It’s the first week of January, so I am going to go out on a limb and guess that no fewer than 52 percent of you are gnawing on a carrot stick right now. If you’re not gnawing on a carrot stick right now, you probably have some within reach of you. If they’re not within reach of you, they’re in your fridge, because you, like most of us, are more ambitious when it comes to grocery lists than you might be when it’s time to consume said groceries. And if they’re not in your fridge, you might have them on your mind, nagging at you. Early January is like that. (Late January is all about rich comfort foods. Trust me.)
I set off 2012 on this site with a carrot soup, and it’s not accidental that I’m doing the same in 2013. You see, one of the sadder facts about me is that I’m plagued with indecision about everything, from bangs to coffee tables to soups, and before you ended up reading about Carrot Soup with Miso and Sesame and maybe even some pickled scallions, I had at least three ideas for carrot soup spinning in my head and it likely took me a solid week with immeasurable hemming and hawing to even settle on the miso version first. This carrot tahini soup was first runner up last year, but it’s clear to me, eating my first bowl of this right now, this was a mistake. The inspiration is one of my favorite snacks (sadly, not shared by my assistant, yet), carrot sticks dipped in hummus* and here I tried to deconstruct the two things only to reconstruct them better.
Amazingly, both carrot soups originate from the same place, which is that I don’t much care for it. And I know what you’re thinking: “Three carrot soups? When you barely like one? Weirdo!” But, I’d argue, pickiness, namely mine, needn’t be so much a roadblock but a source of inspiration. I enjoy finding ways I can make things I once believed to be not my thing very much my thing. If I find carrot soup is vaguely sweet and flat, how can I make it complex and textured and bright? Last year it was miso, sesame and pickled scallions. This year it is even better: some smoky cumin, coriander and pepper flakes sauteed with the soup vegetables, a swirl of lemon-tahini to finish, loads of crispy chickpeas as croutons. It’s all sorts of January-ness in a bowl — vegetarian, nay, vegan, antioxidants! alpha-carotene! beta-carotene! potassium! Guys, it’s like one spoonful of quinoa short of Food Blog Deity status. But — snore! — really, it’s just good. January or not, that’s the only good reason I can think of to eat something.
* Hummus? I was thinking about doing an updated post on hummus, with a different technique, but only if there’s interest. Update: As you wish, Ethereally Smooth Hummus!
More: Carrots and soups, previously.
One year ago: Carrot Soup with Miso and Sesame
Two years ago: Chard and White Bean Stew
Three years ago: Walnut Pesto, Spicy Caramel Popcorn and Southwestern Pulled Brisket
Four years ago: Veselka’s Cabbage Soup, Spelt Everything Crackers, Feta Salsa, Zuni Cafe’s Roast Chicken and Bread Salad, Cranberry Vanilla Coffee Cake, Sausage Stuffed Potatoes + Green Salad
Five years ago: Caramel Cake, 96 Favorites and Viennese Cucumber Salad
Six years ago: Boozy Baked French Toast, Parmesan Black Pepper Biscotti, Coq au Vin
Carrot Soup with Lemon, Tahini and Crisped Chickpeas
My soup vice is because I’ve already confessed to finding it a little dull, that I overcompensate with add-ins. Here, there’s a dollop (lemon-tahini), a crouton (cumin-crisped chickpeas, which might sound familiar as they’re also here), wedges of toasted pitas (brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with za’atar) and a garnish (parsley). If you’re not me, this might seem like overkill, in which case you should definitely just use the ones you find the most interesting.
Serves 4, generously or 6, petitely
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
Crisped 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
Lemon-tahini dollop
3 tablespoons (25 grams) tahini paste
2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice
Pinch or two of salt
2 tablespoons (30 ml) water
Pita wedges, garnish
A few large pitas, cut into 8 wedges
Olive oil, to brush pitas
Za’atar (a Middle Eastern spice-herb blend) or sesame seeds and sea salt to sprinkle
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
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.
Meanwhile, in a small dish, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, salt and water until smooth with a yogurt-like consistency. If more liquid is needed to thin it, you can add more lemon juice or water, a spoonful at a time, until you get your desired consistency.
Spread pita wedges on a second baking sheet and brush lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with za’atar or a combination of sea salt and sesame seeds and toast in oven with chickpeas until brown at edges, about 5 minutes.
Puree soup in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth. Ladle into bowls. Dollop each with lemon-tahini, sprinkle with crisped chickpeas and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with pita wedges. Forget January, you’d eat this anytime. Right?
Give us Hummus!!!!!
I can’t imagine a better combination than the creamy soup and crispy chickpeas. A perfect soup topper!
I’ve never been pleased with any of the hummus I’ve made, I’m up for a new technique.
I love all the different versions! You never know what you’ll be craving. I make a miso carrot soup, but I love this twist – especially since I’m watching sodium these days. I don’t know how I forgot about roasting chickpeas either! Crunchy perfection.
Wow this soup was AMAZING!!! I followed your recipe exactly, topped with chickpeas and tahini lemon sauce. I will be deleting all other carrot soup recipes I have. Thank you so much 😊
I can’t stop laughing about the carrot sticks. It’s true. I have those to look forward to a little later…
Hummus!
“Too much hummus!” …said no one* ever!
*except maybe your assistant, but moms know best. – he’ll learn eventually.
Hah I definitely do have carrot sticks within reach right now! I love carrots and hummus, so this soup with tahini seems perfect.
Just what I’m looking for post-holidays!
I’m still in search of the ever elusive solution to delicious homemade hummus. I even purchased a bag of chickpea flour, hoping it would be the answer. Instead, I created a gloppy mixture that congealed into an almost gelatinous mixture when I put it in the fridge.
Make your own tahini. It makes a huge difference. Seasme seeds browned in pan, then blended with olive oil.
https://www.daringgourmet.com/how-to-make-homemade-tahini-paste/
Bring on new hummus!
hummus with a new technique?? YES, PLEASE! :)
You always seem to be reading my mind… I adore chickpeas in soup, and always want soup in January. Bring on the veg!
I believe an up date on the hummus recipe would be amazing!!
This looks glorious, Deb. I added hummus to my go-to carrot soup (with ginger and lime) and it was oh-so-glorious so I bet this will be as wicked awesome. I will never complain about too many carrot soups. Please share more! :)
Oh, and yes, carrots are all over the place here. Carrot miso dressing is one of my new favourites for my meal salads. :)
I’m making Mulligatawny with naan bread today, but once that’s gone I’ll move east for Carrot Chickpea and Pita bread. Funny how this time of year makes us want certain foods.
Well, I’m not gnawing on any carrots, but I am doing my best to lighten my diet a bit. I’m failing at it, but at least there have been a few trips to the gym (hey, I only go so that i don’t feel guilty eating cheese and drinking wine).
With that being said, I think this is a marvelous way to start 2013… can’t wait to give it a try!
The only okay hummus that I’ve made at home is the Paula Wolfert version you posted – it can get better? I’m interested! And thank you for this carrot soup recipe. I just ate half a tray of brownies so that they’d finally be gone (I made them yesterday) and free from that burden, I can now start eating more healthfully.
So over shop bought houmous… which means i just never eat it any more. Persuading you yet? Oh and Happy New Year, may this one be even better than the last.
Please HUMMUS Please.
Wow this looks amazing! You just solved my dinner dilemna for tonight :-)
Admittedly, I don’t like carrot soup very much or carrot juice. I do like very much carrot cake! I LOVE hummus, however, and carrots dipped in hummus… I like your logic! I would love to see a post of hummus because I’m really kind of sick of it. I think it might be over done in too many places. I find it only really amazing in middle eastern restaurants probably because it’s mostly tahini!
This looks amazing. Bookmarked!
Hummus! This looks fantastic, the flavor combos sound so bright and warm. Your site and cookbook were the source of all my christmas recipes, and every single one was a hit. I met you in Santa Cruz on your book tour (my mom and dad came with, our home had just burned down) and while I was cooking in a tiny, unfamiliar kitchen I still had your recipes, advice and guidance, and it turned out to be a great holiday! I kept thinking, “if Deb can make it in her little kitchen, so can I!”. The artichoke shells from the book were my fave. Thank you again! Happy 2013!
Hee – one of your “Three years ago” links is to ‘Spicy Caramel Pesto’. I had to check it out. Alas, merely delicious popcorn. :)
Can’t wait to try this soup!
My husband was just asking for a new carrot soup! Thank you :) Also: Hummus. Always.
This looks amazing! I share your love of carrots and hummus (although my better half does not…I’ll have to try it when she’s out of town!)
Give us the hummus! (please)
This looks wonderful. I made the carrot-miso-sesame soup many times last winter, so I’m excited to try this second carrot soup (and the third one, if it ever surfaces)!
Also, I would like to read more about hummus, yes please.
New hummus technique! Interest! It was so lovely to meet you in Houston on your book tour and I am immensely enjoying your cookbook. The best thing about it is that it doesn’t end–I was really excited to see a new recipe up, especially a soup that I was just about to search for!
This sounds great! Of course, I read it while eating a kale salad with carrots (sigh, January).
Anyway, your juicer is adorable! Can I ask where you found it?
Kristen — Clearance section of an Anthropologie in New Jersey, when I did an event there.
Yvanka — All fixed, thanks.
I’m munching on carrots right now. Although my healthy lunch is going to be the avocado cucumber toasts from your book. When I read the recipe it was definitely a “why hasn’t anyone done this sooner?” moment. I have some freshly cooked garbanzos that are just begging to be used in this. (If you ever need a great recipe for garbanzos from scratch, try the one in the Mozza cookbook. Spicy and garlicky, and the cooking liquid makes the beans into the best hummus)
Sounds delicious! I’m on a (sorta) vegetarian kick, just had homemade mushroom barley soup, but this sounds much more exciting;)
This sounds delicious… and I was just looking for recipes to use up my container of tahini!
