Root Vegetable and Citrus Soup
It’s cold and rainy outside here in North Carolina and I would like a warm bowl of something - anything! - to just heat up and eat for all my meals. Soup to the rescue - not only is it useful for using things up, but you can also use lots of other things up in the various garnishes and toppings that make soup so very fun and delightful to eat.
This photo is my take on a Spicy Citrus and Harissa Carrot soup from Super Natural Simple by Heidi Swanson. I made it non-spicy in the hopes of getting my children to eat it, but to exactly no one’s surprise, they did not. Regardless, this soup recipe is an excellent base for riffing in any direction you like, whether you go non-spicy or extra spicy or spicy in a different direction (if you want to go spicy, the original recipe has two tablespoons harissa, and Heidi suggests red curry paste or sriracha as substitutes). As long as we’re substituting, feel free to try another root vegetable in place of the carrots, or use a mix.
But. On the bright side, the soup used up 2 whole pounds of carrots that had been taking up space in my crisper drawer. And for garnish I swirled in a big spoonful of Green Sauce that I made to use up various bits of parsley, cilantro, and chives hanging around the kitchen. Perfect for spooning onto soup as well as rice, noodles, eggs, or whatever else you’re making for a hit of flavor.
I also had a slightly stale loaf of bread from my favorite bakery, perfect for toasting into crunchy golden brown croutons. Slice or tear the bread into small cubes, toss in olive and salt, and toast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Never waste good bread when you can make it crunchy and delicious and put it on everything you eat!
Root Vegetable and Citrus Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 to 2 tablespoons harissa, sriracha, red curry paste, or another spice of your choice (optional)
- Roughly 2 pounds carrots, or another root vegetable or a mix, cut into chunks
- About 1 cup raw cashews (if you don't eat nuts, Heidi suggests swapping in a can of coconut and using about a cup less water)
- 1 cup orange juice (if you don't want a citrusy soup, just use more water or stock of your choice)
- Kosher salt to taste
- 4 cups water
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and cook until the onion is lightly translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add the harissa or other spices, if using, then add the root vegetables. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the cashews, orange juice, a teaspoon of salt, and water.
- Cover the pot and let simmer until the root vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Puree the soup using a blender of choice - I find this easiest to do with a hand blender, also known as an immersion blender, so you can just leave the soup in the pot. If you only have a regular blender, carefully transfer the hot soup and puree, making sure to let some steam escape so it doesn't explode hot soup all over the kitchen.
- Taste the soup and season as needed with more salt, maybe some pepper, a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of vinegar to brighten it up.
- Garnish with your choice of crunchy things like croutons or toasted nuts or tortilla chips, green things like fresh herbs or green sauce, and maybe a swirl or dollop of plain yogurt or labneh or sour cream.
