Key Lime Sweet Potato Bisque with Key Lime Cream is a thick, luscious, pureed, creamy soup that I’ve dubbed a bisque. As I tried to educate myself on the difference between bisque and soup, I learned that bisque is from the same root word as biscuit. Since I’m all about the biscuit, it was an easy decision to call this a bisque. Key limes are easy to find in Florida grocery stores. If they’re unavailable in your area, look for bottled key lime juice and substitute Persian lime zest for Key lime zest.

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From Sweet Potato Love: 60 Recipes for Every Season (affiliate link)

Key Lime Sweet Potato Bisque with Key Lime Cream hits all the notes. Sweet from sweet potatoes, apples, and carrots. Savory from chicken stock and aromatics. Spicy from cinnamon and ginger. Add a dollop of flavored whip cream for an elegant touch and more flavor.

For ease of preparation, make the soup ahead of time and store in the refrigerator or freezer. To serve, reheat and prepare the whipped cream. For a shortcut, purchase an eight ounce container of store bought whipped cream and add a teaspoon of key lime juice and one tablespoon of lime zest.

Key lime versus Persian lime

Key limes are small, round, and they turn yellow when fully ripe. The flavor is a touch less tart then the more familiar Persian limes. Use them interchangeably according to your preference and availability of key limes. Since relocating from Florida to North Carolina, I’ve made the switch to bottled key lime juice and Persian limes for zest.

Sweet Potatoes

There are many varieties of sweet potatoes with colors from white to pale yellow to deep orange to red to purple. Some are sweeter than others. Choose the best looking, highest quality sweet potatoes you can find. Add honey for additional sweetness if desired.

Apples

Use your favorite cooking apple. I used a combination of Pink Lady and McIntosh.

Bisque:

cooking oil

1 sweet onion, peeled and diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 celery stalks, trimmed and finely diced

2 – 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

4 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 apples, peeled cored, and cut in chunks

2 tablespoons key lime juice

1 quart chicken stock

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

honey to taste, if needed

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup half-and-half

key lime zest for garnish

Key lime cream:

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon key lime juice

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 tablespoon key lime zest plus additional for garnish

Make the bisque:

Cover the bottom of a large cooking vessel with oil. When hot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook uncovered on medium high heat for 15 minutes or until vegetables are soft and volume is reduced by about one half. Add garlic and cook an additional 5 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients except half-and-half and lime zest. Cover and simmer 30 minutes or until sweet potatoes and apples are soft. Puree with an immersion blender. Stir in half-and-half and lime zest. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Add honey if more sweetness is desired. If a thinner bisque is desired, add water.

Make the key lime cream:

Add cold whipping cream to a medium bowl. Whip with electric mixer until it begins to thicken. Add lime juice, powdered sugar, and 1 tablespoon lime zest. Whip until stiff peaks form. Add to hot bisque. Garnish with lime zest.

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