HUMMUS! HUMMUS! HUMMUS!
Did you really expect us to say ‘naw… we don’t need any more recipes’ :p
This soup sounds truly amazing, but I have an unrelated question for you. I was at your DC book signing (at Politics & Prose, too far back to see you but still able to hear you!) and I remember you mentioning something about a breakfast stuffing/dressing. I’ve been dying to see what you came up with – one of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions is a poached egg on top of some leftover turkey and stuffing for breakfast – I hope it’s still in the works!
Yes, please on the hummus! I never seem to get it right.
Deb I was just reading your cookbook last night (I read it like a novel, word for word…I know, dorky but true) and saw your recipe for roasted chickpeas with I believe it was mussels – I remember you writing that the recipe calls for extra because these they’re good enough to eat on their own. Anyway – I agree!
I love roasting chickpeas and I also love carrot soup! I use peanut butter in mine rather than tahini but need to try tahini next. Gorgeous meal!
Not a carrot fan, but ALWAYS interested in hummus!
Make with the Hummus. I’m getting tired of my go-to recipe. I may be reduced to making more cookies if left to my own devices.
You read my soup-loving mind. This is exactly, EXACTLY what I’ve been craving lately. I just didn’t know it yet. :)
And a resounding yes to the hummus, please!
Your carrot soup looks amazing and with hummus – it must be the best.
Poor maligned carrots. I ALWAYS have some in my fridge/within reach, because they’re always awesome. Raw, cooked, dipped, plain – they’re the best vegetable in the world and are unfairly labeled as a food of penitence.
was just browsing for something for dinner tonight . . . and oh! my! word! i’ve found it, folks! thanks again, deb for making my cooking life so much easier! january 1 was my baby boy’s first birthday . . . we had your spinach quiche (for about the millionth time) and your “best birthday cake” (for the first time) – i don’t know why anyone doesn’t LOVE sour cream frosting . . . even my one year old knew that stuff was gold!
Three cheers for a hummus recipe
I AM nibbling on carrots right now… Hee, hee. This is a soup I know I would love to make. I just printed it off to give it a try. BTW: I live you cookbook. :))
Just like many before me, I come asking for that new twist on the hummus technique! Otherwise, I love carrots but not in soups. So, please bring the hummus recipe :)
I can not wait to make this dish. Absolutely brilliant combination. Yummy. Thanks for sharing.
Absolutely love the white juicer! It is adorable. If only I lived somewhere near civilization, I would hit up an Anthropology in the hopes of finding one myself. Oh well… Anyways, very jealous! Happy New Year!
Definitely on the Hummus! No comparison to fresh, homemade Hummus. Your Hummus recipe is the one I make, so would love an update.
Looks great!
Yes, would love a hummus recipe!
I would love to see your hummus!
This looks delicious. Can’t wait to try it! Also, PLEASE give us more hummus. I despise store bought hummus and I would love to make it myself. Oh, and speaking of hummus, what else do you like to use for dipping (apart from carrot sticks and pita)? I love both, but it’s sometimes difficult to find pita in my grocery store.
This looks really perfect for today, it’s so cold here!
Love the idea of crunchy chickpeas as croutons. This looks great! Also, yes on hummus.
I actually don’t have carrots in my fridge, but I am going to need this ASAP! Vegan, too, you go girl!!!
Yes … we would love a hummus recipe!! I received your cookbook for Christmas and I have already made 4 recipes from it. I absolutely adore the book … and your chewy oatmeal cookies are the best. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
I haven’t even finished reading the post yet, but would like to add my name to the “yes for hummus” list!
Che crema deliziosa, bellissima!!!
AMAZING recipe! Definitely making this on the weekend. And yes! to a new hummus recipe.
As much as I love raw carrots, I really dislike cooked ones. But everything I have ever made from this site has been delicious, so once the New Year’s feast leftovers are gone, I may just try this.
One question about the chickpeas. How done are they supposed to be? Are they supposed to be dry and crunchy throughout like croutons? Or simply roasted to a new deeper flavor. I heard “croutons” in there, but 10-20 minutes didn’t seem like enough time to dry them out.
Thanks!
Lisa — You can do it to taste. The results will really range by what chickpeas you started with. I had cooked my own and they were on the al-dente side, so they were definitely closer to nuts going in. But I find that the canned ones don’t get as nutty, but have their own charms. You can fiddle with it.
Jennifer — Thank you, but that’s no excuse to slack! My concern was whether hummus is just too blah. I’m not trying to reinvent it. I happen to quite like it the classic way. But there’s this other technique I haven’t shared that makes it even dreamier…
#2 on the bestseller list and you still have to asked if we’re interested!? Deb, you could spread caulk on toast and we would tune in ;) I don’t like carrot soup but you’ve converted me more than once, so…
the toasted chickpeas look awesome! this year, I bought baby carrots because they are easier to finish than big carrots who need more washing and peeling. I already had almost half the bag with hummus. the entire bag would have been gone, but I also had some celery sticks that were begging to get some hummus love as well :-)
I made carrot soup last night (roasted for a more intense flavor), but your additions will make my leftovers seem like a new soup! Thanks for the timely recipe! And yes, please to the hummus!
YAY HUMMUS!!!!!!
First time commenting! Yay! And yes to the new hummus technique! Who would vote otherwise?
I’d love to see a new technique for hummus. Or even just a new recipe/flavor!
Just dropping in from LA to say that your pumpernickel grissini, horseradish dip, french onion soup toasts and blue cheese gougeres were the hit of my New Year’s Eve party! As one friend said, “it tastes like the best part of onion soup without the onion soup pain in the butt part”. :)
Love hummus, please show us a new way!!
yes you definitely should do a post on Hummus. Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi’s new cookbook (Jerusalem) wouldn’t be a bad place to start. I also vote for a recipe that includes a baking soda soak — can’t wait for your other technique!!!
Also, my lord I love your blog and always have.
Hummus! Please….
First, a gourmand, blogger, photographer, author now a MIND READER. Carrots have been on my mind in my soups for about a week. This looks perfect. And hummus is one of the essential food groups. Please do give us your spin on the perfect hummus recipe. I have been experimenting with various ingredients but need inspiration. Thank you!
Hummushummushummushummushummushummus!!!!!!!
Ummm, yes, I would like an updated recipe.
Have you ever tried a caramelized carrot soup using a pressure cooker? I often found carrot soups to be vaguely sweet and flat as well but I tried a recipe for caramelized carrot soup a while back that was a lot sweeter with a faint caramel aroma but still lacked complexity. I think I might have to do a recipe mashup with yours and the other one and see what that tastes like!
I intended to diet, but once I saw my budget decided I needed to turn to my reserves. Fortunately I have all of this on hand (except the Tahini…must find substitute).
Thanks!
It’s negative 10 degrees over here in Wyoming right now and this soup is exactly what we need to take the chill off. Delicious, healthy and I bet very fun to make!
GIVE US HUMMUS! please. with sugar. just not in the hummus. :)
Not at all blah! Please share!
Soups looks delish! I’m always interested in a hummus recipe! Thanks!
I am always interested in more hummus!
This looks great and easy, dinner tomorrow night!
I’ve been ignoring this huge butternut squash that I had a craving for that petered out as soon as I remember I had to peel and chop it. I’ve got to use it before it takes root or rots. I’m thinking that I could use it instead of the carrots, what do you think? Also, how crispy do the chickpeas get? Like cashew crunchy or cornnut crunchy…I guess I mean, are they really hard?
This is definitively the best looking carrot soup I have ever seen. I can usually barely get excited about carrot soups, even the only one I’ve ever tried making– carrot ginger soup– but this looks divine. It must have something to do with those crisped chickpeas heaped on the top. (Also, your citrus juicer is adorable! I’ve never seen anything quite like it before.)
Definitely going to make this one. Even if I actually dislike carrot soup, sprinkling and seasoning it with everything else I like, there’s no way around it.
What I (and, I imagine, just about all the other readers who are not from the States) would really appreciate, is if you started adding measurements again (them being metric units would make you a saint, but I’ll be thankful for anything else than cups)! I understand you do this from time to time, so this is probably more of a reminder than a suggestion :)
Oh and YES, YES, YES to Hummus! After mentioning a way to make it dreamier everything else would be just mean :)
Mathias — Just added the Metrics. In the future, just leave me a comment on whatever recipe you want changed. I am trying to do them on an as-requested basis.
Molly, my just-turned-3-year-old, loves hummus! Like wants it everyday, all the time. So a new recipe would be awesome! And I will be making this soup for dinner on Saturday. It’s the perfect thing to have simmering on the stove while I De-Christmas our apartment :(
P.S. your cookbook was my favorite gift this year!! Thank you for all of the beautiful pictures and wonderfully useful recipes! And for understanding that crumbles and pie are better cold for breakfast!
Carrot soup is a lot better when made with oven-roasted carrots. Sweeter. It’s easier to make, especially if (like me) it hurts your hands to chop carrots. Peel, lightly oil, and roast until tender. Blend whatever else you like in your carrot soup and it’s done unless you just want to cook it for a while. I think it’s best of all with very fresh carrots.
yay for hummus! i LOVE carrots and hummus but sadly it’s not sold here so i definitely need a recipe to make it at home!
Of course we all want another hummus recipe! I frequently make Paula Wolfert’s hummus, but I usually end up making a mess. I’m curious about the potential for a new technique.
