Sweet potatoes are one of the new “super vegetables,” because of their high fiber content, complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. They are high up on the list of healthy foods by the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society.
I did not grow up eating sweet potatoes, so I wanted to introduce them gradually into my regular diet. When I searched for recipes for clear vegetable soup with sweet potatoes, I found that almost all recipes consisted of sweet potato puree with cream.
In order to create a low fat vegetable soup featuring sweet potatoes, I decided to start by making my own vegetable soup recipe and adding a sweet potato to see if it would alter the taste. The soup was so delicious that I plan to add another sweet potato next time – to make sure I am “getting my sweet potatoes.”
Importance of Low-salt Soup Recipes
Processed foods contain a lot of salt in order to preserve the food as well as to improve the taste. Soups, even those that emphasize "healthy" on the label, are among the saltiest prepared foods. Although it is more expensive and sometimes difficult to find "no-salt" canned tomatoes and beans, they are worth it. There are enough herbs and spices in this soup to make it taste great with no salt.
Ingredients for No Salt Vegetable Soup with Sweet Potatoes
- 1 medium onion, cut into quarters
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 stalk dark green celery chopped
- 1 stalk dark green celery sliced
- 2 medium or 1 large clove garlic chopped fine
- 3 carrots chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 large potato, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 large (30 oz.) or 2 small (16 oz) can(s) of salt free diced tomatoes
- 1 small can (8oz) of salt-free tomato sauce
- ½ cup barley
- 1 16 oz can salt free red or red kidney beans
- ½ cup frozen corn
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ½ cup parsley
- ¼ cup oregano leaf
- ¼ cup sweet basil leaf
- 1 t rosemary leaf
- 1 t marjoram leaf
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 T crushed red pepper
- Black pepper to taste
Recipe for No Salt Vegetable Soup with Sweet Potatoes
- Put onion cut into quarter in 4-quart saucepan 2/3 full of water.
- Bring to boil and turn down and simmer 1 hour.
- Chop vegetables while soup simmers.
- Strain broth and set aside.
- Coat bottom of saucepan with olive oil.
- Over medium heat, cook and stir onions, pepper, and celery until onions are translucent.
- Add tiny pieces of garlic and cook for a few minutes.
- Add beef and turn to medium high.
- Brown beef thoroughly.
- Add herbs and spices; stir in thoroughly.
- Add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce.
- Add broth and additional water.
- Add bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for ½ hour.
- While soup simmers chop sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots and second stalk of celery.
- Add raw vegetables to soup.
- Add barley.
- Let simmer for 1 hour.
- Add red beans, frozen corn and peas.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove bay leaf and serve immediately or let stand overnight and serve or freeze into portions for future meals.
- Serve with bread or ½ sandwich.
Makes about 25 cups of soup.
Herbs and Spices Replace Salt
There must be sufficient herbs and spices to make a soup that does not need salt to taste good. To make sure the soup is savory without salt, take a tablespoon periodically and taste the soup.
- If the soup tastes bland and watery, add more pepper and oregano.
- If it has no fragrance, add more parsley, sweet basil, marjoram and rosemary.
No-Salt Vegetable Soup with Sweet Potatoes
This soup has many ingredients but is very easy to make. You may substitute frozen mixed vegetables for the peas and corn, or add additional vegetables, like zucchini. Try my idea and add an extra sweet potato to the recipe, to make sure you are getting enough of the new “super vegetable.”
