Perfectly sweet, and a tad fiery, this offbeat soup is a great way to kick off a celebratory meal. Roasting the main ingredients instead of using the traditional simmering method deepens the flavour and makes the recipe a touch more hands-off.
Zest for lifeWhen only using the juice from citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons in a recipe, consider zesting them first. The zest can keep in the fridge for several days and be used to punch up everything from salad dressings to baked goods.
Citrusy Roasted Carrot Soup
Ingredients
- 2 medium navel oranges
- 1 1/2 lbs (750 g) carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2 in (1.25 cm) pieces
- 1 peeled yellow onion, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) grapeseed or sunflower oil
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
- 1 in (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
- 2 tsp (10 mL) honey
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cumin
- 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) cayenne
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) toasted pumpkin seeds
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories162
- protein3g
- fat8g
- saturated fat1g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates21g
- sugars12g
- fibre5g
- sodium274mg
Directions
01
Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C).
02
Zest oranges and reserve. Slice off remaining skin and white pith from oranges and divide each into halves.
03
In large bowl, toss oranges, carrots, onion, and garlic with grapeseed or sunflower oil and salt. On rimmed baking sheet, spread out and roast, stirring once, until carrots are softened, about 35 minutes.
04
In blender or food processor, place roasted vegetables and oranges along with 5 cups (1.25 L) water, orange zest, ginger, honey, cumin, cayenne, and cinnamon; blend until smooth. Do this in 2 batches, if necessary.
05
Warm soup in saucepan if needed and serve garnished with a drizzle of olive oil and toasted pumpkin seeds.
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD, is a nutrition writer and recipe developer. He’s also the author of Rocket Fuel and Muffin Tin Chef.
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
Farro, Lentil, and Vegetable Soup
Adding farro, with its nutty bite, is a delicious and convenient way to increase your soup’s fibre and nutritional value. This hearty soup is the perfect remedy to a cold January day. Lemon and chervil add a bright contrast to the fibre-packed earthy flavours. Farro timesaver With a long cooking time, it’s worth it to cook a larger amount of farro and freeze it in small-portioned batches which can be thawed quickly. Using a ratio of 1:4 farro to water, cook on medium-high heat until farro is al dente, in a similar manner to the way you would cook pasta. Drain, rinse, portion, and freeze for later use. To thaw, simply run frozen farro under water or add directly to soup.
Arugula Salad with Roasted Delicata Squash, Pomegranate Molasses, and Pine Nuts
Oven-roasted delicata squash makes a crispy treat atop this green salad. As its name suggests, this squash has a thin, delicate skin that’s tasty when cooked. Pomegranate molasses, an ingredient common in Lebanese and Middle-Eastern cuisine, brings a sweet and sour flavour to the dressing. No pine nuts? Use squash seeds! Simply collect about 1/4 cup (60 mL) seeds from cleaned squash, rinse, and mix with 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) of the spice mix used to roast the squash and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) olive oil. Roast at 425 F (220 C) on parchment-lined baking sheet for 20 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
Cardamom and Ginger Scented Farro Breakfast Porridge
Look for whole grain farro, which leaves the germ and bran intact, for this satisfying porridge that’s sure to kickstart your day. While the cooking time is longer than for pearled or semi-pearled varieties, you’ll get more nutrition. Take the time to enjoy the delicate scent of cardamom and ginger wafting through your kitchen as you prepare this. Ancient grain Farro (also referred to as emmer or einkorn) is a variety of wheat known as an ancient grain, which means that it hasn’t changed over time through breeding as is the case with many varieties of modern wheat.
Sheet Pan Golden Tofu Medley
This easy, yet impressive, vegan dinner is packed with oven-roasted flavour and proves that creating satisfying weeknight plant-based meals is entirely possible. If working with a small oven with only room for one sheet at a time, you can prepare the tofu and vegetables in batches separately.