Yum Deb, I’ll have to try this, I am not much of a carrot fan normally but how can you go wrong with baked chick peas?
Meanwhile, your brisket recipe is my absolute favourite with cold slaw and black beans and avocado, so thanks for sharing! Also, I’m loving your book, amazing recipes, I am loving the turkey meatballs best idea ever! Happy New Year!
Best assistant ever. My children (in their 20s) are very good cooks thanks in part to all the “assistance” they gave me.
~Brenda
I’d love to see a post on a new hummus technique! I’ve been mildly obsessed with chickpeas lately. I made your chickpea salad recipe the other day, and it was amazing!
Thanks, Deb! This delicious soup will be lunch tomorrow, after a round of weights and yoga, another New Year’s resolution of mine – more sports!
Sounds great. And I’m still chuckling about the “assistant” comment. Wondering what the job qualifications are–must the assistant be potty trained?
Deb, it always feels like a waste to sit and meticulously chop my vegetables when I’m just going to go ahead and puree the soup. In fact, I usually opt for making a creamed soup when I don’t have time for lots of chopping. I’ll usually dice the onion and sweat that in evoo, but after that, it’s huge chunks of vegs. So, my question: Do you think it makes a big difference in terms of flavor? What do you think of Celeste’s suggestion above of oven-roasting the carrots instead? Thanks, Deb! As always, lovely post, beautiful photos, and mouth-watering recipe.
Bella — I diced them because I had diced carrots leftover from another recipe and decided to stick with the shape I had. Also, I really really weirdly enjoy chopping things; I find it relaxing. Anyway, you can just slice them. It’s faster. However, the other reason I kept them diced is that I wasn’t sure if I wanted to fully puree the soup (my husband prefers soups chunky; alas, he didn’t get his way again) and the chunky bits are nicer if diced. Celeste’s suggestion might work for others; for me, one of my least favorite things about carrot soup is the sweetness so I’m not terribly interested in deepening it.
Donna — Ha! And then phew. JUST IN TIME.
That is quite the pictorial, and recipe too! Maybe I will just come over and have some!
This looks tasty, especially the chickpeas. I tried toasting chickpeas on New Years, but thanks to an ill-conceived recipe (300 degrees for an hour and 40 minutes? Really? Really.) I’m still nursing a craving.
I love hummus and I’m interested in your updated thoughts :)
You had me at crisped chickpeas, yum!
like everyone else, i can never get enough hummus and am intrigued by this new technique. but does it involve peeling the skins off the chickpeas? i read that’s the key to smooth hummus, but it just sounds like it takes forever!
I’ve had great luck with the basic hummus recipe in Ottolenghi’s new *Jerusalem* cookbook–any idea why he has us sauté the chickpeas with baking soda for a few minutes?
Definitely interested in a new technique for hummus! I love hummus, but my homemade version doesn’t have the same “to-die-for” quality as the hummus available at our local Greek restaurant.
I’m in the opposite boat–I LOVE carrot soup perhaps best of any vegetable soup This version sounds so good! I’m looking forward to trying the miso carrot as well…
I just had the most delicious carrot and techina cake today (at a great bakery called “tomer’s bread in Jerusalem). It was really yummy, and I will definitely be making this soup as those ingredients are probably healthier in soup form.
As far as hummus goes, I have been using Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe which is excellent. Lots of techina and surprisingly, no oil.
carrots! hummus! love!
my three favorite things.
do it please!
i made a big batch of hummus and carrot sticks on new years eve, and while tasty, the hummus was not an ideal consistency… a bit too dry/thick, but didn’t need more lemon juice – couldn’t work it out.
please help!
Never be on the fence with bangs, get them. Oh yeah, the soup. Can’t wait to try it!
I’m definitely interested in an updated post on hummus and I vote YES. You should absolutely do it!
I would love to see an updated post on hummus! Hummus, in my opinion, is best with carrots- seriously one of my favorite snacks. I can’t wait to try this soup! Anyway, I am always looking out for new hummus recipes/techniques and I would be thrilled to see a new version by you.
P.S. I have your cookbook and it is seriously amazing. Everything I have tried has turned out absolutely perfectly!
I also have been experimenting with carrot soup the last few days. The combo carrot-ginger soup + granny smith apple + coriander pesto works. You might opt for either the apple or the pesto
@ Katie, #108, adding chickpea juice to the hummus mixture could work
My proven hummus recipe is Claudia Roden’s in Tamarind & Saffron. Works each time.
This soup looks stunning AND, you’re right, it embodies one of the greatest savory flavor combinations out there (though I also am pretty partial to apples and hummus. With some almonds. And maybe a hearty whole grain bagel, toasted…). I cant’ wait to try this! Also, I don’t think there’s such a thing as too many posts about hummus – I’d definitely be interested in a new technique!
Can’t wait to make and share! Thanks
Carrots? What carrots? I’m eating your arroz con leche as I read this. But this soup sounds amazing. I totally agree: The only reason to eat something is because it tastes good!
Can’t wait for your hummus recipe!
Been spying in my crisper drawer? Carrot soup it is. I was just going to throw them into a pot when I sat down with a cup of tea and read your post. Alas no chickpeas…will do it tomorrow when I have all the ingredients. Thanks, it looks so FABULOUS I wouldn’t even consider doing it without them!
Definitely interested in a new hummus recipe. I love raw carrots but am not a fan of cooked carrots (everything I like about raw carrots, including the crunch, gets eliminated when they’re cooked). Going to get into some carrots & hummus asap though!
You can never have too many hummus recipes!
I got your cookbook for Christmas and we made the maple bacon biscuits that morning!
So delicious!
Tried it tonight and it was delicious!! Unfortunately there were none of the add-ins in the house but some home made croutons out of whole wheat sandwich bread w/ a little olive oil and middle eastern seasoning were a pretty good substitute.
I also don’t like carrot soup so I think I might try this with butternut squash. Ottolenghi’s new book keeps on going on about what a great combination butternut and tahini are — and I’ve just discovered your recipe for butternut squash and chickpea salad which I’ve bought all the ingredients for and will be making on Sunday. Can’t wait. Meanwhile, have made your carrot salad with harissa and feta countless times as well as your barley salad with roasted eggplant. They’re both delicious. Will be ordering your book when it comes out in the UK!
Wow Deb, that was really fast, thanks alot! The amount of effort and kindness you put into hosting the comment section really elevates the quality of the site even more!
Thanks and regards all the way from middle-europe!
Those are the cutest carrots I’ve ever seen! ADORABLE! How could you chop them?! lol
I’ve never had carrot soup before and I love the sound of this one! Thanks for the recipe. :)
What a combo! This looks SO good.
Just love can’t wait to make it …the whole combination of ingredients
Is sensational
Thank you
Sooo enjoyed meeting you at your rescheduled New York launch while on vacation from Kentucky. It was truly the highlight of my trip! While there we enjoyed a wonderfuly different hummus at Forty Carrots. I was reportedly made from roasted beets and pears. I’ve been meaning to attempt to recreate it. Maybe you could add it to your list. You know, just in case you run out of ideas! ;-)
oh man, this was a hit at my house tonight. soo good
Hummus? Yesmus.
I’ve never been a huge fan of hummus, but I’d live to learn how you suggest to make it tasty even for those like me! This soup looks amazing, oh, and my new sister in law got me the best Christmas gift ever..your cookbook!!!! I ws seriously do excited I jumped up and down a little :).
I sent my husband out to buy carrots. Instead of the 5 or 6 I was anticipating, he got the 5lb bag (“It was cheaper!”). They have been taking up valuable space in my fridge ever since, only slightly whittled away by school lunches. I was determined to make carrot-ginger soup with my challah tomorrow. Not anymore! Carrots, prepare to meet your fate…
This is too funny – I visited my parents last night and my mom sent me home with a big Tupperware full of the Carrot Ginger soup she makes every year. I love that you made a soup inspired by hummus (one of my very favorite things!). I for one am always open to hummus recipes!
OMG looks so good! I love the crisped chickpeas, adds some crunchy protein!
I have been experimenting with the Hummus from the Ottolonghi’s Jerusalem cookbook. It will change the way you look and taste hummus!
Would love to see your thoughts on how to make hummus tastier. My go to recipe is in Cook’s Illustrated. Although I find that they have the best recipes, it seems they often use the most expensive ingredients, the most time consuming methods and the most pots and pans to clean up. Can’t knock them on the results, though. sigh.
I don’t like carrot soup either, so I will definitely give this a try. Hummus with a new technique? Yes, please.
Happy New Year!
I amazingly had all ingredients on hand and immediately went home and made this tonight – it was delicious! I like spicy and was a bit heavy handed with the red pepper flakes, which I would definitely not do again, too overpowering. I did all bits except the pita, and my fella said “all this needs is a crostini or something” so… recommended I guess. We both really liked the tahini-lemon and I don’t think I’d make the soup without it. I’ve made the Miso Carrot soup from last year a couple times and have co-workers demanding it on our potluck days, it is awesome!
I have been following you for years…lurking I think it is called….I have your book….I cooked from it so many times this holiday season. I went to a brunch in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada where we ALL brought something from the book without planing it. Best brunch ever. However my purpose for poking out of the virtual shrubbery is to ask you to please press ahead with the hummus. I never thought I would ever meet anyone else who knew of, and had tested, more than one hummus recipe. I am more excited about your hummus post than I was for Christmas morning. No joke.
yes please more hummus Deb! This looks delicious btw – but I had already started your french onion for tonight!
