink mineral salt (affiliate link) which naturally contains essential minerals and trace elements the body needs. Season to taste with your favorite salt and pepper.
top down view showing process of making sweet potato kale soup with white beans.

How To Make Sweet Potato Kale Soup

Making sweet potato kale soup could not be any easier!

Here is a quick look at the steps with a few photos for reference. The full printable recipe card can be found lower on the page.

Saute: Heat oil/water over medium heat in a large pot, add onion, and saute for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and herbs, saute for 1 minute.

Simmer: Add the sweet potatoes, white beans, and broth. Bring the liquids to a boil, cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

top down view showing the process of making healthy sweet potato kale soup.

Stir in the kale just before the soup is done, about 5 minutes beforehand, and continue to cook until kale has just softened.

Once done, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the nutritional yeast.

Top Tips

  • Cut the sweet potatoes uniform in size so they all cook evenly. The smaller they are the quicker they cook.
  • Add the kale towards the end of cooking. If you add it too early it will lose all its beautiful color.
  • Always add nutritional yeast last. Adding the nutritional yeast at the end will help preserve most of its nutritional benefits. You can also opt to sprinkle it on your individual serving.
  • Season well. Be sure to season well with salt & pepper.

top down view of freshly made pot of sweet potato kale soup.

How To Store + Reheat

  • Refrigerator: Leftovers will keep for 5 – 6 days in the refrigerator, stored in a covered container.
  • Freezer: Sweet potato kale soup freezes well for up to 2 – 3 months! To freeze, let cool completely and store in freezer safe containers (affiliate link), or large baggies. Let thaw in the refrigerator before serving or warming.
  • Reheat: Simply re-warm on the stovetop over low heat or the microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring until warmed through.
top down view of healthy sweet potato kale soup in a bowl with items surrounding.

Serving Suggestions

We love serving this kale and sweet potato soup with a light dusting of almond parmesan for extra flavor. And for soaking up the juices, this homemade artisan bread is perfection!

Adjusting For Dietary Restrictions

  • Oil-Free: When sauteing the onions, use water or vegetable broth instead of oil. The broth will yield the most flavor, but water is great too and what I usually use.
  • Nightshade Free: In place of tomatoes, add 1 cup of chopped celery when sauteing the onions. Or omit them altogether.

More Healthy Soup Recipes!

side angle view of sweet potato kale soup in a bowl with spoon.

If you try this healthy soup recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.

Print

SWEET POTATO & KALE SOUP

Sweet Potato & Kale Soup with white beans, sun-dried tomatoes in a flavorful broth is hearty, healthy, and delicious!

  • Author: Julie | The Simple Vegansita
  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Cook Time: 20 min
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4 – 6 1x
  • Category: Entree, Soup
  • Method: simmer
  • Cuisine: Vegan, American

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (or 1/4 cup water, for water saute)
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 oz. package sun-dried tomatoes (about 1 cup), chopped
  • 2 teaspoons herbes de provence or thyme
  • 2 large sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (or use your favorites)
  • 2 cans (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, or 3 cups cooked
  • 56 cups vegetable broth or water (or combo)
  • 1 small bunch of kale (about 7 cups), center stem removed and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Instructions

Saute: In large pot or dutch oven, heat oil/water over medium heat, add onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and herbes de provence, saute 1 minute.

Simmer: Add potatoes, beans and broth, bring to a boil, cover, turn down heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Just before soup is done, about 5 minutes beforehand, add kale and continue to cook.

Season: Remove from heat, add nutritional yeast and give a good stir. Season with salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste.

Serve: Ladle into individual serving bowls and top with a light dusting of almond parmesan for extra flavor. Soup pairs well with homemade artisan bread for soaking up the juices.

Makes 4 – 6 servings

Store: Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 – 5 days, in a covered container. To keep longer, store in the freezer for up to 2 – 3 months, let thaw before reheating.

Notes

Use any potatoes you like, using about 5 cups worth. Leave the skin on for added fiber, or remove it before chopping.

Replace the sun-dried tomatoes with one can (14oz) of diced tomatoes with the juices.

If using baby kale, add a few large handfuls in place of large leaf chopped kale.

Herbes de provence is an excellent herb blend for the pantry. I use them quite often in my soups, like this Parsnip & Split Soup and Chickpea Ratatouille. It won’t go to waste if you love soups and cook often enough. And if you can’t find it, the thyme is a great herb all by itself. Even Italian seasoning would be great.

Nightshade Free: In place of tomatoes, add 1 cup of chopped celery when sauteing the onions. Or omit them altogether.

Updated: This recipe was originally published in January 2013. It has been retested and updated with new photos and helpful tips in December 2021.

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22 Comments

  1. This looks deliciously rich in flavour, and definitely will warm me up. I cannot wait to try this! Btw, your photos are amazing! Thanks for sharing this.

  2. This soup was so simple and so delicious. I skipped the nooch and paired with some garlic toast. The sun dried tomatoes are the game changer in this soup. I added red chili flakes per the suggestion. I’m adding this to my regular rotation.

  3. Thanks! Added cashews for crunch & healthy fats, swapped beans for soya chunks, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top… came out wonderfully! 🤩

  4. OMG! This soup is so delicious. Thank you for sharing!

  5. So good!! Added some spinach with the kale too. Added a little chili powder. Loved it!

  6. I made this Wednesday night so incredibly good. I did make a few changes and but forgot to add the nutritional yeast. Definitely another keeper!

  7. This is my first time trying sweet potatoes in soup and I’m in love with the result! It tastes sweet and feels soft, which is amazing, I even burned the onion a little bit while doing the sauté but the soup is so good you can’t even notice!

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