• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Heal Me Delicious
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Type
      • Appetizers
      • Breakfast
      • Desserts
      • Drinks
      • Mains
      • Pasta
      • Quick Meals
      • Salads
      • Sauces
      • Sides
      • Soups
    • Dietary Preference
      • AIP
      • Coconut Free
      • Dairy Free
      • Gluten Free
      • Paleo
      • Vegan
    • Grain-Free Baking
      • Breads
      • Cakes
      • Cookies
      • Donuts
      • Muffins
      • Pastries
    • Caribbean Inspired
  • Resources
    • Guides, eBooks & Courses
    • Grain-free Academy
    • Lifestyle
  • Shop
    • eBooks
    • Courses
  • About
    • Contact
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  •  
Home / Recipe Type / Soups

Caribbean-inspired Beef Soup

October 5, 2020 Modified February 11, 2025 By Nicole Charles 41 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe

This delicious Caribbean-inspired Beef Soup is made with ground beef, creamy coconut milk, white sweet potatoes, fresh thyme and cilantro. It’s AIP, paleo and Whole30 compliant.

Two white bowls on a light background filled with yellow coloured soup with dumplings, white sweet potato, chopped carrots and ground beef with a spoon, an orange cloth napkin and stems of cilantro

This post contains affiliate links

Soup on a Sunday is a tradition I grew up with in the Caribbean. To me, a hearty bowl of soup complete with carbohydrates, proteins and veggies is the ultimate comfort food – year round! When I share with my North American friends that we ate soup weekly in Trinidad, people often express surprise because it’s a tropical climate. To that I respond: “Did you know that eating hot food when it’s hot outside can actually assist in regulating body temperature and cooling the body down?⁣”

I can eat this Caribbean-inspired Beef soup any day, though it’s especially welcomed as we transition into Fall. It’s made with ground beef, creamy coconut milk, white-fleshed sweet potatoes, and a medley of fresh herbs vegetables.

The dumplings are optional here and you should omit them if you’re Whole30. These dumplings were my favourite part of Caribbean soups and stews growing up. They’re not round or flat, nor are they stuffed. Instead, they are long, dense and tapered and known as “spinners and sinkers” in many Caribbean countries. This is because they sink and spin when they cook within broths and soups. Just describing them makes me crave them.

Two white bowls on a light background filled with yellow coloured soup with dumplings, white sweet potato, chopped carrots and ground beef.

Here’s what you need for this Caribbean-inspired Beef Soup:

  • White-fleshed sweet potatoes: These have a red skin with a white/yellowish inside. Their texture is a bit starchier and more crumbly than the orange sweet potatoes.
  • Ground Beef
  • Full fat, additive free coconut milk
  • Celery, onions, carrots and garlic – these make a mirepoix base of the soup
  • Fresh cilantro and thyme. These are the central flavors in this soup, you don’t want to skip these if you’re going for that Caribbean flare
  • Dried oregano
  • Beef or Chicken broth or stock – ensure ingredients are AIP compliant
  • For the dumplings (optional – omit for Whole30) you’ll need cassava flour, coconut flour, salt and water.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use a different variety of sweet potato?

Yes, you can sub orange-fleshed sweet potatoes for white or Japanese sweet potatoes in this soup. Check out this post for info on some of my most commonly used AIP compliant Caribbean ingredients.

Can I make this soup coconut-free?

Coconut adds a characteristic flavor to this Caribbean Beef Soup. That said, if you can’t tolerate coconut you could try subbing with more chicken bone broth. For the dumplings, you can try subbing tapioca starch for the coconut flour.

What can I use in place of cilantro?

If you aren’t a cilantro lover this may not be the soup for you ?. I haven’t tried another substitution here, but suspect basil could work for a totally different flavor profile.

Can I make this soup in the Instant Pot or Slow cooker?

Yes, you’ll just want to ensure you use the sauté function first to combine the beef with the carrots, onions, garlic, celery, herbs and salt before adding the remaining ingredients.

