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    BLANK » Recipe Index » Caribbean Dishes

    Crema de Malanga (Taro Soup)(Vegan)

    Last Updated December 26, 2022. Published October 19, 2015 By Charla 8 Comments

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    Why not change up the soup game with some Crema de malanga. A rich, creamy, comforting popular vegan style Latin American soup that's made from the yautia root vegetable.

    soup in a black bowl

    crema de malanga

    Now that the weather is on the decline, it's time to move away from the light salads and turn to some comfort food like this hearty warming bowl of soup.

    It's a delicious soup that's full of flavour and straight out of the tropical islands. If you love those bold Caribbean flavours then this malanga recipe won't disappoint.

    What is crema de malanga?

    Now let's get the ball rolling with this wonderful latin American soup.

    Crema de malanga is also known as yautia or sopa de malanga is a white velvet soup made from a starchy vegetable named taro which Latinos refer to as either Yautia or Malanga.

    This soup is pureed, comforting and ideal to cozy up to over the fall or winter period along with a few glasses of the infamous Puerto Rican Coquito.

    This vegetable reminds me of yuca in a sense, it's a starchy enriched vegetable that I used to make this Yuca Con Mojo (cassava in a garlicky zesty sauce)

    spoon picking up the soup

    Other names for malanga/yautia

    Being from the English speaking Caribbean Island I've come to realise that the aforementioned is just another type of dasheen (taro).

    Only Yautia/Malanga is elongated in shape and a slightly bumpy/patchy brown in texture. The flesh can range from yellow, white, pink or even a purplish hue.

    Dasheen, on the other hand, bears the same brown exterior, only small in size with flesh that ranges from white to a cream yellow.

    Eddo is another type of taro that tends to grow on the Asian continent, it's the smallest taro of the bunch, it looks like a tiny brown fur ball and slippery when peeled.

    Where to buy malanga from

    If you live in a diverse city with Black/Latino population then you should be able to find it quite easily.

    Remember it goes by various names so ask if you're unsure. I've enclosed a picture so you know what to look for. All international/ethnic groceries should stock it.

    malanga root

    How to make crema de malanga 

    Cut and boil the malanga - the skin needs to be peeled in its entirety before you can proceed with boiling.

    Cut into chunks - the smaller the chunks the quicker it will cook, not too small though as the vegetable will break apart. Big chunks should cook within 10 minutes.

    Making adaptations for extra flavour -  I adapted the recipe according to my preference - adding some homemade vegetable stock with a small amount of thyme. Other soup variations call for stock  or simply rely on the coconut milk for enhanced flavour.

    The end result - The consistency of crema de yautia/malanga is creamy and with a mild nutty taste which imparts from the cooking process.

    Texture - This soup is quite dense and very filling - just remember it's not made from processed foods and all the ingredients are made from scratch.

    spoon resting in a bowl of soup

    Notes and tips

    • Crema de malanga is vegan
    • Gluten free and paleo approved
    • Suitable for liquid diet/lifestyle

    Other soup recipes to try

    • Cuban Black Bean Soup
    • Sopa de Plátano Verde
    • Jamaican Pumpkin Soup
    • Split Pea Soup
    • Trinidad Corn Soup
    • Creamy Mushroom Soup
    • Callaloo Soup

    **Don't forget to comment below and star rate if you have tried my recipes. Let's be friends and engage on Facebook and Instagram I also like to pin on Pinterest, where you can find more amazing recipes.**

    • WP Recipe Maker #7381removeCrema de malanga Crema de Malanga (Taro Soup) Paleo, gluten free, dairy free, vegan taro soup - so creamy and delicious Course: Appetiser Cuisine: Caribbean Keyword: coconut soup, gluten free soup, taro soup, vegan soup recipe Prep Time: 5m Cook Time: 15m Total Time: 20m Servings: 4 servings Author: <a href="https://thatgirlcookshealthy.com/about-me/" target="_self">Charla</a> - 2 lb of Yautia/Malanga/Dasheen/Taro/Eddoe - 1 medium onion - 2 small scallion stalks - 3 garlic cloves chopped - 1 teaspoon of thyme - ½ cup of coconut milk see post - 4-6 cups of vegetable stock see post - pepper and himalayan pink salt according to taste - 1 tablespoon of coconut oil - pinch of nutmeg 1) Begin to peel, cut and thoroughly rinse the dasheen (yautia). 2) Pour the vegetable stock into a medium saucepan with the dasheen pieces. 3) Bring to the boil before reducing the flame to medium-low heat then cover with the lid. 4) Cook the dasheen until tender, prick with a folk to determine tenderness (should take roughly 8-10 minutes). 5) Meanwhile sautee the onions and garlic on low-medium heat until slightly golden. 6) Add the sauteed ingredients to the saucepan and stir. 7) Continue to simmer for a further 5 minutes and season with the pink salt, pepper and thyme. 8) Finally stir into the coconut milk. 9) Carefully transfer the hot contents into a food processor or blender. You want to achieve a smooth consistency. 10) Once a smooth consistency is achieved either serve with a pinch of nutmeg or pour the cream into a saucepan to heat further before serving with the nutmeg garnish. calories 369 sugar 4 sodium 1044 fat 10 saturated_fat 9 carbohydrates 68 fiber 10 protein 5 potassium 1468 vitamin_a 756 vitamin_c 15 calcium 117 iron 2  
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    About Charla

    I'm Charla. Caribbean foodie & Certified Health Coach. Welcome to the heaven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Oreke

      April 11, 2016 at 10:52 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious and looks good too - It's been a cold wet day and this recipe is just what the weather ordered. It was quick and filling. I added some white fish and finely chopped sorrel as a garnish. Thanks Charla

      Reply
      • Charla

        April 12, 2016 at 5:55 pm

        Hi Oreke, so glad you enjoyed the soup. The white fish and sorrel addition sounds wonderful.

        Reply
    2. Natalie Tamara

      February 27, 2016 at 2:10 pm

      5 stars
      I'm very intrigued by this soup - I've had taro a few times and enjoyed it, but I've never cooked with it myself. It's on my shopping list to hunt some down!

      Reply
      • Charla

        February 27, 2016 at 10:47 pm

        Glad to have you on board Natalie. I would love to get some feedback or a picture of the final result. I'm sure you will enjoy this soup.

        Reply
    3. Clyde

      October 24, 2015 at 4:07 am

      This sounds delicious. What do you eat on the side with this?

      Reply
      • Charla

        October 24, 2015 at 12:06 pm

        Thank you. Typically you won't find many Caribbean soup recipes with a side serving, you can however feel free to mop the soup up with some gluten free bread.

        Reply
    4. Sarah

      October 23, 2015 at 10:27 am

      This is exactly the type of food I want to sit down and enjoy on a cold winter day - I need to go run to the market now and but some yautia so I can make this. Lovely!

      Reply
      • Charla

        October 23, 2015 at 9:22 pm

        Yes, this sure is comfort food. Thanks for commenting.

        Reply

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    I'm Charla. Caribbean foodie & Certified Health Coach. Welcome to the heaven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes. Learn more about me

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