Sweet Potato Chipotle Cheddar Soup

Can I just tell you how excited I am for soup season?! I am soup's biggest advocate, and I love it in all shapes and forms. I like cold soup, I like hot soup. I like it when it's spicy, or mild. I like it by itself, or with an ooey-gooey grilled cheese sandwich. Last week I made this tomato soup with burrata, and this week I'm switching things up with a spicy kick to a somewhat traditional creamy soup, without any actually cream. That's my favorite part! The sweet potatoes break down and create all of the creamy texture you need, and the shredded cheese just melts perfectly. Do yourself a favor and serve this up on a cool night with some warm crispy bread. 

Sweet Potato Chipotle Cheddar Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 cinnamon stick (or 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon)
• 2 large sweet potatoes (not yams), peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 6 cups homemade chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, minced
• 6 oz. sharp cheddar, shredded
• 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 green onions, sliced

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the onion, celery, and salt, cooking until the onion is softened and starting to turn brown; stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cinnamon stock, mixing well to combine the spices, then add in the sweet potato and broth. Bring up to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes are soft and falling apart. 

Add in the chili and the vinegar before removing from the heat. Remove the cinnamon and stick and use an immersion blender (or work in batches in a standard blender) and blend until smooth. Stir in the shredded cheddar just before serving, allowing it to melt, and garnish with chopped green onions. 

Recipe slightly adapted from here.