• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Paleo Gluten-Free Guy logo
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • The Paleo Pantry
  • About
    • About Don Baiocchi
    • What is Paleo?
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok

Purple Soup

Mar 3, 2019 · 36 Comments

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Purple Soup in a white bowl drizzles with a white cream and pumpkin seeds
Purple Soup in a white bowl drizzles with a white cream and pumpkin seeds

Purple Soup takes sweet potato soup or carrot soup and jazzes it up, making it both familiar and new at the same. With just a few simple ingredients, it’s a wholesome, nutrient-dense soup that kids and adults will love.

It’s both fun and cozy, plus it’s Paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, Whole30-friendly and can be vegan.

Note: Photos were updated October 13, 2021.

a vegan sweet potato soup made with purple sweet potatoes in a white bowl topped with a white creamy drizzle and pumpkin seeds

(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I’ll automatically receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.)

Why this recipe works

A bowl of blended root vegetable soup is one of the most comforting dishes possible.

And while I love my regular sweet potato version, I often purple sweet potatoes next to the orange ones at my grocery store and thought: why not?

To get the most vibrant, vivid color possible, I doubled (or tripled) down on the purple by adding purple carrots and red onions (which are really purple).

I kept the ingredient list short and simple so you can easily whip this up for a weeknight dinner or as part of your meal prep.

 

What are purple sweet potatoes?

If you’ve seen purple sweet potatoes at your grocery store or farmers market, you might be wondering what they’re like.

Most purple sweet potatoes sold in the U.S are the Stokes variety (purple skin, purple flesh).

But there are also Okinawan purple sweet potatoes, also called ube/ubi, that have a lighter-colored skin.

If you’ve been looking for a purple sweet potato recipe to try, you’ve come to the right place.

Let’s take a look at what the LA Times dug up about the Stokes’ origins in the U.S.:

“[Mike Sizemore] said in a phone interview, speaking in a delicious Southern drawl, that he worked for 30 years catching car thieves for the state government before retiring in 2003. He always wanted to farm and saw sweet potatoes as a replacement for tobacco, cultivation of which was declining in his area, Stokes County. One day in 2003 he won a prize for his sweet potatoes at a state fair, and an unidentified woman gave him some deep purple sweet potatoes of unknown origin.”

Oh, um, okay? That’s not weird at all. Unknown person giving you unknown food to eat, out of the blue? (Or…purple?) (Sorry.)

Luckily, this mysterious angel blessed Mike “delicious drawl” Sizemore with something both delicious and beautiful. And so he could stop catching car thieves (!) to grow purple sweet potatoes (!!) so we can eat Purple Soup (!!!).

It’s a beautiful thing, life.

Another point about purple sweet potatoes: they’re purple. How cool is that?

While obviously not as widely available as their orangey cousins, they’re worth seeking out if you can find them.

They have a drier texture and are less sweet but have a deeper flavor.

You can use them however you would use normal sweet potatoes: roasting whole, cubed and baked, steamed, boiled, mashed, etc.

They’re also good for you! They protect your liver, apparently.

So Purple Soup is smart to eat before, during or after drinking. #science!

What are purple carrots?

These have actually been experiencing a revival for a while now.

Carrots, cultivated in Afghanistan over a thousand years ago, originally were purple. As they started to spread throughout the world, different colors become more popular in different countries.

With recent food trends like ancient grains and culinary authenticity, it’s no surprise consumers are embracing this colorful veteran.

They have the same crunchy texture as orange carrots but are slightly less sweet. 

If you’ve been meaning to try a purple carrots recipe, or are looking for a new idea, Purple Soup is the answer. (Although really, any colored carrot will work here, it just might not have the same vibrant hue.)

Also, they have twice as much beta cerotene than orange carrots (<– fact supplied by the Carrot Museum. So: there’s a Carrot Museum!).

Beta carotene is turned into vitamin A which is good for your eyes.

So eating Purple Soup will help you see the beautiful shade of purple you’re eating.

Purple…onions?

Okay, technically I’m using “red” onions. But look at those bad boys. They’re clearly purple! Why can’t we just SAY that? Why can’t we let them be who they are instead of trying to stuff them into a more acceptable little box?

I feel like purple onions are a metaphor for how we have to find who we are in a world that just wants us to conform to society’s expectations.

Or something.

I’m working on it.

Point being: they’re actually purple! And they help lower your blood pressure.

So to recap: this soup will help you stay calm as you look at your beer.

