Recipe: Nutty Sweet Potato Soup with Harissa and Spinach
adapted from Vegetarian Times
Harissa is a smoky North African chili paste made from smoked chiles, olive oil, spices, and sometimes tomatoes. Heat and flavor vary from brand to brand. If you can't find Harissa, try one of these: For every tablespoon of harissa, you can substitute a tablespoon of berbere, chile paste, or tabil (Tunisian spice paste). For a little less heat, just use hot sauce.
- 2 Tbs. olive oil
- 2 medium leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced (2 cups)
- 3 Tbs. tomato paste
- 3 Tbs. creamy peanut butter
- 1 ½ Tbs. harissa paste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
- 1 tsp. ground turmeric
- ¾ tsp. ground cumin
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick (5 cups)
- 3 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 3 oz. spinach leaves, thinly sliced (2 packed cups)
- Lemon wedges, for garnish
1. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add leeks, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, peanut butter, harissa, garlic, turmeric, and cumin; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add sweet potatoes, broth, and 1 1/2 cups water, and simmer over medium-low heat, partially covered, 20 to 25 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are tender.
2. Blend mixture with immersion blender, adding more water if soup is too thick. Bring soup back to a simmer, and stir in spinach leaves. Serve with lemon wedges.