Recipe: Carrot Soup with Tahini and Crisped Chickpeas

This winter has been brutally cold so far, so I hope you are keeping warm! I came across this carrot soup recipe that is so flavorful and comforting, so I wanted to share it with y’all. The addition of crisped chickpeas and tahini takes this soup from good to omg-I-want-three-more-bowls-now delicious!

Pureed soups are awesome because the starch in the vegetables act as natural thickeners, as opposed to creamy soups where butter/cream/roux are added. The basic idea is the same: take a starchy vegetable (sweet potato, potato, acorn squash, pumpkin), cook it down with onions and garlic. Add broth, season, then puree. I love using my handheld mixer to puree the soup, right in the pot. Easy peasy. Of course, you can use a regular blender or a food processor as well.

By the way, here are some more soup ideas: Boston clam chowder, chicken noodle, beef chili, pumpkin lemongrass.

Carrot Soup with Lemon, Tahini and Crisped Chickpeas
From Smitten Kitchen
Serves 4, generously or 6, petitely

Note: I skipped the author’s original notes about pita bread so refer to original link if you’d like to serve this with pita.

Soup
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
2 pounds (905 grams) carrots, peeled, diced or thinly sliced (I used baby carrots)
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 regular or 6 small garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon table salt, plus more if needed
Pinch of Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
4 cups (945 ml) vegetable broth

Crisped chickpeas
1 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 15-ounce (425-gram) can, drained, patted dry on paper towels
1 generous tablespoon (15 ml or so) olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Lemon-tahini dollop
3 tablespoons (25 grams) tahini paste
2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice
Pinch or two of salt
2 tablespoons (30 ml) water

1. Heat two tablespoons olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper flakes and sauté until they begin to brown, about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 425 degrees F. Toss chickpeas with one tablespoon olive oil, salt and cumin until they’re all coated. Spread them on a baking sheet or pan and roast them in the oven until they’re browned and crisp. This can take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the size and firmness of your chickpeas. Toss them occasionally to make sure they’re toasting evenly.

3. Once vegetables have begun to brown, add broth, using it to scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Cover pot with lid and simmer until carrots are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a small dish, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, salt and water until smooth with a yogurt-like consistency. If more liquid is needed to thin it, you can add more lemon juice or water, a spoonful at a time, until you get your desired consistency.

5. Puree soup in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth. Ladle into bowls. Dollop each with lemon-tahini, sprinkle with crisped chickpeas and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with pita wedges. Forget January, you’d eat this anytime. Right? (YES!)