Carrot + Parnsip with Spicy Roasted Chickpea Soup + A Recipe

SOUP. SOUP. SOUP. I can eat soup everyday. There’s no end to the combinations of flavors and textures, and, that, my friends, is where all the fun is – at least in my humble opinion.

So, for today’s Sunday Soups, I started with a simple enough carrot soup recipe and spiced it up with some toasted coriander, cumin, paprika, and khmeli-suneli for kick. Then, went ahead and roasted handfuls of chickpeas (extra for snacking on later) tossed with the same mix. A little coconut milk, toasted chunky almonds and fresh cilantro rounded the flavors out nicely. Full of flavor, healthy, and, if you need it to be, vegan, as well.

As with most of my soups, and really, all recipes of my own making, I don’t follow any precise measurements – instead, I go by ingredients I like and how it all tastes.
Nonetheless, here is the what and how of today’s soup, which served up 4 of us quite nicely.
Be sure to read the directions all the way through, some parts are for soup making, toppings, or both.

Carrot/Parsnip Soup with Spicy Roasted Chickpeas & Toasted Almonds

Ingredients for soup:

6 or 7 carrots, chopped into 1″cuts
4 or 5 parsnips, chopped into 1″cuts
3 crushed garlic cloves
1 sweet med/large sized onion, roughly chopped
1 heaping Tblsp of coconut oil
Water (of course you may use veg or chicken stock too)
A dollop or two of coconut milk
1/2 tsp each, of toasted coriander, paprika, and khmeli-suneli (of which I found at Colonel D’s Gourmet Herbs and Spices, at Findlay Market)
salt (kosher)/p

Ingredients for the roasted chickpeas:

2 cans, drained and rinsed, chick peas (or, if you remember to soak dried chickpeas the night before, the same amount)
1 heaping tsp of coconut oil, melted
1/2 tsp each of toasted coriander, paprika, and khmeli-suneli (of which I found at Colonel D’s at Findlay Market)
s (kosher)/p

Topping:

A handful of coarsely chopped almonds
A handful of coarsely chopped cilantro
The roasted chickpeas

Method:

On med/high, heat a heavy bottomed pot, add the coconut oil, melt, and then add the chopped onions with a healthy pinch of salt, and cook till translucent, about 5 minutes or so.
Add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes, don’t burn.
Add the chopped carrots and parsnips, and another pinch of salt, as well as the spices, and cook for anther 5 min or so.
Add enough water or stock to just cover everything. More for thinner soup, less for thicker.
Bring to a boil, then cover, turn the heat down to a simmer until the veggies are soft – about 20-30 minutes. Watch the liquid levels, adding more, if needed.

Meanwhile for the roasted chickpeas…
Put a sheet pan in a preheated 425 degree F oven till nice and hot.
Toss the chickpeas with the melted coconut oil, a healthy pinch of salt and the rest of the spices.
Carefully remove the sheet pan, and pour the coated chickpeas onto the pan and return to the oven for about 20 minutes. Be sure to shake the pan a few times during the cooking time and keep an eye on them, your cooking time may be less.
When done, remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, toast the chopped almonds in a pan on the stove, shaking often and don’t let them burn. Set aside.

When the vegetables are soft, add a handful of the roasted chickpeas and a handful of fresh cilantro to the soup pot.
Then using an immersion blender, whiz everything up until smooth.
Add as much or as little coconut milk as you like, taste and adjust your seasonings.

To serve:

Ladle the soup into warm soup bowls and top with fresh chopped cilantro, toasted almonds and roasted chickpeas.

** I have also made a version of this soup by first roasting the carrots, parsnips, onions and garlic (in coconut or olive oil), in the oven , first, until nice and caramelized – before adding it all to the pot on the stove, then, adding in the spices, roasted chickpeas, cooking liquid, coconut milk – and blending it all. This method gives the soup a whole other level of richness. Just as easy, just another step.

**Khmeli-Suneli is a spice blend of Coriander, Savory, Fenugreek, Marjoram, Dill weed, Spearmint, Parsley, Black Pepper, Bay Leaves, and Calendula.

With all things in the kitchen, be open to new flavors, experiment, add what you like, omit what you don’t, and just have fun!