Two white bowls on a light background filled with yellow coloured soup with dumplings, white sweet potato, chopped carrots and ground beef with a hand lifting a spoonful of soup

Liked this Caribbean-inspired Beef Soup? Try these other Caribbean-inspired AIP recipes:

  • Trinidadian Callaloo
  • AIP Beef Patties
  • AIP Salted Cod in Coconut Milk

If you try this Caribbean-inspired Beef Soup I would love if you gave it a star rating and short review. Be sure to snap a picture of the finished product and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @healmedelicious 

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Two white bowls on a light background filled with yellow coloured soup with dumplings, white sweet potato, chopped carrots and ground beef with a spoon, an orange cloth napkin and stems of cilantro

Caribbean-inspired Beef Soup (AIP, paleo, Whole30)


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 24 reviews

  • Author: Nicole Charles
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

This delicious Caribbean-inspired Beef soup is made with ground beef creamy coconut milk, white sweet potatoes, fresh thyme and cilantro. It’s AIP and paleo and if you omit the dumplings it’s also Whole30 compliant.


Ingredients

Units Scale

Soup

  • 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 large carrots, chopped into 1/2 inch chunks
  • 1 cup celery, finely chopped
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 1.5 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
  • 1 cup white or Japanese sweet potato, cubed
  • 3 cups beef or chicken broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup full fat, additive free coconut milk

Cassava flour dumplings (omit for Whole30)

  • 1/2 cup cassava flour
  • 2 TBSP coconut flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup water

Instructions

  •  In a large stock pot, heat olive oil on medium heat.
  • Add carrots, celery, onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes stirring frequently (until onions are translucent)
  • Add ground beef and sea salt thyme, oregano, cilantro. Sauté for 3 -5 minutes allowing the meat to be well seasoned.
  • Add sweet potatoes, broth, water and coconut milk. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15- 20 minutes to allow sweet potato to soften.
  • If using dumplings, combine cassava flour, coconut flour, salt and 1/4 cup water in a medium sized bowl and stir to combine into a dough, adding remaining 1/4 cup of water as necessary. Use your hands to bring dough together into a large ball. Pull off 1/2 inch pieces of the dough and roll it between the palms of your hands to form a tapered cylindrical shape.
  • Add dumplings to the pot of soup and cook 4-5 minutes.
  • Serve soup hot, garnished with additional cilantro. 
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Soups

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag @healmedelicious — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

Categories: AIP, All Recipes, Beef, Caribbean Inspired, Gluten Free, Mains, Paleo, Quick Meals, Soups, Whole30

Previous Post: « Sautéed Veggies with Pears & Chives
Next Post: Spaghetti and Meat Sauce »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Becca

    December 1, 2024 at 9:27 pm

    Thank you for sharing this recipe, it was delicious 🩵

    Reply
  2. Tami

    November 16, 2024 at 7:33 pm

    I made it without the dumplings, and it was delicious and filling! It’s nice to find recipes I can try on my new healthy lifestyle journey. Thanks!

    Reply
  3. Vicki

    October 27, 2024 at 7:57 pm

    The soup is delicious! I will definitely be making this all winter long. I am so glad I stopped by the store and got a Japanese Sweet Potato! These are delicious and very different taste profile from us sweet potatoes. I can’t wait to make again! So yummy!

    Reply
  4. Apple

    August 7, 2024 at 6:16 am

    ive added butternut to this recipe and swapped the coconut milk with coconut cream. OMG! It tasted even better!

    Reply
    • Nicole Charles

      August 7, 2024 at 11:18 am

      Love that idea!

      Reply
  5. Rebecca

    January 19, 2024 at 3:20 pm

    I have made this so many times now. At times, I have used chicken, I have also subbed out potato for squash on occasion, and added chopped kale. Its always a hit – thank you!

    Reply
  6. Tracey K

    October 20, 2023 at 12:32 pm

    Nicole this recipe is so DELICIOUS!
    Thank you for posting this. I had a bit of trouble with the consistency of the dumplings (too dry) so added more water. They turned a little brown in the soup. Other than that it was AMAZING.
    I am going to follow you for some more great recipes!

    Reply
  7. Robin B

    January 30, 2023 at 3:15 pm

    This recipe looks like it would be great. However, I am keto, AIP, and allergic to chicken so I have to be very creative with substitutions in recipes that I find. What non-starchy vegetable would you suggest to take the place of the sweet potatoes?

