Sweet Potato Chowder

Have you ever had the urge for comfort food but you don’t want it to be too heavy? I know, it sounds silly, but here I am. It’s been cooler (for South Florida) but not cool enough to turn off the air conditioner—just use it a lot less. But it’s still technically wintertime, and I can’t help that comfort food craving this time of year. I guess I’m just wired that way. But then I happened upon this colorful Sweet Potato Chowder that might just be the solution to my little “problem”. It’s not vegetarian, but it is a mostly vegetable chowder that’s packed with healthy things like sweet potato and kale with a creamy broth. I’m game to give it a try, how about you?

This sweet potato chowder is a hug in a bowl! Made with lots of greens and crunchy pancetta and pepitas for topping, it’s a perfect weeknight meal.

Recipe Author: Jessica at How Sweet Eats
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The Ingredients

My pre-shopping pantry check only yielded a few ingredients. I had the spices dried spices (salt, pepper, and ground sage) and the whole spices (nutmeg and garlic). I checked my refrigerator and also found butter, but I must have missed the chicken broth concentrate. Turns out I didn’t have enough but thank goodness for bouillon powder! It wasn’t low-sodium, but it saved the day.

I found almost everything else I needed at my regular grocery store. My favorite was a 4-ounce package of diced pancetta. Actually, it was the only option for pancetta, but I’m not complaining.

I wasn’t sure how many sweet potatoes so I went with 3 and only used 2 (they were on the large side). The only item I couldn’t find was Tuscan kale (a.k.a. dinosaur kale or lacinato kale). Curly kale seems to be the most common type of kale in my area so that’s what I went with.

Sweet Potato Chowder Ingredients
Sweet potatoes, sweet onion, carrots, kale, butter, roasted salted pepitas, ground sage, whole nutmeg, garlic, chicken stock, salt, pepper, and half-and-half

The Process

Instead of prepping everything, I began cooking while I prepped since the first step is rendering the pancetta and I bought it already diced. I allowed 5 minutes for my 5.5-quart Dutch oven to preheat first.

Chopped onion, kale, carrots, and garlic
Chopped onion, kale, carrots, and garlic

I was able to do the peeling and chopping while the pot was preheated and the pancetta cooked. Also, I mixed up the chicken bullion at the same time since I forgot to buy more stock concentrate.

The instructions were easy to follow, and I didn’t have any questions as I worked. My Sweet Potato Chowder slowly came together as I added more ingredients and allowed them to simmer.

Step 4 gives the option of serving the chowder right after the kale is added or simmering it for an additional 10 minutes. I decided on the extra simmering since my husband isn’t a big fan of raw kale. It softened but still gave the chowder some extra texture, and the roasted pepitas and pancetta added even more crunch.

Peeled and chopped sweet potatoes
Peeled and chopped sweet potatoes (I used 2)

Timing

  • 5 minutes to prep (really just preheating the Dutch oven)
  • 45 minutes to cook
  • 2 minutes to add kale and adjust seasonings
  • 10 minutes to cook
  • 1 hour 2 minutes total

The recipe lists 10 minutes to prep, 45 minutes to cook, and 55 minutes total. I went a little over that, but my time does include an optional 10 minutes to soften the kale. Not counting that I am actually a little under the time listed at 52 minutes.

Storage & Leftovers

When it came time to box up the leftovers, I decided to add the extra pancetta and pepitas to the container. I find that if I don’t, the toppings are forgotten and end up going bad.

I got a nice surprise when I served the chowder the next day. The pancetta (at least I think it was the pancetta) added a lovely hint of smokiness. The other flavors also melded and developed, and, as is typical for soups, it was even better the next day.

So how was it?

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I adored this Sweet Potato Chowder! The big chunks of sweet potato were cooked perfectly--soft but not falling apart. I didn't notice the kale, but I loved how the broth was seasoned with sage and the barest hint of nutmeg. The added salt and crunch of the pancetta and roasted pepitas were just divine. Making this chowder was a simple one-pot process, which I love. The instructions were spot on, and I didn't have any WTF moments LOL! All in all, a surprisingly hearty vegetable chowder I would make again.
The Hungry Pinner
The Hungry Pinnerhttps://www.hungrypinner.com
I'm Candice, and I'm The Hungry Pinner. I created this blog to share my love for cooking and my experiences with the MANY recipes I've found on Pinterest over the years. Join me as I blog my way through those recipes to find out if they are worth trying yourself.

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I adored this Sweet Potato Chowder! The big chunks of sweet potato were cooked perfectly--soft but not falling apart. I didn't notice the kale, but I loved how the broth was seasoned with sage and the barest hint of nutmeg. The added salt and crunch of the pancetta and roasted pepitas were just divine. Making this chowder was a simple one-pot process, which I love. The instructions were spot on, and I didn't have any WTF moments LOL! All in all, a surprisingly hearty vegetable chowder I would make again.Sweet Potato Chowder