Apple Cheddar Sweet Potato Soup
Sweet potatoes and tart apples simmer together in broth, then blend into a thick, pourable soup. Sharp cheddar goes in after blending, over low heat, so it melts into the pale golden-orange base without boiling. Each bowl gets a little more shredded cheddar, plus sour cream, chives, and crisp crouton crumbles.
This stovetop soup makes 6 servings of about 1 to 1 1/4 cups each. Allow about 15 minutes to prep and 30 minutes to cook.
Ingredients for Apple Cheddar Sweet Potato Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 150g)
- 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into roughly 3/4-inch cubes (680g)
- 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced (about 300g)
- 3 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, plus more as needed
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar, divided (170g)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to start, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup sour cream, for serving (75g)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives, for serving
- 1/3 cup toasted croutons, finely crushed, for serving
How to Make Apple Cheddar Sweet Potato Soup
- Prepare the ingredients: Dice the onion, sweet potatoes, and apples. Shred the cheddar and set aside 1/2 cup for the bowls. Chop the chives and crush the croutons into small crumbles.
- Soften the onion: Heat the olive oil in a 5- to 6-quart soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until soft and translucent but not deeply browned.
- Simmer the produce: Add the sweet potatoes, apples, broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low. Partially cover and simmer for 18 to 22 minutes, stirring periodically. Start checking at 18 minutes; both the sweet potatoes and apples should yield easily to a fork.
- Blend and adjust: Turn off the heat and let vigorous bubbling subside. Blend with an immersion blender, keeping its head submerged to prevent splatter, until mostly smooth. Stir in the milk. If the soup is pasty rather than pourable, add a little more broth or milk at a time until it flows readily from a ladle. If using a countertop blender, blend in small batches with a vented lid held under a towel.
- Melt in the cheddar: With the heat off or on low, stir the remaining 1 cup cheddar into the soup by handfuls, letting each addition melt before adding more. Taste before adding salt; the broth and cheese both contribute seasoning. Warm gently if needed, but do not let the soup boil.
- Garnish the bowls: Ladle the hot soup into individual bowls. Top each with reserved shredded cheddar, a dollop of sour cream, chives, and crouton crumbles. Add the crumbles just before serving so they stay crisp.
How to Keep the Cheddar Soup Smooth
Fully tender sweet potatoes and apples blend more evenly than pieces that are still firm. Add the freshly shredded cheddar only after blending, and stir it in gradually over low or no heat. Boiling the soup after the cheese melts can make the finish grainy.
Adjusting Sweetness and Thickness
Granny Smith apples add tartness to balance the sweet potatoes. Honeycrisp or Fuji apples also work, but may make the soup sweeter. Taste the finished soup before adjusting the salt, especially if your broth or cheddar is salty.
Sweet potatoes vary in starch content, and the soup thickens as it cools. Stir in warm broth or milk a little at a time whenever it needs loosening.
How to Store and Reheat the Soup
Refrigerate cooled soup in an airtight container for up to 3 days, keeping the toppings separate. It can be made up to 2 days ahead and garnished when served. Reheat over low heat, stirring often; add broth or milk if it has thickened.
For the best texture when freezing, stop after blending the apple-sweet-potato base, before adding the milk or cheddar. Cool and freeze the base for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight, reheat gently, then stir in the milk and cheddar as directed.
For another creamy vegetable soup, try Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 6 servings and including the toppings: 320 calories, 11g protein, 15g fat, and 37g carbohydrates. Approximate values per 100g: 85 calories, 3g protein, 4g fat, and 10g carbohydrates. Values vary with the broth, cheddar, toppings, and any extra liquid used.
Equipment
- 5- to 6-quart soup pot or Dutch oven
- Immersion blender or countertop blender
- Ladle
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 150 g)
- 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into roughly 3/4-inch cubes (680 g)
- 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced (about 300 g)
- 3 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, plus more as needed
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar, divided (170 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For Serving
- 1/3 cup sour cream (75 g)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
- 1/3 cup toasted croutons, finely crushed
Instructions
- Dice the onion, sweet potatoes, and apples. Shred the cheddar and set aside 1/2 cup for serving. Chop the chives and crush the croutons.
- Heat the olive oil in a 5- to 6-quart soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until soft and translucent.
- Add the sweet potatoes, apples, broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Partially cover and simmer for 18 to 22 minutes, stirring periodically, until the sweet potatoes and apples are easily pierced with a fork.
- Turn off the heat and let vigorous bubbling subside. Blend with an immersion blender until mostly smooth, keeping the blender head submerged. If using a countertop blender, blend in small batches with a vented lid held under a towel.
- Stir in the milk. If the soup is too thick to pour readily from a ladle, add more broth or milk a little at a time.
- With the heat off or on low, gradually stir in the remaining 1 cup cheddar, allowing each addition to melt before adding more. Taste and adjust the salt.
- Warm gently if needed, but do not let the soup boil. Ladle into bowls and top with the reserved cheddar, sour cream, chives, and crouton crumbles. Add the croutons just before serving.
Tips
- Cook the sweet potatoes and apples until fully tender so they blend smoothly.
- Add freshly shredded cheddar gradually after blending.
- Do not boil the soup after adding the cheese, as it can become grainy.
- Taste before adding more salt because the broth and cheddar may already be salty.
- Loosen thickened soup with warm broth or milk a little at a time.
Variations
- Sweeter Apple Soup: Use Honeycrisp or Fuji apples instead of Granny Smith for a sweeter soup.