This sweet potato bisque with cinnamon toast croutons is next-level delicious. The bourbon really brings it to life, and the crispy bacon and crunchy cinnamon croutons on top add a tasty texture. It's easy to prepare, everyone loves it, and it takes just 50 minutes to make!
Add the bacon to a large soup pot over medium heat and cook until it is crispy, about 12 minutes. Remove it from the pot and crumble it when it is cool enough to touch.
4 strips bacon
If there is less than 2 tablespoons of bacon oil in the pot, add some olive oil. If there is more, remove it. Add the onion to the pot and saute it over medium heat until it starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red chili flakes and cook for one minute more. If using, add the bourbon to the pot and scrape the bottom to remove any stuck-on bits.
1 medium onion, 4 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon chili flakes, ¼ cup bourbon
Add the stock, sweet potatoes, salt, and pepper, and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are soft.
6 cups chicken stock, 4 medium sweet potatoes, 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and black pepper
While the soup is simmering, make the croutons. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Pile the bread cubes on a baking sheet, drizzle them with the melted butter, and cinnamon sugar and then use your hands to mix it well so that the bread is evenly coated. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the croutons are crispy. They will crisp more as they cool.
When the sweet potatoes are soft, puree the soup either with an immersion blender or in batches using a regular blender. If you don't have a high-speed blender and you want a super smooth soup, you can pass the soup through a fine-mesh sieve.
Stir the cream into the soup and gently reheat it - don't let it boil. Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper, as wanted. Serve the soup topped with the crispy bacon and croutons.
1 cup heavy cream
Notes
If you don't have cinnamon sugar on hand or don't want to make a whole batch, use 1 ½ teaspoons of sugar and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon.