Creamy Carrot Soup with Roasted Chickpeas

It is probably no secret that I love soup. Who knows how many soup recipes there are on this blog? (Well, I will find out when I finally make my recipe index!) Though I love almost every soup I meet, I am not particularly fond of sweet ones, and that’s why I was so excited when I saw this recipe on Smitten Kitchen. I just happened to have bought a five-pound bag of carrots, and I feel like such a champion when I can make dinner with what I’ve already got on hand.

The soup is so simple: carrots, onions, garlic, cumin, coriander, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Not even any cream, so you can feel ultra good about it.

And that’s why you will never believe me when I tell you that this soup has enough flavor to knock your socks right off. That Deb, she is a genius, I’m telling you.

Even still, these cumin roasted chickpeas just about steal the show. They are a little bit crispy, and they actually serve as tiny little croutons. Genius, I tell you.

This bread is technically unrelated to this recipe, but fresh bread of some kind is ever so highly recommended. You’re gonna want to soak up every drop of that soup.

Tahini and I are not really friends, but if you do like it, Deb suggests a lemon tahini topping that you should definitely check out. I’m just going to keep making it this way forever, and I’m very happy to have a delicious dinner on file that I’ll mostly likely always have the ingredients for on hand. A happy find!

Creamy Carrot Soup with Roasted Chickpeas
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Soup
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
2 pounds (905 grams) carrots, peeled, diced or thinly sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 regular or 6 small garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon table salt, plus more if needed
Pinch of Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
4 cups (945 ml) vegetable broth

Roasted chickpeas
1 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 15-ounce (425-gram) can, drained, patted dry on paper towels
1 generous tablespoon (15 ml or so) olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

-Heat two tablespoons olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper flakes and sauté until they begin to brown, about 15 minutes.
-Meanwhile, heat your oven to 425 degrees F. Toss chickpeas with one tablespoon olive oil, salt and cumin until they’re all coated. Spread them on a baking sheet or pan and roast them in the oven until they’re browned and crisp. This can take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the size and firmness of your chickpeas. Toss them occasionally to make sure they’re toasting evenly.
-Once vegetables have begun to brown, add broth, using it to scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Cover pot with lid and simmer until carrots are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
-Puree soup in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with roasted chickpeas.