    Reply
    • Nicole Charles

      January 30, 2023 at 10:19 pm

      You could try celeriac

      Reply
  8. Leigh Smith

    January 20, 2023 at 12:53 pm

    Hi!!! Can this soup be Frozen?

    Reply
    • Nicole Charles

      January 26, 2023 at 12:52 pm

      yes indeed!

      Reply
  9. CJ

    October 25, 2022 at 9:18 pm

    Loved it! The only change I made was mushrooms in place of celery. Thank you!

    Reply
  10. Colleen

    September 9, 2022 at 3:28 pm

    Another hit! It’s a good hardy soup that I will be making a lot of this winter. It has a rich flavor and the dumplings top the soup off. Well done Nicole!

    Reply
  11. Ella

    September 7, 2022 at 10:20 pm

    i’ll have to make this for dinner

    Reply
  12. Isabella

    April 2, 2022 at 9:41 am

    Really good! I added some roasted okra and fresh spinach and omitted the dumplings in lieu of roasted cauliflower.

    Reply
  13. ahs

    March 14, 2022 at 5:51 pm

    I made this soup for my partner last night and was so happy to watch them enjoy each bite with their eyes closed in *complete* pleasure. I went with white sweet potatoes instead of dumplings for the first night and look forward to trying a leftover bowl with dumplings! Prior to finding HMD I struggled to find soup & stew recipes that I found satiating for the amount of swimming I do. I am happy to report that this soup (so good!) and Nicole’s Trinidadian-inspired Beef Stew recipe: https://healmedelicious.com/trinidadian-beef-stew/ (also so good!) both do the trick of a post-swim meal without leaving me desperate for more carbs after! Thank you, Nicole!

    Reply
  14. Michele

    January 30, 2022 at 6:16 pm

    I love this soup, trying it again but this time with ground turkey in place of beef. When using full fat coconut milk are you speaking of the canned kind or carton? If canned do you add the creamed layer on top as well?

    Reply
    • Nicole Charles

      February 7, 2022 at 10:34 am

      canned or carton doesn’t matter you just want to ensure it’s not “lite” and it’s just coconut cream and water. Yes, you want the creamed layer on top.

      Reply
  15. Mary Beth

    November 23, 2021 at 10:02 pm

    Delicious!! And so easy! Even hubby said it was surprisingly good! (& he doesn’t alway eat my AIP recipes!) Thank you!

    Reply
  16. Miroslawa

    November 22, 2021 at 8:49 pm

    This is a perfect snowy day soup. I used beef shank pieces or that “bite” which I boiled for a while instead of ground beef. Loved the addition of coconut and cilantro.

    Reply
  17. Thea L Racelis

    November 16, 2021 at 2:04 pm

    This was a fantastic soup. I ate mine with some green plantain chips for some crunch. Absolutely delicious! Your recipes are always a win in my household!

    Reply
    • Nicole Charles

      November 16, 2021 at 2:15 pm

      So glad you enjoyed, Thea! Thanks for your review.

      Reply
  18. Suzanne Brady

    October 22, 2021 at 1:42 pm

    Excellent soup!! OMG!!!
    I followed as best as I could but didn’t have the white sweet potatoes. And I used one pound each of organic pork and beef.

    LOVE this soup. Thank You!!

    Reply
  19. Kelsey

    October 20, 2021 at 1:49 am

    Made this and it was so delicious. I made the soup exactly as directed, just made the dumplings from regular flower. Will definitely make again.

    Reply
  20. Lizzie

    October 17, 2021 at 8:56 pm

    This was delicious!! Thank you for making this fabulous recipe. I will be making it again!

    Reply
  21. Sarah

    October 16, 2021 at 8:49 pm

    I just found your blog and am so happy I did! This is the first recipe I tried, and it was honestly the first flavorful “is this really AIP” recipe I’ve made since I started this journey. My partner was pleasantly surprised, and he can eat “all the things”. I have several of your recipes bookmarked and plan on visiting often! We made your crispy tuna wraps for lunch, and he is all in on them as well 🙂

    Thank you for being here and for sharing!

