Sweet Potato Chowder

Name: Sweet Potato Chowder
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: About 10 cups
Ingredients: 3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta; 5 tablespoons butter, divided; 1 cup chopped onion; 1/2 cup chopped carrot; 1/2 cup chopped celery; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2-1/2 pounds medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1-in. cubes; 5 cups chicken broth; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon dried sage leaves; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme; 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 cup half-and-half cream, warmed; 3 cups chopped fresh kale; Roasted pepitas, for garnish; Minced fresh sage, for garnish, optional

Total Time Prep: 10 min. Cook: 1 hour

Yield About 10 cups

Test Kitchen Approved

Thanks to sweet potatoes, pancetta, cream and kale, this sweet potato chowder is so comforting and flavorful!

Ingredients

3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta
5 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
2-1/2 pounds medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1-in. cubes
5 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup half-and-half cream, warmed
3 cups chopped fresh kale
Roasted pepitas, for garnish
Minced fresh sage, for garnish, optional

Directions

Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven to medium heat. Add pancetta; cook until browned and crisp, 4-5 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.
Add 2 tablespoons butter, onion, carrot and celery to the pot. Cook, stirring often, until softened and lightly browned, 9-10 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Transfer vegetable mixture to a bowl; set aside.
Add remaining 3 tablespoons butter to the pot. Stir in sweet potatoes; cook until slightly soft, 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in chicken broth, salt, sage, thyme, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, pepper, cooked vegetable mixture and 2 tablespoons cooked pancetta. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender, 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Whisk about 1/4 cup of the hot broth into the half-and-half to temper; slowly add half-and-half mixture to the soup, stirring constantly. Stir in kale; simmer until wilted, 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Ladle soup into bowls. Top each with remaining cooked pancetta, pepitas and sage, if desired. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts

About 1-1/4 cups: 311 calories, 14g fat (8g saturated fat), 43mg cholesterol, 1130mg sodium, 40g carbohydrate (17g sugars, 5g fiber), 7g protein.

There’s so much flavor packed into each bowl of this sweet potato chowder! We really enjoyed this dish with slices of buttered sourdough bread for dunking. The tender potatoes, veggies, and crunchy pepitas give it lots of texture, and I love the milky, buttery broth. —Nancy Mock, Southbridge, Massachusetts

Recipe Creator

Community Cook