Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes — The Soup That Made October Feel Like Home

October arrived and with it the things that make October in Louisiana what it is — slightly cooler evenings, football on Saturdays (Jamal called to say Southern was having a good season), and the beginning of the stretch of holidays that runs from MawMaw Shirley's birthday through Thanksgiving and Christmas. We are an October-through-December family, meaning that is when the calendar fills up and the food gets serious and everyone is busy being themselves at their most.

I submitted my preliminary hypothesis for the science fair this week. It reads: "A longer roux development time correlates with increased Maillard reaction products, characterized by progressive color change from blond to dark chocolate, an increase in complex aromatic compounds, and a shift in flavor profile from wheat-forward to deeply savory and nutty." My teacher read it and said I had clearly been doing my research. I had clearly been doing my research in a cast iron pot in my grandmother's kitchen, but I did not say that, because the data speaks for itself.

Kayla made me a birthday card this week for no reason — not my birthday, not any occasion — she just found a piece of cardstock and drew an elaborate scene of what she called "future Doctor Aaliyah in her lab coat." The lab coat had a stethoscope and the lab also appeared to have a stove with a pot on it, which I told her was not entirely accurate for a doctor's office. She said it was for the future. I kept the card. It is taped inside my planning notebook.

Mama made sweet potato soup on Thursday because the evenings were finally cool enough to want soup. Roasted sweet potatoes, onion, a little chicken broth, a little cream at the end. Smooth and orange and sweet with some depth. She served it with MawMaw's biscuits, which I made from the recipe I now have memorized. They were right. Everything was right.

Mama’s sweet potato soup is the reason I know that some recipes don’t need to be complicated to be exactly right — roasted until deep and sweet, blended smooth, finished with a little cream. It tasted like October tasting like itself. I’m writing it down here in its vegetarian form, the way it would travel to a Thanksgiving table, because it deserves to be on yours too — especially alongside a basket of warm biscuits and people you love being themselves at their most.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Sweet Potato Soup

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 50 min | Total Time: 1 hr 5 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 3 lbs sweet potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 4 cups vegetable broth, plus more as needed
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Instructions

1. Roast the sweet potatoes. Preheat oven to 425°F. Spread sweet potato cubes and chopped onion on a large rimmed baking sheet. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a generous pinch of salt. Roast for 30–35 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the edges are caramelized and the potatoes are completely tender.
2. Soften the garlic. During the last 10 minutes of roasting, nestle the smashed garlic cloves among the sweet potatoes on the pan so they soften and become fragrant without burning.
3. Build the soup base. Transfer the roasted sweet potatoes, onion, and garlic to a large pot. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, nutmeg, and smoked paprika.
4. Blend until smooth. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup directly in the pot until completely smooth and silky. Alternatively, work in batches in a standard blender, holding the lid firmly with a folded towel. If the soup is thicker than you prefer, add additional broth 1/4 cup at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
5. Finish with cream. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream and apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Warm through for 2–3 minutes without boiling.
6. Serve. Ladle into bowls and finish with a small drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of smoked paprika if desired. Serve immediately alongside warm biscuits.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 275 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 42g | Fiber: 6g | Sodium: 570mg