Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup

I had two recipes for this dish, so I decided to compare them. The first is adapted from an African dish and calls for peanut butter. While the result was good, making a thick and hearty soup, we ended up liking the other recipe so much more that that’s the one I’m posting here. It’s from a blog called Healthy Seasonal Recipes, and it blends roasted peanuts with coconut milk for a smooth, creamy soup with the perfect consistency. We all loved this one!

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 medium onions, diced (about 3 cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, diced
6 cups vegetable broth
2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1- to 2-inch chunks
1 tsp. salt
1 13-oz. can coconut milk
¾ cup unsalted roasted peanuts
3 Tbsp. lime juice
chopped cilantro, chopped peanuts and Sriracha for garnish (optional)

Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often until the onion is starting to soften and brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add celery, broth, sweet potato and salt, increase heat to high, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, removing lid to stir occasionally, until the potatoes are very soft and fall apart when tested with a fork or tongs, about 15 minutes.

Purée the soup in a blender in two batches and add back to the pot (I did this with my immersion blender instead). Purée the coconut milk and peanuts in a blender until smooth, about 1 minute (a Vitamix blender does this wonderfully). Stir the coconut mixture and the lime juice into the soup. Gently stir over low heat to warm through (do not boil). Serve garnished with cilantro, chopped peanuts and Sriracha to taste.