Sweet Potato Soup with Crisp Prosciutto

Sweet Potato Soup with Crisp Prosciutto

Are you a leftovers fan? I’m not.  Not at all.

There’s just something that happens to leftovers once they enter my refrigerator.  They change somehow and become completely inedible to me. It happens with even my favorite foods… They enter the “cold zone” and are never the same.

I don’t like to be wasteful, though… And, I also bad making my husband eat all of the leftovers (though, he doesn’t have the same issues that I have).  So, I tend to re-purpose my leftovers. For reasons I can’t understand, when I view leftovers as ingredients instead of just food to be reheated, I have no trouble using them up. It makes no sense, I realize.

There are always a lot of Thanksgiving leftovers to go around, so I am always looking for new ways to re-purpose the Thanksgiving dinner into new meals. We always seem to have lots of extra sweet potatoes to go around, so I made this quick sweet potato soup.  Since the sweet potatoes are already cooked, the soup comes together in a matter of minutes.  In fact, it hardly takes any more time than (dare I say) reheating leftovers from the fridge. It definitely tastes better, though!

Leftover Sweet Potato Soup with Crisp Prosciutto
(Makes about 4 servings)

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 thin slices prosciutto, chopped
  • 2 leeks, chopped and rinsed
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 3 cups leftover sweet potatoes, mashed
  • 1/2 cup half and half
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Freshly grated Grana Padano cheese
    (or Parmigiano-Reggiano)

Heat the butter in a large dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat.  Add the chopped prosciutto and cook in the butter until crisp (about 4-5 minutes).  Remove the prosciutto from the pot and drain on a paper towel.

Add the leeks to the pot and saute in the butter.  Cook until tender and translucent, about 4-6 minutes. Add the chicken stock to the pot to deglaze and scrape any browned bits off of the bottom.

Add in the mashed sweet potatoes. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup and give it a nice, smooth texture.  Bring to a simmer.

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the half and half. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately topped with the reserved crisp prosciutto and Grana Padano cheese.

18 comments

  1. I’ve only had “regular” potato soup. But sweet potato soup sounds delicious! Especially when bacon is involved.

  2. Liz @ Blog is the NEw Black says:

    I haven’t seen a recipe like this before. SAVED!

  3. JenniferA says:

    Oh, this looks great to make just because, starting from scratch, no leftovers required!

  4. delicious! i actually don’t mind leftovers, and i like anything with the word sweet potato in it.

  5. Kathia says:

    This soup look delicious, I love sweet potato and with bacon is even better.

  6. Roxan says:

    Personally, I looooooooooooove leftovers. As a kid I used to always order extra food just so I could eat the leftovers over the next few days. I think my favorites are pizza, italian, and chinese. I think most people don’t like leftovers though, but that works for me. I’ll eat them! ;]
    This soup is a wonderful way to use up those pesky leftover sweet potatoes.

  7. This looks beyond belief delicious! I can’t wait to try it. Oh my!

  8. naomi says:

    Yum! I love sweet potatoes and love how you have repurposed them here. Great idea with the crisp prosciuto.

  9. Wenderly says:

    Oh my stars…so savory & scrumptious! It’s on my “must make” list for sure!

  10. wow looks so good this soup and with your permision I am going to copy this recipe.
    Regards

    Olga.

  11. Eliana says:

    I love sweet potatoes but have never had them as soup. This looks like a must try.

    Hope you and your family have a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

  12. maria says:

    Great way to use leftovers!

  13. Kristen says:

    I never thought about making soup with Sweet Potatoes. What a great idea and a delicious looking soup!

  14. What a fab use of leftovers. I *love* the sound of the crispy proscuitto!!

  15. Who would have thought such a fantastic dish had its beginnings in leftovers? Beautiful!

    PS. If your husband ever gets tired of tackling those leftovers himself, let me know. I’ll send you my address and you can send me the food. ;-)

  16. Kathia says:

    Hello there, I am searching your site for soups, so far this one is the winner for today’s dinner. Great recipe and instructions for a bad cook like me.

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