Also, you might be wondering why a recipe called Purple Soup doesn’t use purple potatoes. Well, just like purple sweet potatoes, purple potatoes are drier than their creamier, lighter-fleshed cousins and so they don’t blend into a soup as well.

a purple sweet potato, carrot and onion soup in a white bowl topped with a creamy white drizzle and pumpkin seeds

What you need

Ingredients:

  • 2.5 pounds purple sweet potatoes
  • 1 bunch purple carrots
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 quart low-sodium chicken broth, store-bought or use your own homemade broth (or vegetable broth to make it vegan)
  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Equipment:

  • a cutting board
  • a chef’s knife
  • a vegetable peeler
  • a big pot or Dutch oven (or an Instant Pot)
  • measuring spoons
  • pepper grinder – this is my new favorite pepper grinder that I love and it’s only partly because it’s called the Unicorn Magnum (!), the other part is that it works great.
  • a stick blender or regular blender

How to make Purple Soup

Step 1: Peel and trim off the ends of the sweet potatoes. Chop as small as you have the patience and dexterity for, knowing that the smaller you cut the cubes the faster they’ll cook and the easier they’ll blend.

Step 2: Scrub under running water or peel the carrots. Cut them into the same size as the sweet potatoes.

Step 3: Peel and dice the red onion.

Step 4: Add the vegetables to a large pot, pour in the broth and 1½ cups water and stir in the fine sea salt. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes (depending on how small the vegetables are).

Step 5: Once the vegetables are soft, turn off the heat.  Add a good grinding of black pepper. Use an immersion blender to blitz the soup until it’s smooth. If the consistency is too thick, add more water. If it’s too thin, place it over the heat again and simmer until it reduces to the texture you like. Taste for seasoning and serve.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I make substitutions?

You can use other kinds/colors of sweet potatoes, carrots and onions but obviously that will affect the color of the soup.

If you want it spicy, add more black pepper or add ground cayenne or red pepper flakes.

Can I make Purple Soup ahead of time?

Yep! Let it cool to room temperature and then store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a pot on the stove over medium heat.

Can I freeze Purple Soup?

Yep! Freeze the soup in 1-2 portion sizes in airtight freezer bags or containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat on the stove over low heat.

Other recipes you might like:

  1. Almond Broccoli Soup
  2. Roasted Butternut, Apple and Cardamom Soup
  3. 3-Ingredient Curried Sweet Potato Soup
  4. Parsnip, Pear and Pistachio Soup
  5. Instant Pot Bone Broth
a vegan sweet potato soup made with purple sweet potatoes in a white bowl topped with a white creamy drizzle and pumpkin seeds

Purple Soup

Don Baiocchi
This fun, easy Purple Soup is a creamy blend of sweet potatoes, carrots and onions. It's great for kids or adults and just happens to be Paleo, Whole30 and vegan-friendly.
5 from 19 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 45 minutes mins
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 5 servings
Calories 271 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2½ pounds purple sweet potatoes
  • 1 bunch purple carrots
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 quart (4 cups) low-sodium chicken broth (use vegetable broth to make it vegan)
  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Peel and trim off the ends of the sweet potatoes. Chop as small as you have the patience and dexterity for, knowing that the smaller you cut the cubes the faster they’ll cook and the easier they’ll blend.
  • Scrub under running water or peel the carrots. Cut them into the same size as the sweet potatoes.
  • Peel and dice the red onion.
  • Add the vegetables to a large pot, pour in the broth and 1½ cups water and stir in the fine sea salt. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes (depending on how small the vegetables are).
  • Once the vegetables are soft, turn off the heat.  Add a good grinding of black pepper. Use an immersion blender to blitz the soup until it's smooth. If the consistency is too thick, add more water. If it's too thin, place it over the heat again and simmer until it reduces to the texture you like. Taste for seasoning and serve.

