Easy to make, healthful and delicious, this meatless soup made with a few simple ingredients was inspired by Jill Dupleix, Australian food writer and cookbook author. Like the original recipe, you can add peeled, diced sweet potatoes to simmer in the stock. I prefer to bake the sweet potatoes – it adds depth of flavour. Pureeing half the beans thickens it; leaving the rest whole gives texture. Beans’ bonus: A protein boost that makes this soup a meal. The flavourings – curry powder, balsamic vinegar and maple syrup – sound quirky but they work. Using hot stock adds flavour; you can use chicken stock if you’re not serving vegetarians. I use one 900-mL or a 946-mL carton of stock. I don’t drain or rinse the canned beans.

1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, peeled, coarsely chopped
1 rounded tsp curry powder
19-oz/540 mL can white beans (navy, kidney, cannellini or mixed beans), undrained
4 cups hot vegetable stock
1 tbsp each: maple syrup and balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Plain yogurt
Chopped fresh parsley or coriander

Preheat oven to 425F.

Bake sweet potatoes in the oven for 45 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Cool slightly; peel and coarsely chop.

Add butter and oil to large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook about 5 minutes until soft but not brown. Add curry powder; cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Add sweet potatoes; cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add hot stock. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, about 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add half of beans. Puree until smooth using hand-held blender. Add remaining beans, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

Reheat to serve. Garnish each bowl with dollop or swirl of yogurt and parsley.

Makes about 6 servings.