Roasted Carrot Soup with Chickpeas
Are you a fan of carrots? If so, you're in for a treat with this flavourful Roasted Carrot Soup featuring a delightful blend of hearty roasted carrot essence and comforting spices, complemented by crispy pan-fried chickpeas. Ideal for winter and spring, this soup makes a satisfying light meal for lunch or dinner and is perfect for convenient work lunches!
Ingredients
- 1kg carrots, peeled, havled lengthways and cut into 5cm pieces
- 2 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2cm piece ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- pinch of ground cinnamon
- 6 cups liquid vegetable stock
- 400g can chickpeas, drained
TO SERVE
- Greek style natural yoghurt or sour cream
- Chopped coriander, parsley or micro-greens
- Sourdough toast or other toast
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200℃ (180℃ fan forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper. Toss carrots with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the baking tray and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until tender and lightly golden around the edges.
- Heat a further 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cinnamon, cook, stirring for 1 minute.
- Add the roasted carrots to the pan, vegetable stock and half the chickpeas. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Using a hand held blender, blend soup until smooth. Alternately, let cool slightly then blend in a food processor or blender. Season to taste with cracked black pepper. Set aside.
- Pat the remaining chickpeas dry with paper towel. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in a small frying pan over high heat. Add the chickpeas and cook until lightly golden. Season to taste. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with toasted chickpeas, a dollop of yoghurt or sour cream and a drizzle olive oil. Garnish with herbs and serve with toasted sourdough.
Notes
- COOKS NOTES:
Oven Temps: Oven temperatures are for conventional, if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C.
Measurements: We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml & 1 cup = 250 ml.
Herbs: All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed.
Vegetables: All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified.
Eggs: We use extra-large size and eggs are 55-60 g each, unless specified. - CARROTS
For an extra dose of nutrition and a rustic touch to your Roasted Carrot and Chickpea Soup, consider leaving the carrots unpeeled. The carrot skin is rich in fibre and contains additional nutrients that contribute to the overall health benefits of the dish. - OPTIONAL EXTRAS
- Lemon - a good squeeze of lemon juice in the soup before serving gives it a nice citrus kick.
- Butter - 1-2 tablespoons of butter added after pureeing will give it a a lovely creamy & buttery flavour.
- STORAGE TIPS
- Fridge - leftover Roasted Carrot Soup can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer - this easy carrot soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- Reheating - reheat the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave. Make sure to warm slowly and gently.