Notes

If you have the time and want to deepen the flavor, add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan over medium heat, add the chopped onion and saute until started to brown, about 5-10 minutes. Add one cup broth and use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to scrape up all the brown bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the rest of the vegetables, broth, water and salt and proceed with the recipe.
You can also add fresh thyme springs when you add the broth and then fish them out before you blend. Or garnish with chopped fresh herbs when serving, like thyme, basil, parsley or rosemary.
I’ve tried using purple cauliflower instead of purple carrots and the flavor did not work for me. I have not tried purple asparagus or any other amethyst-hued vegetable.
A note about blending: I find immersion blenders much easier than using a blender, plus they’re relatively cheap and don’t take up as much room. But to use a blender, fill it no more than halfway full, put the lid on but take out the inner cap, hold a towel over the hole in the lid (all of this is necessary to contain the hot liquid which will expand when you turn it on), and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl, add more of the soup to the blender and continue this process until it’s done.
For the Instant Pot: Place all ingredients in the insert. Lock on the lid, making sure the seal is set correctly. Hit the Manual button and lower the cooking time to 4 minutes. Once it’s done, immediately release the pressure, remove the lid and blend.
Make ahead: This soup will keep in the fridge for up to 6 days.
You can freeze this soup either in large or individual portions for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat on the stove over low heat.

Nutrition

Calories: 271kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 8gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1175mgPotassium: 1249mgFiber: 10gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 47331IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 111mgIron: 2mg
Keyword carrots, onion, soup, sweet potato
Tried this recipe?Mention @paleoglutenfreeguy or tag #paleoglutenfreeguy!

For more recipes, inspiration and just good stuff, join me on:

Instagram,

Facebook,

TikTok

and Pinterest!

Related Posts

  • A bowl of blended sweet potato soup garnished with sesame and pumpkin seeds.
    3-Ingredient Curried Sweet Potato Soup
  • Pear and Parsnip Soup in 2 bowls topped with diced pears and pistachios.
    Pear and Parsnip Soup
  • Beef stew in a satay sauce on riced white sweet potatoes.
    Beef Satay Stew with Sweet Potato Rice
  • Bone broth made in an Instant Pot in a glass mug and a big mason jar.
    Instant Pot Bone Broth (Paleo, Whole30, keto)

5 Ingredients or Less, Recipes, Soup and Stews, Whole30 carrots, onion, sweet potato, vegan

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. priscilla grochowski says

    January 14, 2020 at 4:05 pm

    Looking forward to making this as we speak! Will let you k how it turns out!

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      January 14, 2020 at 4:13 pm

      Great! Please do 🙂

      Reply
  2. ChihYu says

    March 9, 2019 at 10:54 pm

    5 stars
    That looks so delicious! Totally love it!

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      March 11, 2019 at 11:39 am

      Thanks!

      Reply
  3. Holley @TheprimalDesire says

    March 9, 2019 at 6:37 pm

    5 stars
    Bahahah, “out of the blue” So Punny. My mom would do something like that, give mystery vegetables to a stranger, so altho it is a little out there, I see it happening. I like purple everything, and the hue of this soup is the bomb, I’m on the hunt for all the purple veggies to make this soup!!

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      March 11, 2019 at 11:38 am

      I think I had JUST read an article about someone poisoning his co-workers through food so I was probably being paranoid when I was writing this. 😉

      Reply
  4. jennifer says

    March 9, 2019 at 5:14 pm

    5 stars
    I am ALL ABOUT the purple sweet potato . . .and have made a zillion things with them . .. but not yet a pureed soup like this, it looks so good.

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      March 11, 2019 at 11:37 am

      Cool! If you have any other ideas of what to do with them, I’m all ears.

      Reply
  5. STACEY CRAWFORD says

    March 9, 2019 at 4:10 pm

    5 stars
    My son in law’s family makes many pies & treats with purple sweet potato that they call Ube, and I can’t have any of it. But, I can have your yummy purple soup that is grain free and gluten free. Thank s

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      March 11, 2019 at 11:37 am

      I’ve had ube ice cream and loved it! And that’s so frustrating you can’t eat their treats. I’m hoping to make a purple sweet potato pie soon.

      Reply
  6. Anne says

    March 9, 2019 at 11:07 am

    5 stars
    I love the color of this soup! At first I thought you had beets in here, but that beautiful color is from sweet potatoes, it looks delicious.

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      March 11, 2019 at 11:36 am

      Ooh, beets would also be a good idea! Didn’t think of that. 😉

      Reply
  7. Zuzana says

    March 9, 2019 at 12:28 am

    5 stars
    I have never seen those. Looks really interesting

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      March 11, 2019 at 11:35 am

      Thanks! Keep an eye out for them – they work in some many ways.

      Reply
  8. Megan Stevens says

    March 7, 2019 at 6:12 pm

    5 stars
    Big eyes for the bacon, pork, chorizo toppings on this, so yummy!!