There’s nothing like a bright orange soup to chase away the january blues. Crispy chickpeas on top? Delicious. And also, of course, more hummus. Always more hummus.
This looks so good! All the flavours of hummus and carrots in a soup, yes please! I make crisped chickpeas at home but I up the flavours adding lemon (then drain on paper towels) paprika, cumin and chilli, such a yummy snack! Being from an Egyptian family my mum makes tahini sauce all the time to go with BBQ meat and fish (sounds weird but it’s damn good)
We’re in the middle of Summer in Australia but I’m so making this!
Updated hummus! Updated hummus! Also, tips on how to make homemade hummus smoother would be much appreciated too :)
I HAVE ALL OF THESE INGREDIENTS IN MY FRIDGE RIGHT NOW. TOMORROW’S DINNER: DONE!
We just made this soup, and it came out just like the picture and very tasty and warming. Also added a bit of shredded ginger root. Thanks!
Just made your carrot soup last night – SO GOOD!!! Will make this one soon.
Love this hearty, healthy soup! My fav snack is also carrots and hummus! I would love to see your updated hummus!!! This is what’s for dinner at my house this weekend!
I made this tonight for my family and they absolutely loved it! My dad couldn’t stop raving. It was so rich and flavorful, and my semi-vegan sister was so happy that she stopped rejecting the (obvious) fact that she is a vegan and shouted, “Go vegans!” Thanks!
My new year’s resolution is to do at least one vegan day per week. This will make a great dinner.
What is the white creamy garnish in the last photos? yogurt?
Love this recipe and flavor combination. I’ve been trying out a few different hummus flavor combos lately as well. Would love to see your take on hummus too!
Have you ever tried not peeling carrots before you eat them? You can just scrub them with a cloth under running water to get them nice and clean, and they’re ready to cook with (or be eaten raw).
So lovely. I could swim in this =)
Ooh: the soups look lovely, but I’m here to say “Hummus please!” My roommate and I have been playing with various tahini-free or-light versions for a few years now, substituting greek yogurt or (not so successfully) almond butter. Would love your expertise. AND your new book is AMAZING! Happy cooking!
My family made this combination for my birthday dinner & it was absolutely delicious! Love the fabulous new cookbook I bought for myself for Christmas (added bonus: my kids now love to cook). Thank you!
Hummus with just about anything is awesome. Bon Appetit had a recipe a year or so ago for lentil soup with, essentially, hummus stirred in to thicken, it’s amazing (and really hard not to eat while you’re waiting for the soup to be ready).
I loved last year’s carrot soup as well, but I’m a sucker for anything with chickpeas, will have to try this over the weekend.
I really want to make this, but the best “hummus” batches I make always happen when I omit tahini. I don’t think I like tahini. Anyone else feel the same way?
And yes on the other hummus technique.
Or maybe I just don’t like my tahini, and it looks like Deb’s is a lot lighter. Is it that tahini from Trader Joe’s? That tahini that’s not just sesame seeds? (Seems like I heard about that at some point somewhere.)
This seems genius. A match made in Heaven.
Yes to Hummus!!
just purchased your cookbook today! excited to dig in :) would love to see a post on your updated technique for hummus.
I love the crispy chickpea topping! Definitely makes carrot soup more interesting.
Another yes to hummus!
I love hummus. Give us your latest take on it. Please!
You can post as many carrot soup and hummus recipes as you want, and I’ll continue to make and eat every single one of them!
Soup mix-ins are the best!
This looks incredible! Now I know what I’m making with the rest of the carrots that are in my fridge!
Just tried a new hummus made with cooked lentils, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil – not bad, but I prefer chick-peas, aka garbanzos. Love anything with carrots.
Your pictures are beautiful, and inspiring, and your carrot soup looks absolutely delicious. I love the addition of crispy garbanzo beans. I tried to make crispy garbanzo beans about a year ago, and I do not think I drained them enough, or seasoned them enough, because they were pretty much inedible. I am excited to try them again, and I will be making this carrot soup with our CSA carrots next week. Thank you for sharing!!!
all my favourite ingredients in a soup.. ooh la la.. gonna make this this weekend. sounds amazing, Thanks for the recipe.
I like carrots in soups, in cake and raw, but carrot soup is just too flat. Maybe your new version will be different.
Hummus, on the other hand, is wonderful. Bring on the updated post on hummus, with as many different techniques as you can dream up.
You must hummus…Please!
A bowl of wholesome goodness. Besides carrots and chickpeas are def in my favorite list of foods :)
A template for deliciousness! I might riff on this with some parsnips mixed in to ease the carroty-ness. Your chickpea crouton alternative is pure inspiration – thanks so much for sharing!
This is one of those recipes of yours that I read and think “I need to make this RIGHT NOW” so that is what I am going to do. :)
I finally could afford to buy the SK cookbook (as alas it did not end up under the Christmas tree) and it is on its way to me–yipppeeee!!!
Humus!
Awsome..this must my favor ever,i should try this..and absolutely suggest this recipe for my next party on february <;
HUMMUS! Yes, please!!!
I got to the statement of hummus if there is enough interest and I RACED down to the comments section! I am a relatively new vegetarian and eat it virtually daily and have tried to make it a couple of times, with uneven success. I use it for so many things- dip, spread, something to dip my fingers in!! Yum!
Thanks Deb!
The color of your pics is particularly gorgeous, did you use natural light? All the flavors in this recipe are so spot-on. I made a carrot cake with tahini a few times and it´s so good, I want to try this soup soon. I never thought of sprinkling pita wedges with za´atar, but it´s perfect!
Looks gorgeous! We’re very into soups atm and this looks like one which the children will like too. Can’t wait to try it. I finally received your book here in the UK and I’m loving it. Looking forward to receiving the UK version when the times comes too, but will have to hide it from my cookery book addicted MIL, who has tried to make off with my copy already. Guess what she’s getting for her birthday in a few months!
How about squash hummus? Will make this today. Loved the granola nuts….added a little vanilla and made my own coconut…..
I am so in love with your citrus juicer!
And I love carrot soups, so yours is added to my to-make-carrot-soups’ list ;-)
Yes, hummus!! And thank you for the carrot soup – I actually really love carrot soup but was getting bored with my usual. This looks awesome. And I wanted to mention that I brought both your warm butternut and garbanzo salad with a similar lemon-tahini dressing as well as onion tart with fennel and mustard to my friend’s annual Jan. 1 potluck brunch and was the belle of the ball. Passed out your website address so many times I can’t remember. So, thanks AGAIN.
I know this might sound unbelievable but I’ve never tried carrot soup before! To be honest, I’m not a huge carrot-lover but you made this soup looks so delicious and healthy that I think I should at least give it a chance!
Thanks Deb!
xo, Elisa
You are so right – I have carrots, celery, clementines, whole wheat crackers…you name it…all lined up to help me start the new year off right. This carrot soup will make things much more interesting and delicious! Happy New Year!
This soup looks deliiiicious! And I’d love to see a new hummus recipe!
YUM! Bookmarking..
Just finished making this for lunch today and it turned out deliciious! Thank you for a great meal, I’m gonna add this dish to our regulars.
interest in new hummus recipe!
I would love for you to tackle hummus again– how about trying your hand at msabbha? I just had some for the first time in Israel and it was amazing. It’s basically a chunkier hummus, with a more beany flavor than most other hummus I’ve tried, served room temp (or warm). Delicious!
I cook for a tiny non-profit (young folks with schizophrenia) and am always looking for low cost soup recipes. Thank you. They are tired of my ginger carrot soup and we always have cooked chickpeas and tahini. As for hummus, who needs a recipe for that? Always add fresh ginger, and if you are lazy, well, the Indian Grocer is your best friend.
Already, I cannot get enough of last year’s carrot soup, and even my two teenage kids eat it up, and tell me they don’t believe its carrots. This one looks great, too, and its going into my menu book for next week. That is, if I can move around all the things I want to make from my new cookbook (yes, you guessed it, its YOUR cookbook!).
Hummus, YES!!!
You could use a Learning Tower for your assistant. It takes up a little space but I found it to be essential to fostering safe and comfortable involvement in the kitchen. The contraption can hold more than one child so you could have a cooking play date….if you really want entropy to take over your kitchen. BTW, I have no connection to the makers or sellers of the thing.
Yay. Perfect timing. I’m living in Korea right now and last years miso soup is perfect, and I just toasted up some chickpeas, and luckily didn’t eat them all (its my fav snack) and so have some left for this years’ recipe. Yum. Oh and lived in Saudi Arabia last year and bought a huge bag of zatar there (for about $4!) and brought it with me. Your recipe reminded me to use it! (My fav thing to do with it is spread it n a flour tortilla and top with some moaarella (or like) cheese and broil in the oven. Yum)
I love the crisped chickpeas on top. Yum!
Oh yes! I love everything about this recipe, and will be making tomorrow. And also yes to the hummus! Thanks!
This looks delicious, perfect for my sainted early-January eating regime. And I would love to know your new technique for dreamy hummus, yum!
Oh my I happen to have carrots and chick peas right now, so I might just try this recipe. Thanks for sharing. I love all the flavors that are in it. Happy 2013 !
This has definitely made it on to my menu for the upcoming week. I am always looking for creative carrot recipes this time of year. Also, I received your cookbook for Christmas (thanks mom!) and I am IN LOVE. I do believe I have about 80% of the recipes dog-eared. I made the gnocchi in tomato broth last night and the whole family adored it. My husband and I sat licking the pot clean after the kids ran off to play. Can’t wait to try… Everything!
You had me at crisped chickpeas. I love a good carrot soup, but crispy chickpeas? Now THAT’S something to write about. Can’t wait to make this. Today.
