I’ve been searching for moments of calm and quiet.
It seems like this should be a relatively easy task these days, what with all the staying home at all. But I find more and more that calm and quiet can be just as difficult to find, if not more so, during days of distance learning/working from home. And yet there are the moments that bring me peace, no matter what is happening outside my door, like cooking soup to eat with crusty bread on a cold day.
This soup is beautifully silky, flavorful, easy to make and even something non-beet lovers enjoy. I had several recipe testers who were kind enough to try the recipe out before I posted it (y’all are the BEST) and they had some things to say:
““It’s super yummy!!! I’m not a big beet or carrot fan but this is surprisingly good. Also, I almost didn’t add the garnishes but they really *make it*.” ”
““The flavors are so good. And it was so easy!” ”
“Tester Laura made the soup for her family and used some of the veggies for her baby! He loved the beets. ”
Roasted Carrot & Golden Beet Soup
6 large carrots, washed a peeled
3 medium golden beets, washed and peeled
Olive oil
Salt
1 yellow onion, diced
5 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons red curry paste
4 cups vegetable stock or water
1 can coconut milk, full fat or light
2 tablespoons unsweetened almond butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and chopped cashews or peanuts for topping
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Trim the ends off the carrots and beets, peel them, and cut them into 1 inch pieces. Be sure the veggies are all close to the same size so they cook at the same pace. Scatter the carrots and beets on your prepared baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Roast for 45 minutes or until the veggies are fork tender.
Meanwhile, add about 1 tablespoon of oil to a pot or dutch oven. Heat over a medium flame and, when the oil is heated, add the diced onion and the crushed garlic cloves. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent. Stir the curry paste into the pot and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the stock or water, scraping up any bits that are on the bottom of the pot, followed by the roasted carrots and beets. Bring to a low boil, then add the coconut milk. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the carrots and beets are completely fork tender.
Transfer the soup to a high powered blender along with the almond butter (if it won’t all fit at once, you can do this part in batches- whatever way you choose, please do not overfill the blender and take extra care not to burn yourself as hot liquids expand quickly when blended). You can also use an immersion blender if you have one on hand. Either way, blend the soup until smooth and return to the pot. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with the cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and chopped cashews.
*notes: For more heat, you can add a touch of cayenne or a drizzle of sriracha. For more sweetness, a bit of maple syrup is very nice. You can sub the vegetable stock with chicken stock or water. The almond butter can be replaced with peanut butter or cashew butter.