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, is a dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. He is also the author of Rocket Fuel (VeloPress, 2016) and Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press, 2012).