I’m a carrot muncher for at least another day or two, no diet has ever lasted longer than a week so I might as well have this carrot soup as the last meal of my diet – seems fitting! How ’bout a recipe for black bean hummus, or something really out there? As hummus is a staple in my kitchen – it’s my 3:00 snack of choice…along with whatever else I can find while rummaging in the pantry! Happy New Year!
This soup sounds great! I’ve had a cold for over a week (waah) and I always want carrots when I’m sick. This is perfect. Thanks!
Love that citrus juicer!
I just love your lemon juicer! And it looks like I’m not the only one.
Bring on the hummus! It’s my daughter’s new favorite lunch.
I’m interested in hummus!!
Lots and LOTS of interest here.
I made this last night for my family and it was delicious. A definite keeper! The chickpeas were especially fantastic. Thank you so much.
deb, my fiance eats a tub of hummus each week. by himself.
Please give us hummus!!!
This recipe looks delicious, as does EVERY single recipe in your cookbook, which I read and cook from over and over and over again!!!
HUMMUS– please!
Also, I made last years carrot soup and can’t wait to try this years version!
Hummus recipe, please!!!
Love, love, love the crunchy chick peas (and the soup and the tahini too)!
Hello Deb!
There is only you who can be so ingenious and full of imagination to write a funny and beautiful post even about recipes like carrot soup!
I like Smitten Kitchen so much. No other blog is more awaited by me than yours. And, I’m often doing your wonderful recipes, and always having a big success!! Greetings from Vienna! Anina (dieerdbeere.com)
Daaaang, Deb! I’m Lebanese, so tahini is near and dear to my heart. I’m on board with this bowl of soup :)
I tried to make tahini in the food processor with excessive quantities of sesame seeds…ahhhhh…should just buy it! Looks so yummy :)
Just adding my voice to the cries of “hummus please!”. And also – this recipe will be in my meal plan for next week. AND….just got your cookbook and am reading it cover to cover just like someone else mentioned. See what you inspire in us? :-)
This soup looks incredible. Must try immediately. And give us any hummus recipes you have in mind. It’s one of my favorite things.
Mmmmm, crisped chickpeas. I can eat an unholy quantity of these just on their own. Not sure they’d ever make it to the garnish.
Deb, I thought you might like to know that here in Toronto during the post-Christmas (Boxing Day!) sales, your cookbook was nowhere to be seen in the large bookstores downtown. Completely sold out. Other books by other folks, some of whom are “big” names, were there, but yours had all been scooped up. And they had previously had lots of them so this isn’t a question of only starting with a couple of copies. I already have mine, of course, but still can’t resist looking at it on the shelf. You should be quite chuffed by this. I was!
I don’t usually like blended vegetable soups, but this is intriguing because I really like carrots. To me, blended vegetable soup usually tastes like a hot vegetable smoothie. It’s the same reason I don’t enjoy gazpacho – it’s a cold vegetable smoothie. I think I might like this better if I roasted the carrots whole with some cumin before mashing them in a pot. I’ll try that and report back.
I also make a Thai flavored carrot soup that has no recipe. Coconut milk and I ‘cheat’ and use some Karee yellow curry paste, and forget what all else, but I decorated it with fresh cilantro. Yum!
I just finished making the carrot soup and it is delish! I found myself licking the pot as if I had just mixed up some brownies. How can something so healthy taste so good?
Love hummus! Used to make it for our local farmers market, always looking to learn more!
Are you making your own veggie stock or is there a particular brand you’re a fan of?
I totally have a ton of carrots right now… how did you know?
This looks amazing, and I’m going to make it! I know you are highly opposed to cilantro, but I think I’m going to top mine with it…mmm…and I would LOVE a new hummus post. Oh, and your lemon juicer? LOVE.
I was just thinking that I wanted to turn your warm butternut squash and chickpea salad into a soup — puree the squash, swirl in the tahini dressing, leave the chickpeas whole, garnish with red onion and parsley — and here you’ve pretty much done it but with carrots! Love the idea of the crisped chickpeas!
New hummus recipe please!!!
this was oh so yummy! I love hummus, but my four-year-old won’t touch it – so this was a perfect compromise for both of us. (minus the chickpeas this time, as there were none around.) nice side effect: I’ve now got leftovers in the freezers for a few office lunches that will make me smile when they’re steaming in my bowl. for additional winter warmth, I added a bit of harissa spice.
thanks for this great recipe, and keep’em coming!
This looks exactly perfect for this time of year, light and still comforting..
I love that juice squeezer. I am in the market for a kitchen scale. Do you recommend one over another?
Hummus please. I need a new technique because mine is not working at all.
Hummus please!
Never enough Hummus!!! Go for it.
Yes to hummus!!
Please help us with hummus!! I blend tahini and lemon till it makes a cream, reserve cooking liquid,etc and still my results are always somewhat lack luster.
FANTASTIC! Forgot to buy the fresh parsley but with a few dried flakes it was yummy. My only note for next batch is to make sure the toasted chickpeas are crunchier. 20 minutes was not enough. I make my own hummus using plenty of fresh lemon Otherwise, it was a big hit for the family and cannot wait to make it again with fresh parsley. Wonderful combo of flavors and texture without using heavy cream. THANK you!
I’m not sure add-ins could ever be over kill! Sounds delicious. I love the idea of a chickpea crouton too!
This sounds awesome! And yes, you caught me chomping a raw carrot, with falafel, actually. I can imagine extra-crispy, thin falafel patties sprinkled overtop just such a sesame-carrot soup. Later this January we’ll probably be eating French carrot soup with inordinate amounts of cream, olive oil, and, um, chives NOT pulled from the side of the road, so I guess we’d better enjoy this we’d-better-lighten up fare while we can bear to eat it… Who am I kidding? Bring on the hibernation fare!
Oh my, it’s like you’re a mind reader! There are 2 things I have been thinking about for the past few days, but haven’t made them yet – hummus and carrot soup. And seeing this you have given me a whole new idea! This dish looks like magic. I think I’ll make this on Sunday and I’ll make sure to come back here to tell you how delicious it tastes, with all the add-ins! :)
Yes please, to the hummos recipes. I have yet to be convinced it’s worth my time/effort when I can buy pretty good varieties from my local food co-op, and even the Giant.
BTW, totally feel the same way about carrot soup, a big meh, usually too sweet and boring, reminding me a bit too much of my earnest birkenstock days, but I think I should like it, and I’m going to try this and I bet with all your add ins, I will!
We make a hummus out of red lentils, because red lentils take what, 5 minutes to cook? Maybe ten? They’re easy to over cook, and really you want to overcook them if you are going to puree them via immersion blender, as we do. We make a batch of hummus almost once a week, and we go through it pretty quickly. Tasty stuff.
I made this tonight and it was delicious. Next time, I will roast the carrots in the oven as it took forever to brown them on the stove. The chickpeas were great – added texture and a creative and unusual topping to the soup. I’m going to make another batch of chickpeas, toss them with some cayenne pepper and have them around for a healthful, crunchy snack.
Deb – How did you decide to use vegetable broth and not chicken broth? Most soups seem to have a chicken broth base. Thanks!
would be great with hard cidre!
Yes to hummus also – especially a low-fat version. I need more good vegetable recipes.
I’m so happy that this is vegan! and has crunchy chickpeas!
And, by all means, hummus!
Thank you for the great writing as well as the recipe.
Please do a new hummus post. I am having so much trouble with hummus, even with your recipe (yours usually work fantastic no matter how klutzy I am!) and would really like some more tips. I don’t understand why it’s so difficult!
Also, those beautiful glass jars in your cupboards in that photo with your “assistant”… would you consider doing a “what do the insides of your cupboards/pantry” look like, as you have done such helpful posts on the best kitchen appliances and tools, etc.? In a kitchen so small, how do you have the room to devote an entire cupboard to just jars of dry goods, while you seem to have so many different kinds for all of your recipes?
I love carrot soup. For some reason carrot soup makes me think of spring, maybe because I had it once at an Easter brunch. The topping for that soup was a mini cinnamon roll! Looks great.
Ok, so you already have a bazillion people telling you yeah for the soup and yeah for the hummus. I admit I skimmed the two hundred and twenty five to be quite exact comments, but even though I’m repeating the consensus, I have to put in my two bits. Yes! a new, revived, non-cream-centric carrot soup! Double yeah for the crisped chickpeas (the recipe for them in your book is on my to do)! And I give maybe a woop-woop with a little fist pump for the hummus. How is it that I am always willing to try another recipe–even when I like my own? Beats me.
oops, two-hundred and forty-three!!! You kind of rock.
i made this tonight for a dinner party for 4. it was AMAZING. i stuck to the recipe to the T, for once, and it fed us all nice and full (with plenty of toasted pita bread, which I put cumin and fresh crushed coriander seed on instead of Za’atar which i didn’t have). the toasted chickpeas were amazing. the tahini dip– i’ve made before, and again perfect for this soup. i definitely want to make this a staple in my home as the ingredients already are! thanks!
Okay, did I forget to turn my webcam off? 2mins ago: settled in to catch up on my favourite food blogger’s latest post with ahem, carrot in hand. Sprung! Thank you Deb – looking forward to making this one. In the meantime – gnaw, gnaw gnaw :)
Just made this for lunch. Delicious! Even the boy liked it :)
Yes to an updated hummus recipe!
And, I must say, this soup looks delicious!
I just made carrot soup last week, and found it to be lacking. I can’t wait to try this recipe, it looks really good. Also- hummus please!!
