Sweet potato and pear soup
A smooth, comforting soup combining the creamy texture of sweet potato with the natural sweetness of pear, on a base of onion softened in extra-virgin olive oil. The ingredients are cooked in stock or water and blended until smooth and pleasant, making it especially appealing to young children or people who need easy-to-swallow meals.
At a glance
- DifficultyEasy
Allergens
- None of the fourteen declarable allergens
Who this recipe is for
A smooth, naturally sweet vegetable and fruit soup: suitable for children’s meals to make vegetables easier to eat, and for soft-texture diets or sensitive digestion.
Ingredients
Step by step
- Peel and finely chop the onion.
- Heat a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil in a pan and sauté the onion over a low heat until translucent and lightly golden.
- Peel the sweet potato and pear, remove the pear core and seeds, and cut both into even-sized cubes.
- Add the sweet potato and pear to the pan and cook together for a few minutes, stirring often.
- Cover the ingredients with homemade vegetable stock or water, just enough to cover them without adding too much liquid.
- Cook over a medium heat until the sweet potato is tender when pierced with a fork.
- Remove from the heat and blend until smooth and free of lumps.
- Adjust the consistency by adding a little more stock if it is too thick, then serve warm.
Adaptations
How to change it depending on the day. Each change keeps the dish, it does not replace it.
If you prefer to make the dish less sweet
Replace some of the sweet potato or pear with half a potato or a piece of courgette.
If you would like to add protein to the soup
Add a splash of milk or soy drink while blending, or serve with chopped hard-boiled egg or sautéed tofu cubes on top.
If you enjoy spiced flavours
Add a pinch of nutmeg, ground ginger or cinnamon while the vegetables cook.
What it provides
This soup combines the complex carbohydrates and beta-carotene in sweet potato with the water, soluble fibre and natural sugars in pear. It does not need cream, butter or dairy products to be creamy, making it a light option with little fat; the only fat comes from the extra-virgin olive oil used to sauté the onion.
The dietitian's tip
A purée combining sweet potato and fruit is a great way to introduce vegetables into children’s diets without adding sugar or sweeteners, making use of the foods’ natural sweetness. If you make extra, it keeps well for three days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Find more guidance in our children’s nutrition section and weight-loss guide. More smooth, nourishing soups: pumpkin, rice and cheese soup and pumpkin and carrot purée with turkey.
What a recipe is not
This recipe fits into a plan; it does not replace one. It cures nothing and it is not calculated for one particular person: the quantities are indicative and will need adjusting to your case.
If you have a medical condition, take medication or follow a prescribed diet, check with your doctor or your dietitian before changing anything.
Where this recipe comes from
The main guide
School-age nutrition: what to eat from 6 to 12
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