Moroccan Carrot Soup

Recipe 30 minPreparation Time 60 minCooking Time

Moroccan Carrot Soup

30 minPreparation Time 60 min Cooking Time

About this Recipe

This Moroccan carrot soup will surprise you because it’s got a lot of body and texture thanks to the Arborio rice and cashew purée, which make it thick and creamy. The quinoa and amaranth add texture and make it feel more like a meal than a soup. And carrot juice is not just sweet and refreshing, but also a little creamy. It adds texture but not too much thickness, and you don’t lose the flavor of the carrot.

The Benefits

This dish adds superfoods in your soup bowl with immunity-building ingredients like amaranth, which is high in vitamin C, carrots that are packed with vitamin A (which is good for your eyes), and heart-healthy quinoa and cashews.

Note: For the cooked quinoa, put 1 cup quinoa in a large pot with 8 cups (2 L) of water and 1½ Tbsp salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook until the grains are tender but have a little pop (some of the seeds will start to sprout a bit). Drain; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Here's the recipe for Cashew Purée.

Ingredients

2½ cups (300 g) MAKES
  • 1/4 cup (45 g) amaranth
  • 1 tsp salt, plus more for seasoning
  • 1/4 cup (30 g) cooked quinoa (see Note)
  • 2 tsp coconut oil
  • 6 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2 Tbsp (25 g) Arborio rice
  • 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 whole cloves, toasted
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin, toasted
  • Pinch of ground cinnamon
  • 1½ tsp flaxseed
  • 4 cups (960 ml) carrot juice
  • 2 cups (480 ml) almond milk
  • 2 tsp Cashew Purée (see link below for recipe)

Directions

  1. Step 1
    In a small pot, cover the amaranth with cold water (by about 4 in/10 cm) and add the salt. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes over low heat, until the amaranth is cooked, and then strain. Measure out 1/4 cup (56 g) of the cooked amaranth and set aside with the 1/4cup (30 g) of quinoa.
  2. Step 2
    Meanwhile, in a medium pot, melt the coconut oil and sweat the garlic, Arborio rice, and onion over medium heat until softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the toasted spices, cinnamon, and flaxseed, and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.
  3. Step 3
    Add the carrot juice and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the almond milk and simmer another 10 minutes. Add the cashew purée and stir until it is heated through and incorporated.
  4. Step 4
    Transfer the soup to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and purée for 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the blender several times to make sure all the ingredients get fully incorporated. Pass the mixture through a chinois or fine-mesh strainer back into the pot you cooked it in. (I use the chinois here to strain out the cloves, to make it as clean as possible.) Add the cooked quinoa and amaranth. Let the soup comeback to a boil and season with salt. Serve immediately. Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Adapted from Good for You: Bold Flavors with Benefits by Akhtar Nawab (Chronicle, 2020)

Photo by Signe Birck

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