Made this last night and it was a huge hit – love, love, loved it! Those garbanzos and the dollop are amazing. Thank you!!
Hummus?!? Yes Please!
Have never crisped chickpeas, this will be a treat!
This was very tasty and will make again. The tahini-lemon was so delicious that we needed to double the recipe, and we may split the pita in half to have the bread act more as a chip. If I was to look for a way to improve, I’d seek a creamier consistency for the soup- on first try our soup had the mouth feel of baby food.
Also, the most delicious carrot soup I’ve tasted was from a tiny Jamaican restaurant in Madison, Wi. It was jerk style but I have no idea what other ingredients were included. Perhaps in addition to miso/seasame and cumin/coriander, a Jamaican variation could be added to your carrot soup collection.
Thank you so much for this recipe that livened up a rather grey January evening. So delicious and warm — even my very picky 7 year old liked this! So yes, we’ll be having this soup even when January has left again.
I have never written before, but I must add my 2 cents to this lovely dish.I live in the middle east and you used the correct spices.I grow hyssop or zaatar as it is called and i would add that as well as a pinch of ras al hanut to the carrots to kick it up a notch.You should probably roast them to speed up the browning process. You could add some jerusalem artichoke or a few artichoke hearts to make it creamier. As far as chummus as other readers ask, only use the bigger chickpeas and use the cooking water to add to the hummus.I highly reccomend using ethiopian tahina as it is more intense.Your recipies are lovely,thankyou.
I’m happy you posted another carrot soup. They’re all good to me!
Bring on the hummus! I can’t wait to try this recipe!
i hate it when you say things like, ‘i had diced carrots leftover from something else.’ this makes me think, did she make chicken soup? was it good? did she roast the carrots? what did she put them in? what about a savory bread pudding. carrots look so bright and nice in there. ohh. i know, she made carrot pancakes. good gravy, why hasn’t she told us what she did with those carrots!!
meanwhile, an updated hummus would be quite nice, thank you very much.
I got an immersion blender for Christmas so I’ve been making plans for what soups to make. I already have some tahini in the fridge, so I’m definitely going to try this soon!
Yes, please, to new hummus!!! I love it, but I’m getting a little sick of the same-old-same-old.
Wonderful soup Deb. The combination of carrots and chick peas is wonderful. I too love carrots with hummus and this was a wonderful spin on a favorite.
You know about zatar?! I’m duly impressed! I lived in Israel and fell in love with it (along with tamrim spread-date spread), but I’ve had to ask my dear Iraqi friend to bring me some from the Middle East, since few people here know what it is! Also, kudos, carrots and hummus are my favourite snack! :)
If you’re looking for even more ways to use up carrots / work them into soup / make them delicious (I get a lot of carrots in my CSA), Luisa has a recipe for roasted carrot and lentil soup that is truly fantastic (and easy): http://www.thewednesdaychef.com/the_wednesday_chef/2011/04/molly-oneills-roasted-carrot-and-red-lentil-soup.html
In fact, when I went to find that link, I found out that she actually has THREE carrot soup recipes! I can’t vouch for the other two, but considering they’re Luisa’s, I’m sure they’re great as well.
Happy carrot-ing!
Great recipe! I added a little Old Bay Seasoning to the chickpeas for a little extra kick and since I couldn’t find Tahini paste, I used some plain Greek Yogurt (Fage kind) and pure ground Tahini to come up with the same product. Otherwise thank you for this awesome recipe!
I love hummus with carrot sticks! I’ll definitely try this recipe within the next few days and I can’t wait for your “new” hummus.
A quick question – would you consider separating the vegan recipes in the index someday? I would be so grateful!
I just made this! DELICIOUS! :-)
Not that you really need a 268th comment for this post, but gotta tell you, this is brilliant—I’ve also never been a carrot soup fan, and would be happy if carrot and ginger never got paired again in liquid form—but this is just brilliant (oh wait, I already said that). And you are so right—I wanted to eat it all at once. The entire pot.
Gave your cookbook as a Christmas present—have waited too long to add my voice to the list of admirers.
This recipe is exactly what I was looking for. I love chickpeas and soup. Also, yes please on the updated Hummus Technique!!
I would love more of your opinions and advice about hummus! It’s one of those things that seems so simple, but I can never get it right.
I always think I will like carrot soup and squash soup and am always disappointed. Maybe I need more garnishes.
I, too, got your cookbook for Christmas and am in love. The chocolate brioche pretzels are to die for. Thank you, Deb!
Just made this and it was wonderful! I want to hear about the hummus too.
Made this tonight as a sort of post-Christmas vacation detox, but the flavor was the furthest thing from austere! We’ll be making this again, for dinner parties as well as when we need a break from heavier fare.
The chickpeas make all the difference in that soup. It’s the little things, especially in January…
I’d love another hummus idea – but only if you also do pita bread – I LOVE pillowy, soft, warm pita with hummus. To me, *that* makes all the difference
Happy 2013! What about some other yummy Mediterranean mezes? Perhaps…CACIK! (from one of my fav restaurants from my pre-brooklyn days – Beyoglu http://www.yelp.com/biz/beyoglu-new-york) I have tried and failed too many times!
I will be tryingthis minus the tahini.
I was having trouble figuring out what I’m craving, and I think this is it! I wasn’t ready for cold salads but wanted some veggies. I’ll be heading to the grocery store tomorrow!
And, if we haven’t voted enough yet, YES, we want Deb’s hummus! And can you give us something to eat it with besides carrots and pita? That’s about the only way I ever eat it, and I need a change.
How gorgeous is that soup. Those Carrots r so juicy and plump. Love it Love it.
Hey Deb,
Just made those amazing lemon squares from your cookbook for a work party – they were quite the hit! I just wanted to know if you think it would be possible to do the recipe with half the sugar in the custard? I would love for the Kenton’s natural tartness to make more of a presence in the actual squares- I think that your instructions to use the whole lemons rather than just the Zest and juice to be a great idea, but… And I know I might be getting greedy here, would it be possible to make them LESS sweet?
Regards,
Alex
Ps. Sorry for co opting this wall!
Hummus! Yes please! Always!
And the last year’s carrot soup with miso was declared by my daughter as her favorite now. Making this one for sure!
Hey there!
I never usually comment on blog sites, cause often I don’t make the recipes…but this time I did! And I was really happy with the results. I ended up having to make a couple changes, because I live in Japan, and often some ingredients are hard to find here.
I used chicken stock (from cubes) instead of vegetable broth.
I used sesame paste for tahini (no actual tahini here, but the paste is essentially the same thing I think).
Didn’t add red pepper flakes…didn’t have them :(
And still the result was great. A very flavourful soup! I had no idea that cumin and carrots go so well together. It was also pretty simple to make…even with a toddler disassembling my apartment in the background. My son snorted the soup down (without the lemon tahini sauce…a bit strong for his taste). As for the chickpeas… he later demanded a small bowl of them and proceeded to wolf them down, one after the other, like they were hershey’s kisses or something. He wasn’t even chewing. His mouth was packed full and he wanted more. Must have been the crunch that he liked.
The only thing that didn’t seem like your version was the texture and color. I think you have a much better blender than I do…mine didn’t seem ultra smooth like yours. And the color of your soup was much deeper and rusty looking. Possibly I didn’t ‘brown’ my veggies enough, if at all…but I was afraid of burning them, so I sauteed for about 8 minutes and then added the broth. Still, really impressed…my first time trying a recipe of yours and it has convinced me to try more.
Thanks!
Martine
Made a double batch of this soup last night and it was delish! Felt the chickpeas and tahini are truly worth the extra 5 minutes effort. Perhaps eating that for dinner counteracted effects of the chewy cinnamon squares from your book? I couldn’t stop eating them.
Love the (new to me) idea of roasting chickpeas to crispness! I’m food shopping later, this stuff is on my list!
Would deffo be interested in a new hummus recipe, especially if it’s easy!
Wonderful sup , I must ty it , thanks
Of *course* there is interest in the hummus! And this recipe is actually encouraging me to buy the carrots, which I’ve been putting off…
Hey Deb,
Quick question: When you specify 2lb of carrots, is that 2lb after they’ve been peeled or before?
Thanks,
Tracy
Hummus, please. I could read a book on different ideas about hummus.
Also, your assistant is previous. Mine (17 mo.) tries to clear the dishwasher and always wants to handle the most dangerous kitchen utensils. She’s pleased to have currently located a fondue pot.
oops. “previous = precious.
Holy Cow! This soup is amazing! I’m on board w/ the hummus too!
Love the cookbook too – got it for Christmas and have been happily baking/cooking non stop. I have yet to make anything I can’t wait to make again.
Deb, we made this one – I normally make a spicy gingery carrot soup and I still love it but everyone else here is apparently sick of it. Your new one went over like gangbusters – and those crispy little chickpeas will be appearing on their own again soon, since my kiddos ate them like they were candy. Thanks for continuing to tweak and test and inspire … and hey, I’m curious like earlier commenters – what were the ‘leftover’ carrots from?! Happy new year :)
Made this recipe today, yum! Just made the soup and chick peas, amazing! Thanks for the post!
Small town living = no tahini! Got a recipe for making my own?
In the last photo, does the bowl on the right have the tahini-lemon dollop? My tahini paste is brown – should it be white like the photo? Thanks!
Such a welcome update to snooze-worthy carrot soups.
It’s like you knew that I just bought za’atar to make a recipe from Jerusalem! (the beet-yogurt dip, btw, is really something special. I think you’d like it.) I’m excited to make this soup for dinner tonight, and for an excuse to sprinkle za’atar on something else.
