Sweet Potato Bisque
A silky, spicy-sweet bisque of Louisiana sweet potatoes, pork sausage, and Creole spices balanced with cane vinegar and syrup—comfort in every spoonful.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Here's What You Need
- 2 pounds Sweet Potatoes - approximately 7 cups
- ½ pound Fresh Chaurice or Cajun Sausage - See Notes
- 2 cups Yellow Onions
- 1 tablespoon Garlic - About 3 cloves
- 4 cups Chicken Stock
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 2 Tablespoon Cane Vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons Cane Syrup
Bouquet Garni
- 3 sprigs Fresh Cilantro - See Notes
- 2 sprigs Fresh Thyme - See Notes
- 1 Bay Leaf - See Notes
- 1 Cinnamon stick - See Notes
Herb and Spice Blend
- 2 ¼ teaspoon Ground Coriander - See Notes about using seeds
- ¾ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper - See Notes about using peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin - See Notes about using seeds
- ½ teaspoon Ground Turmeric - See Notes about using seeds
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- Kosher Salt - to taste
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne - Optional
- ¼ teaspoon Grated Nutmeg
Here's What You Do
Mise en Place
- Peel and cube sweet potatoes-½ inch. Chop the Fresh Sausage; chop the yellow onions; crush the garlic. Make a bouquet garni with the fresh cilantro, thyme, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick. Combine the Herb and Spice Blend ingredients in a small bowl (separate the kosher salt, cayenne, and nutmeg to add separately)
- Optional: If using whole seeds, toast them in a skillet, then grind them in a spice grinder. Set aside. See Notes for more details on toasting whole spices..
For the Bisque
- Place a Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the sausage to render the fat, breaking it into small pieces as it fries; remove and reserve, about 5 minutes.
- Add the yellow onions to the rendered fat (add a little butter if needed); saute lightly for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic. Sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Next, add the cubed sweet potatoes and the bouquet garni.
- Add enough chicken stock to cover the sweet potatoes by about an inch.
- Bring the stock to a simmer, about 5 minutes; cover the Dutch oven and slowly simmer until the sweet potatoes are very soft when probed, about 20 minutes.
- Take the Dutch oven off the heat and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Remove the bouquet garni (cilantro, thyme, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf).
- Using an immersion blender, puree the sweet potatoes, onions, and garlic.
- Return the Dutch oven to a slight simmer; mix in 1 cup of heavy cream.
- When thoroughly combined, add the browned sausage, cane vinegar, ground peppercorns, coriander, cumin, turmeric, kosher salt, and white pepper. Mix well.
- If needed, add more stock and/or cream to reach the desired consistency; taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.
- Add the Cane Syrup; mix well and serve.
Notes
See my Sweet Potato Bisque article for step-by-step photos, ingredient notes, substitutions, FAQs, serving ideas, and leftover tips.
For best flavor, toast whole spices—coriander, black peppercorns, cumin, and turmeric (root or seeds)—in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Shake the pan for about 3 minutes until the seeds are aromatic and slightly darker, then cool and grind.
Make a bouquet garni by tying cilantro, thyme, bay leaf, and a cinnamon stick with kitchen twine.
Use fresh pork sausage. If you don’t have Chaurice or Cajun sausage, substitute andouille or diced ham.
If you don’t have an immersion blender, a countertop blender or food processor works fine; a potato masher creates a chunkier version.
Substitute fresh parsley if you prefer not to use cilantro.
Nutrition
Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 1204mg | Potassium: 812mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 16687IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 2mg
