Moroccan Carrot Soup
This is my favorite soup recipe. Ever. I discovered it in Vegetarian Times when I was a vegetarian and living in Boulder, CO (fitting, I know). But more than anything, this soup reminds me of snowy afternoons in Boston. A whole pot would feed me for a good five days. As a graduate student, I’d stock up on bread, butter, greens, coffee and milk, plenty of tea, and a chocolate bar and I could hibernate for quite some time. The smell of the fennel seeds cooking in olive oil brings me right back to my pink-tiled Brookline kitchen. I’d sit at the bay windows, looking out at elderly Russian women in vibrant silk scarves pushing their shopping carts back from the corner grocery store, and college kids with backpacks and arms of books racing to catch the bus. I’ll always equate the smell of this soup with that light-filled pink kitchen, fallen leaves whipping by the windows, and the fading Eastern afternoon light.
This soup is extremely easy. Essentially, you just simmer all of the ingredients in vegetable broth and process with an immersion blender or food processor at the very end. I like to serve it with warm whole-wheat pita, goat cheese or brie (Cowgirl Creamery’s triple cream is my new favorite), olives, and a little prosciutto.
Moroccan Carrot Soup
- Yield: 6
- Prep time: 15 mins
- Cook time: 35 mins
- Total time: 50 mins
Adapted from: Vegetarian Times
Ingredients
Instructions
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add fennel seeds and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Next, add sweet potatoes, carrots, and apple and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes. Add broth, rice, curry powder, coriander, and bay leaf.
After all of the ingredients have been added, bring mixture to a very low boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf and puree soup in batches in a food processor or with an immersion blender. Add lemon juice, salt, and freshly ground pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley.
Welcome to A Sweet Spoonful, my blog devoted to seasonal cooking, whole grain baking, and casual gatherings in our Pacific Northwest home. My name is Megan Gordon and I'm so glad you're here.
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Chow and Chatter
oh what a fab soup
El
I love how rich and creamy this soup looks. Perfect for autumn!
Chez Danisse
I love the story and your soup recipe looks quite tasty.
Sophie
A true tasty soup!!
Looks very pretty too! MMMMMMMMM,...
Mardi @eatlivetravelwrite
Ummm... can I come over to dinner? Like RIGHT NOW? That looks like my idea of a perfect meal and I can totally relate to your "hibernation" grocery list - sounds similar to mine when I was a poor teacher in Paris!!! I'll be making this soup soon.
Kelsey B.
great soup! Ah, yes, snowy boston..
Megan Gordon
It is the perfect hibernation soup! Enjoy.
Jamie
Our favorite soup is a wonderful Moroccan harira (lamb and chickpeas) so I'll bet this soup is fabulous and I must try it! Simple is often the tastiest!
Amelia PS
looks and sounds delicious
Anne
Totally going to try this soup. Thank you. I also loved visiting your place in Boston just now. Thanks for taking me there to hibernate for a minute.
Ellie
Making this now. A perfect soup for a cold rainy fall day in PA
Sheri
I tried it and it's very good--very rich. It will be a nice addition to our Thanksgiving. Thanks for sharing it!
Lauren
Can't wait to make try this recipe for dinner this week!
Nakita
I made this soup and the taste was good but the consistency was watery (or rather, it was not hearty looking like the picture). I followed the recipe exactly but it wasn't like the picture. Maybe too much liquid? Or should the lid be tilted to let some of the liquid evaporate out?
megang
Hi Nakita. Gosh, I'm so sorry the soup turned out a touch watery for you. I usually have the opposite problem, actually, so I'm surprised to hear. Yes, next time: uncover it a little to let some of the moisture cook off. I think this would help you. And perhaps use a bit less cooking liquid, too. Let me know how it turns out. Enjoy your week! ~mg
Anne
Your first paragraph sent me back to my youth. I now live on the West Coast and the description of fading Eastern light, well, there is nothing quite like it. Occasionally we will have a particularly grey day and the light will look similar, but never quite comes close to the dim tone bouncing off industrial brick. Weird, isn't it? How can someone miss light?
But only one chocolate bar?
Kathy
Another winner! However, I think my effort would have been even better if the curry I used was not that which my husband brought into our marriage 17 years ago; lord knows how long he had it before then :). Some day I'll convince him that a Costco oregano, just because it was cheaper by volume, isn't necessarily a great deal with respect to flavor.
Love that this soup is so creamy with no cream!