Sharing is caring!

Sweet Potato and Mushroom Soup

We have finally made it to soup season! Nothing is better on a cold night than a warm bowl of this Sweet Potato and Mushroom Soup. Soup is also a fantastic option for meal prep, and can easily be made high calorie. 

Our delicious Sweet Potato and Mushroom Soup is high calorie and has in season, fall produce! With a kick of red curry paste, it is sure to warm you up! Soup is a great choice for older adults who have a hard time chewing and/or swallowing.

Older Adults 

As we age, we tend to eat less, our activity levels go down, and our metabolism slows. There are many reasons why older adults have less of an appetite including a decrease in exercise, medications, depression, illness, or certain diseases. 

Another reason there could be a decrease in appetite, or eating, are from dental issues or having dentures which can make it difficult to chew. Some older adults also suffer from problems with swallowing or chewing unrelated to dental issues. 

A decrease in appetite means that many older adults deal with being underweight, and it is hard for them to gain and maintain weight. Not eating enough calories can also lead to nutrient deficiencies and health issues related to malnourishment. 

Since our Sweet Potato and Mushroom Soup is soft and easy to swallow, it is a great option for older adults! 

If you want to learn more about older adults/geriatric nutrition, check out our sister website The Geriatric Dietitian!

High Calorie Meals 

High calorie meals are a great way to solve the problem of a decreased appetite. They can help older adults, or anyone suffering from a decreased appetite, gain or maintain weight. With high calorie meals it helps increase the calorie density without having to eat or chew too much food.

Gaining and maintaining weight is a serious issue that many people face. Not eating enough leads to nutrient deficiencies, decreased energy, and poor sleep. When people suffer from not eating enough they face these issues. Increasing their calorie intake increases their energy levels and can even help improve their sleep!  

Our Sweet Potato and Mushroom Soup is a great option for people who need to gain or maintain weight, it is easy to eat, delicious, and high calorie! It is also nutrient dense and can be prepped ahead of time to have throughout the week. It can also be frozen to have at a later time for an easy lunch! 

Sweet Potato and Mushroom Soup Ingredients

The ingredients for our Sweet Potato and Mushroom Soup include delicious in season fall produce and nutritious vegetables! 

Sweet potatoes are currently in season and easy to get almost anywhere! Check out your local grocery store, your local farmers market, or even vegetable stands in your neighborhood to find them. 

In season produce is a great way to get the most out of the bounty of the season! When you pick vegetables and fruit that are in season they are at peak ripeness, and at their peak nutrition content. 

Not only does eating in season get you the most nutrition bang for your buck, but it is environmentally conscious. When you choose in season produce it is most likely not traveling as far to get to your grocery store. It also tastes much better than out of season produce! 

• coconut oil
• white button mushrooms,
• onion, 
• garlic
• red curry paste
• sweet potatoes
• full fat coconut milk
• low sodium vegetable stock
• soy sauce
• lime juice 
• cilantro (optional)

In need of more soup recipes? Try our Italian Sausage and Summer Vegetable Soup with Orzo!

Health Benefits of Ingredients

Our Sweet Potato and Mushroom Soup is filled with nutritious ingredients! The star of the show is the in season sweet potato! 

Sweet potatoes are a great source of Vitamin A, which is important for eye health and immune function. They also are high in Vitamin C and contain a good amount of fiber. 

This delicious soup is also filled with other nutrient dense vegetables including mushrooms, onions, and garlic! Mushrooms are a powerhouse of nutrients. They include many important micronutrients that most people have a hard time consuming in their regular diet. 

The micronutrients include potassium, which is important for muscle function; vitamin D, which is important for bone health and regulating calcium in the body; and choline, which plays an important role in brain and nervous system functions. 

Mushrooms are also a good source of fiber and provide many B-vitamins! 

Garlic helps add flavor to this soup along with all of the warm spices! Garlic is a good source of vitamin B6, manganese, vitamin C, copper, selenium, and calcium.  

Onions are a great source of fiber and vitamin C! They also contain B vitamins which are beneficial for our cells and they contain antioxidants that keep our cells from becoming damaged. 

How to Make Sweet Potato and Mushroom Soup

Warm 1 tbsp of coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through about 5-6 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and place in a separate bowl, then set it aside. 

Using the same pot, warm the remaining coconut oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until soft and slightly brown, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking it for another 2 minutes. Then add the curry paste and stir constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 

Now add the sweet potatoes, coconut milk, vegetable stock, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low to maintain a simmer and cook until sweet potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. 

The next step is to blend the soup. You may blend it in the pot with an immersion blender or, work in batches and pour the soup into a large blender and blend until smooth. After blending in a blender, return soup to pot over low heat.

Stir in the 1 tbsp of lime juice and reserved mushrooms. Salt and pepper to taste and adjust as needed. Garnish the bowls with cilantro. Enjoy!

Let’s Check Out the Recipe!