Tanzanian Food: Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Soup Recipe

This soup is a guest favorite at Nyumba camps. Our safari chefs prepare the soup from scratch, and it’s simple enough to recreate at home. Perfect on a cool fall or winter night, we hope the aroma will bring back warm memories of your Tanzania safari.

Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients

1 Pumpkin, peeled and chopped
2 Large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
4 Cups chicken stock
2-3 Cups water
1 Teaspoon fresh ground ginger
2 Garlic cloves, chopped
1 Onion, chopped
1 Leek, washed and chopped
1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ Cup of cream
Small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Heat vegetable oil in large soup pan or Dutch oven, then sauté the onion and leek until translucent. Add garlic, ginger, cinnamon, pumpkin and sweet potatoes. Cook mixture 5-10 minutes, making sure not to brown or burn.

2. Add chicken stock and water to pan, making sure to cover vegetable mixture with liquid. If needed, add more water.

3. Bring soup to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer for an hour, or until sweet potatoes and pumpkin is soft.

4. Remove from heat and mash mixture with potato masher (or use an immersion blender). If the mixture is too thick, add a little bit of water.

5. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Before serving add in cream and chopped parsley.