Also, I wanted to thank you for writing a cookbook, several of my family members bought it and are now cooking from scratch (yay!) and loving it and even text me pictures of what they make from your book. They have also officially stopped calling me a snob because I love to cook and, most importantly, eat the results!
Can this recipe be made in advance?
Just made this, its so good. I think I’d like it to be a bit more spicy, but I’ve been on a spicy kick. I’m planning to freeze half. The chickpeas on top is INSPIRED. Love it!!
This looks SO good. And hummus, please!
Has anyone tried making this without a blender? I want to try the soup and just use a whisk, any cautionary tales out there?
Just bought the book today. Love your recipes. You are such an inspiration.
Hummus: yes! (Preferably still from dried chickpeas.) Though the original looks great – love the idea of sprinkling with za’atar.
Soup: brilliant, beautiful, bad-ass. LOVE the crispy chickpea garnish.
Carrot sticks: a co-worker taught me the wonder of carrots dipped in peanut butter. Sounds weird, but tastes great. I like them in hummus, too, though.
SK cookbook: Got it as a holiday gift and am absolutely smitten. I read the whole thing cover-to-cover when in bed with a cold last week. So wittily, beautifully written. I am with David L – I want to make every recipe, right now. Thank you for unending inspiration!
Yummy! Made this today! We loved it! My two year old and I had a hard time saving the chick peas for the soup! I have to make more for the leftovers!
I am not a huge fan of carrot soup either because of the sweetness. Glad to see its not just me! This, however, sounds great. Love the flavors!
Oh my. That was delicious!!! Just had a hot bowl with some warm homemade bread. So good! Thanks for a very tasty dinner
Just made this for dinner with my friend Maria and instead of tahini paste (because holy moly, it can be expensive) we used sour cream. Delicious. I’d recommend it as a substitute if you are looking. Otherwise the recipe was amazing. So comforting.
FYI, some people on tumblr are sharing your broccoli fritters recipe AND your photos, giving no credit to you as the creator. Kind of makes it look like the photos and recipe are their’s.
See here for example:
http://imgonnamakeachange.tumblr.com/post/39785277156/itsafitbla-i-just-made-the-tastiest-healthiest
I loved the soup, but a quick question on the timing of the chickpeas… In the book, they’re listed as 30-40 mins… Are you going for a softer chickpea here? Or should they be potato-chip crisp?
This sounds absolutely amazing. I can’t wait to make it. And yes please on the hummus!
Made this for a group of friends on Friday and they all kept asking WHAT it was. They insisted it must have cream or something. I also acknowledged that I never garnish, but this was yum. You are amazing! My 3 year old goddaughter and I snuggled deciding on what recipes to make from your book for Christmas. You’re an inspiration!
Ooh… this looks like it could have real potential…! I always really WANT to like carrots with hummus, but the problem is, by the time you’ve chewed through the carrot, you’ve already eaten the hummus! There’s no marriage of flavors! (Okay, the bitter frustration might not be necessary.) Anyway, looks like this soup would solve that.
I loved crisped chickpeas the one time I made them but a WARNING to all with weak molars: you can crack a tooth if a stray pea goes from crisp to hard. I did that, and after the dentist bill, I decided not to try them out again, as delicious as they were.
Still, I’ve always got carrots and tahini in the fridge so I’m making this, and maybe replace the chickpeas with something else..
@ 306 Bunny- I clicked on that link you gave because I hate to see people’s work poached, but if you go from that one reblog back to the original, it says “source: Smitten Kitchen”.
This looks and sounds INCREDIBLE!! Chickpeas and tahini is a match made and heaven and that bowlful full of soup looks divine!
Made this soup last night- loved all the extras. I added a little Vindaloo (Penzeys) for a warm, curry flavor and it was a perfect meal for a cold Detroit evening. Can’t wait to see what you cook up next…
I do a glorious beet hummus with ginger and cumin and roasted beets. The color is amazing and heartening in this chill, pale season!
Made it last night – LOVE the deep complex flavors! Looking forward to another bowl at lunch if my officemates don’t steal it from the fridge beforehand. Thanks so much for all the great recipes. I love your site and everything I’ve ever made from you has been perfection.
This is a lovely soup and I don’t even really like humus. I would say also that as a non humus lover – the carrot soup on its own without garnish is really lovely too :) Thanks for all the great recipes Deb.
What a wonderful, timely recipe! I do indeed have a bagful of carrots at home, and this sounds way better than eating them raw. I’m a party of one, and will likely be freezing the soup and doing the garnishes in small batches, but any thoughts on storing the chickpeas? Since they have oil should they go in the fridge?
I did make this soup last night, and it was a big success at home. Tahini in this soup just made it amazing, thanks for this recipe! I’d be very interested in your hummus recipe.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the bowl that is in these pictures (in which you’re weighing the carrots). My parents have a similar one but don’t remember where they got it. Do you happen to recall where you purchased yours?
Was really easy and super delish, also really filling which is always nice! A keeper for sure.
Dear Deb – I have a recommendation for you to triumph over the dullness of carrot soup. You need to make CARROT GINGER soup.
It is my favorite thing and so very easy. The key is using copious amounts of fresh ginger, at least 3″ knob for one pot of soup (use a microplane to get it paste-like). Basic recipe from memory: saute the following: 3 lbs carrots – chopped into 1-2″ pieces, 1 diced yellow onion, 6 garlic cloves. Once browned add about 4 cups chicken broth. Simmer until tender. Puree in batches using a blender, then add about 1 cup of coconut milk (or less of heavy cream) as desired to mellow the gingery burn. You can also skip the cream/milk entirely. Serve with crusty bread. Done and done.
Bonus! This is certainly New-Year-Resolutions & Health-Kick friendly.
Follow up to my prior comment/suggestion. After looking over your recipe again I realized it is very similar to my Carrot-Ginger soup. Using your existing recipe, simply swap out the cumin/coriander for fresh ginger. (Maybe start with 2″ knob to see how you like it – I tend to go strong.) You can even leave the red pepper flakes. I hope you try it!
I love carrots, but have never made carrot soup before. It’s a frozen wasteland in my neck of the woods at this time of year, though, and this soup is seriously calling my name. Love it!
Hi Deb. I LOVED the roasted chickpeas– I would love to see them used in other recipes!! I wanted to just eat them plain!! The soup itself I found better the next day and certainly the chickpeas added some depth. I didn’t do the tahini- but will next time. I agree that some soups need a little ‘beefing up’. Thanks! I love your posts!!
This turned out amazing. Not only was it delicious, but it was quite possibly one of the most impressive looking soups I’ve ever served. It looked like it was from a swanky restaurant! The combination of flavors was delicious and those crispy chickpeas…mmm. Definitely a keeper.
More hummus please!
Hummus please!
The soup was good but the chickpeas were amazing! And easy easy to make. XO
A. I will take the hummus! And B. How the heck do you chop a carrot into such precise little cubes? I hate chopping carrots!
Amanda — Whenever you’re chopping a vegetable with a round base (most of them) start by bevel-ing it, cutting a little sliver off one side so it sits flat. From there, it’s easy to cut it into matchsticks, then crosswise into cubes. Also, I’m weird and really, really enjoy chopping things. There’s no reason you cannot just roughly slice the carrots if you’re pureeing it.
Abby — I actually made it in a wheelthrown ceramics class my freshman year of college. It’s totally uneven and poorly glazed but I love it. ;)
Nancy — Yes, but I would only add the tahini when serving it. The roasted chickpeas will lose some of their crispness as they cool so if you can do them right before you eat it, that would be best.
Jenny — So, tahini actually comes in two shades, lighter and darker. I rarely specific light in recipes (although it’s supposed to have a better flavor, oddly because the sesame seeds are not toasted) because it’s all I’ve seen in stores, ever. Of course this would eventually come up in comments! I haven’t fiddle with dark tahini a lot so it’s hard for me to say if it will be a fine replacement. I’d suggest trying it, fiddling, and adjusting any flavors you think necessary.
Tracy — Before peeling. Ends on. (Well, trimmed down if yours came with large “trees” on top!)
Eric — It’s actually up to you and the texture you prefer. I find that the time it takes to brown and crisp can really, really range depending on the size of the chickpea, whether it was canned or cooked fresh, and how tender it is.
Cindy — You’re funny! I made this Mushroom and Farro Soup a few days before, with barley. I forgot how ridiculously good it is. I used presliced mushrooms (I know! Madness…) and they were cut really thick and got all meaty in the soup. Because we’re weird and had been climbing the walls that afternoon, we decided to go out for pizza that night and save the soup for the next so I left it cooling on the stove. When we came home, I couldn’t get over the aroma in the hallway. I thought someone was making bolognese or beef bourguignon. Nope, it was the soup! So, now you know. :)
Leah — Maybe one day! It’s not that exciting, I promise. I have most things in little jars, packed very tightly. There are always a few odd ends that don’t fit. The reason I’m able to fill my two cabinets with dry goods is that I keep my everyday dishes, bowls, glass in a big china cabinet in the living room so I only need to keep food (cabinets), cooking utensils (in small, messy drawers) and bakeware (up top) in the kitchen. Apartment Therapy did a “tour” of my kitchen a little while ago if you want to see more.
nibor — Most soups default to chicken broth, but you can use whichever you like. I used a nice homemade vegetable broth, and I thought it make a big difference. Gotta share a recipe for one soon.
This soup was delicious! I made it with the crisped chickpeas and lemon tahini dollop, which both added a lot. I would definitely not skip them. This recipe could easily be flagged gluten free as well, since all you need to do it omit the pita wedges.