    Reply
    • Nicole Charles

      October 18, 2021 at 9:55 am

      Thank you for being here! 🙂

      Reply
  22. Jill

    August 17, 2021 at 6:35 am

    This recipe is now fully into the dinner rotation! So yummy, especially with fresh lime juice. Last night I made the ground beef into little meatballs and also added fresh basil at the end. Yum!

    Reply
  23. Renee Edmondson

    July 8, 2021 at 6:00 pm

    This is “oh my gosh” good! I’m not a fan of spicy foods but this is just right. Each bite leaves you with wanting more. This soup is also a big request from my family – my son wanted it this week and it’s 90 degrees outside. Oh well! Try it – you will like it.

    Reply
    • Nicole Charles

      July 9, 2021 at 2:26 pm

      Hi Renee! Oh I’m so happy to hear this. And thank you for taking the time to leave a review

      Reply
  24. Violet

    July 5, 2021 at 6:35 pm

    Just made this soup for my family. It was an absolute hit! The broth was so rich and delicious. The dumplings were such a nice touch. Def will make it many more times!!

    Reply
    • Nicole Charles

      July 9, 2021 at 2:28 pm

      Thank you Violet, I’m glad you enjoyed!

      Reply
  25. Ann-Maree

    July 1, 2021 at 9:55 am

    This is so delicious and yet quick to make!

    Reply
  26. Genevieve

    February 27, 2021 at 10:17 am

    Loved it!

    I’m low carb so having a bowl of this for breakfast is divine in this cold wintry weather. Can’t wait to try more recipes!!!!

    Reply
  27. Barbara Hamilton

    January 9, 2021 at 12:16 am

    Every single recipe I’ve tried from your website has been just awesome. I made this soup with small chunks of beef rather than hamburger and it was really nice. I wasn’t going to make the dumplings at first but I’m so glad that I did. They are really delicious and no work at all. Really delicious soup! Wondering if a splash of lime would work with the Caribbean flavours? I’ll try it tomorrow.

    Reply
    • Nicole Charles

      January 9, 2021 at 12:26 am

      Thank you! Yes, a splash of lime could be delicious. Traditionally in Trinidad if we made a soup with chunks of beef we’d marinate it in a seasoning with lime, thyme, chives, cilantro and scotch bonnet peppers.

      Reply
  28. Yannique

    November 9, 2020 at 1:38 pm

    This soup was a huge hit in my household of four. Absolutely delicious! Thanks for this scrumptious and easy to follow recipe Nicole!

    Reply
  29. Amanda

    October 7, 2020 at 8:47 pm

    I made this soup for dinner last night, and it was delicious! Nicole has made my dumpling/strudel dreams come true! My grandma used to make us soup with strudel, so I was very excited to try this. As with many of Nicole’s recipes, I was surprised how quick this was to make, and for those of us eating AIP, the ingredients are staple items.

    I had leftovers for dinner tonight, and I made a fresh batch of dumplings. This time, I tried Nicole’s suggestion of swapping tapioca flour for coconut flour. I did prefer the flavour of the original dumplings, but these ones were still delicious. Personally, I don’t do well with coconut, so I will make the tapioca version going forward, and I will definitely be adding them to other soups I make. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Nicole Charles

      October 7, 2020 at 9:03 pm

      Thanks so much for your review Amanda! I’m glad you enjoyed <3

      Reply
    • Amanda

      October 17, 2020 at 8:28 pm

      Delicious soup! I wasn’t going to make the dumplings, but I’m sure glad that I did. They also seem pretty versatile – I can’t wait to try a chicken and dumpling soup with them next.

      Reply
  30. Stacy

    October 6, 2020 at 9:16 pm

    Thank you for the recipe! Can’t wait to try it out!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

Primary Sidebar

Hi! I’m Nicole, the recipe developer, food enthusiast and photographer behind Heal Me Delicious. Read More

Footer

HEAL ME DELICIOUS
Recipes
  • All Recipes
  • Autoimmune Protocol
  • Paleo
  • Vegan
  • Dairy Free
  • Caribbean Inspired
  • Whole30
More
  • Lifestyle
  • About
  • Shop
  • Contact Me
  • Newsletter
  • Site disclaimer
  • Affiliate Disclosure
This website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Copyright © 2025 Heal Me Delicious. All Rights Reserved.