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      March 11, 2019 at 11:35 am

      Ha! Right? Once I got started with the toppings I couldn’t stop. 😉

      Reply
  9. Erin Carter says

    March 7, 2019 at 11:04 am

    5 stars
    This is just beautiful! Can’t wait to try this.

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      March 7, 2019 at 2:39 pm

      Aw, thanks!

      Reply
  10. Tessa Simpson says

    March 5, 2019 at 7:31 am

    5 stars
    I am a sucker for purple sweet potato…the color is just too beautiful, what an excellent way to use them!

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      March 5, 2019 at 2:50 pm

      I know, right? The color alone makes me want to use them as much as possible.

      Reply
  11. Renee D Kohley says

    March 5, 2019 at 6:53 am

    5 stars
    Oh gosh my girls will adore this color! Such a fun idea and full of nutrients!

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      March 5, 2019 at 2:50 pm

      Oh, great! Let me know what they think if you try it.

      Reply
  12. Jean says

    March 4, 2019 at 8:51 pm

    5 stars
    Wow, what a gorgeous color! Sounds so flavorful too.

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      March 5, 2019 at 2:49 pm

      Thanks! Imagining that color was what first made me want to try making it. 😉

      Reply
  13. linda spiker says

    March 4, 2019 at 8:33 pm

    5 stars
    I love purple sweet potatoes but have never seen them in a soup. Great idea!

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      March 5, 2019 at 2:48 pm

      They actually blend up really easily so it works great!

      Reply
  14. Hope says

    March 4, 2019 at 6:15 pm

    5 stars
    What a gorgeous colour! Such a vibrant healthy looking soup. We eat purple sweet potato here in New Zealand a lot it is generally called the Maori name kumera – thats a very interesting little story about their origin in the U.S!

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      March 5, 2019 at 2:48 pm

      Thanks! Oh, interesting. ‘Kumera’ is definitely a more interesting name than ‘purple sweet potato.’ 😉

      Reply
  15. Joni Gomes says

    March 4, 2019 at 3:06 pm

    5 stars
    Wow I’m loving this color! Need to keep an eye out for purple sweet potatoes!

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      March 5, 2019 at 2:47 pm

      Right? I hope they become more available. They’re so cool.

      Reply
  16. Katie says

    March 4, 2019 at 11:38 am

    5 stars
    Is it just me or does food taste better when it’s pretty? This soup has such an amazing color! And I love your options for toppings- they would add various textures and flavors. Can’t wait to try!

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      March 5, 2019 at 2:47 pm

      Oh, it totally does. We eat with our eyes first. And thanks! Once I started thinking of some toppings my mind kept going and going… 😉

      Reply
  17. Raia Todd says

    March 4, 2019 at 11:01 am

    5 stars
    What a fun soup! I bet my kids would think it’s fun. 🙂

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      March 5, 2019 at 2:46 pm

      I hope so! Let me know what they think if you try it.

      Reply
  18. Cheryl Malik says

    March 4, 2019 at 10:33 am

    5 stars
    I am very intrigued by this recipe…I can’t wait to try it!

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      March 5, 2019 at 2:46 pm

      Great – let me know if you do!

      Reply
5 from 19 votes (2 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

About Don

Headshot photo of Don Baiocchi

Well hello there! I’m Don, the creator behind Paleo Gluten Free Guy. I share fun, vibrant recipes for good health and pure enjoyment. All of my recipes are gluten-free and the majority of them are also Paleo, meaning they’re free of grains, dairy, refined sugar and legumes.

Categories

Sign-up for Freebie!

Most Recent Posts

Rhubarb gluten free muffins in a muffin pan on a cooling rack.

Gluten-Free Rhubarb Muffins (Paleo)

A gluten free dairy free banana cake in a square baking dish with some cream cheese frosting spread over part of the cake.

Gluten-Free Banana Cake (Paleo)

A spicy salmon poke bowl with chunks of salmon, shredded carrots, sugar snap peas and red bell pepper strips.

Cooked Salmon Poke Bowl (gluten-free, Paleo)

High protein chocolate pudding in mason jars topped with sliced banana and chocolate chips.

Chocolate Protein Chia Pudding

Gluten free and dairy free banana bread sliced on a platter next to a bread knife.

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Banana Bread

Footer

For Recipe Tips & More!

Menu

  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Blog
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Follow Me

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok

Copyright © 2025 Paleo Gluten-Free Guy on the Seasoned Pro Theme

829 shares
  • 286

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.