Delicious pictures. I got almost all ingredients in my kitches so it might be on the run soon.
Thanks
It looks great.. wherever do you find inspiration?? Anyway, can’t wait to try it. :)
Just made it and it was really good. Don’t skip the lemon-tahini, being salty and refreshingly sour it does a great job in balancing out the carrots’ sweetness.
I made it last night, and it is DELICIOUS. Thanks! Great texture and flavor. I especially liked the tahini swirl. I also made the chickpeas, which were good but not as essential (for me). I think I’ll pop them back in the oven before I eat my leftover soup tonight to see if I like them better a little crunchier. I skipped the homemade pita wedges, since I didn’t have any za’atar or sesame seeds, but threw in a few store-bought pita chips for crunch.
I also didn’t have the aleppo pepper, and I really wish I’d bought some. The pepper flakes didn’t entirely disappear into the soup, even though I did a pretty thorough job with the stick blender. Not a big deal in any way, but the color of the soup was so gorgeous on its own.
I’ve made the similarly-spiced Moroccan Carrot Soup from Epicurious, and it’s good, but the addition of the roasted chickpeas makes yours even better.And thank you for Tahini lemon sauce!It’s a great work around for the usual Greek Yogurt/Sour Cream additions– my better half wont touch either one. And an excuse to eat Z’atar is always welcome! Thanks again.
I made this soup today, but I adjusted it a little. I didn’t have a full 2 lbs of carrots, so I did probably 1.5 lb and then 0.5 lb little bell peppers (the sweet variety sold in bags). I also did a pinch of cayenne and some onion powder to concentrate the onion flavor. The result was so so delicious, I thought about it all day! Thank you for the recipe!
I made this last night and ate it for dinner tonight. Absolutely amazing. And this was after I ran out of stock so I subbed about 1/3 of it with water, used a shallot + a medium onion, but carrots fresh from the farmers market.
As a garnish I adapted the lemon tahini swirl to be a mix of greek yogurt and tahini, added lemon, a bit of salt, and some more ground cumin.
What a wonderful way to start my week of healthy eating!
I made this today and it was very good–especially the aleppo pepper coated chickpeas. One thing I might need to adjust is it’s “brightness.” I felt like it was a bit too sweet, so I added a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and I would probably garnish it with cilantro along with the tahini.
The roasted chickpeas sparked the idea of making hummus…from roasted chickpeas. The roasting really intensifies the flavor, especially when coated with the pepper, cumin, salt, etc.
A keeper!!!
wow, what a difference the tahini makes! loved this!
ooo gorgeous soup! i LOVE toasted chick peas! and don’t worry, no carrot sticks around here. just chilies and cherries in chocolate for me. yup, it’s gonna be a great year.
PLEASE DO THE HUMMUS POST!!! <3 sorry for the caps, but I absolutely adore hummus and am sure you would do it justice.
The soup was delicious, especially on a sad and rainy-cold night when I had a bag of carrots left over from Christmas when I had to put a carrot out for the reindeer. I was not expecting how the tahini made the soup- without it the soup is warm and a smidge spicy (I like red pepper) but meh. With the tahini the whole thing transforms into carrot-hummus deliciousness. Chickpea croutons were great.
Please update the hummus recipe. My hummus always comes out lumpy and vaguely beany. I’m looking for something as smooth and strong as the divine hummus at Moby Dick’s in DC…
Made it—– and it was awesome…!!! Still I made it for the two of us, as a dinner meal and we finished it.. So my recipe was not for 6 people I feel.
I’ve cooked from the book several times now and everything has come out perfect. However, I have a question about the pea alfredo recipe. It says to use 455 grams of fresh shelled peas, or “from about 1 pound in the pod”. But 455 grams is one pound. Is that a mistake in the recipe, or is the weight of the pods insignificant (I’m unfamiliar with shelling fresh peas)
I love deconstructing an idea and making it into something completely new but maintaining the familiar elements that everyone loves. Very nice work on this one! Made the soup last night and it was wonderful. Subbed half of carrots for sweet potato for another dimension of flavor and nutrition; leftovers today are even better. Instead of pita, I cooked up bulgur with sumac, cinnamon, and cumin; served the soup over the bulgur and topped as instructed. Joy in a bowl!
Love hummus!
this soup was really fantastic! quick to come together. love it with and without the chickpeas. I made the tahini as well but I think it’s better without. Thanks for another great one, Deb!
I made this last night and it was delish! I added two extra cups of veggie broth to make it a little less thick. A definite make-again!
Jenny and Deb – I can get dark and light tahini here in Switzerland and I currently have the dark. It does have a deeper, nuttier flavor but it’s still very tasty. I used it on the soup (mixed with lemon of course) and it was very good.
I just introduced my friends in London to pita chips. Maybe they are a North American thing. They were hosting a new years eve party and I suggested we make a batch of pita chips to go with the hummus and they looked at me with a completely blank stare. I showed them how to make a spicy batch and just sent them the link to your post to show them I wasn’t their crazy Toronto friend. :) Your recipe looks great. I love the soup-pita chip combo.
Sarah
Made this soup last night and it was fabulous! I seriously could not stop eating those chickpeas!
My 9 year old went back for seconds! This was so good!
This was a perfect meal, thank you. Just wanted to note that I roughly cut up the carrots and onion and tossed them along with the garlic in the food processor for a quick chop instead of dicing by hand. I think they cooked a little faster too since they were in small uniform bits. And, I ate at least half the chickpeas straight off the cookie sheet before they even made it to the soup…
I made this tonight after work and we loved it! After 25 minutes my chick peas weren’t really crunchy, but they still tasted lovely. I think it was because they are canned.
It was a great, easy weeknight dinner and very kid friendly!
Just made this tonight… it. was. incredible! Who knew tahini and lemon would work so well with the carrots?? Thank you, muchly!
Delicious – just made it last night and it was great. I am not usually a fan of carrot soup (which is why I tried your version, since you admitted you felt the same way) but this was really good, even before the delicious add-ins.
Like others, my only issue is with getting it silky smooth. It had a sort of baby-food texture that wasn’t so great, but maybe if I added more broth toward the end? How do restaurants get soups like this so silky smooth?
This sounds amazing, especially since I’ve been living on a strict diet of sausage and cheese in various forms for the past two weeks. I will be making this tonight. Also, thank you so much for putting ingredients in both metric and imperial measurements. I live in the UK right now and it saves me time trying to convert everything!
So, I’m coming back to say that I made the soup, with all the add-ins and it was great! So great actually that I’m making it again this week. I really didn’t think the add-ins were too much. I would eat the soup without them, but the tahini really works. I think everything comes together really well.
To the one wondering how restaurants make their soups so creamy – I think they use strainers!
Made this soup the other night. The lemon tahini paste and chickpeas take this to the next level. Thanks for an easy soup that can be added to the monthly rotation!
When I first saw this soup on your blog and read the ingredients I knew I’d be making it ASAP!!! Well I made it last night and it was amazing!!!!! The entire combination was just bursting with the best flavor combos! I knew I’d love it and so did my boyfriend! Can’t wait for leftovers! :)
I made this last night — I wasn’t too crazy about the soup or the lemon tahini on it’s own (I’ll take crispy chickpeas any day, though!), but somehow, magically, they all came together for a tasty bowl of soup. It helped with our holiday detox. We also had kale salad and left the table feeling agressively healthy. Thanks!
Made this 2 nights ago, used turkey stock (leftover from Thanksgiving) had bits of turkey in it…scrum-diddle-dee-umptious!
I just finished making this for dinner tonight and made myself an amuse bouche and it was so delicious! I am just sitting here, thinking, geez my family is LUCKY. Anywho, it’s brilliant. And makes me want an immersion blender. (And going to make the hummus tomorrow!)
Best. Carrot Soup. Ever.
My fiance does everything short of throwing a fit when I tell him what’s for dinner that night and the title contains any mention of a vegetable or fruit. Sighs, eyerolls, outright guffaws…you can imagine how “carrot soup” went over last night.
Long story short, I slapped it down on the table and he complimented it not once, twice, but FOUR TIMES…and even went back for seconds. I only had the patience/ingredients for the extra fried chickpeas, but that was more than enough awesome for both of us. I couldn’t help but sneak a little whole milk in there to up the silky factor, which worked wonderfully.
What a lovely soup! It tastes just like a soup I had when I was in England last spring and it has brought back some very fond memories. Thank you for a great recipe and inspiration to get back in touch with my travel friends.
For Christmas I bought five coworkers soup bowls with lids and enrolled them in my own “soup of the month club”. This was my first selection, your post serendipitously coincided with an onslaught of carrots from my winter farm share. They loved it. Thank you!
Holy moly, this stuff is delicious. My husband declared it (remember it’s a bowl of carrot soup, people) fantastic and went back for more. I think the best part is that we had all of the ingredients on hand except the pita, but I’m so glad I bought some because every last garnish is worth it. Thanks, Deb! Last year’s miso carrot was good, but this was even better.
My husband made this the other night and it was awesome. I loved it. We did add a little more salt and lemon juice to the tahini though. Maybe it was just our tahini but it was in need of more acid. Instead of pita he took some of the pizza dough he made for another recipe, spread it with za’atar, folded it over and baked it. It was the perfect complement to the soup. And the crunchy chickpeas! They were awesome. Thanks for a fabulous recipe. This is definitely going on our “make again” list.
I made this soup last Thursday and it was such a hit a few of my friends and co-workers are making it this weekend! Thanks so much, I never thought of making tahini creme for soups but it’s such a delicious and amazing dairy-free option for soups. Everything is balanced and filling and soo soo satifying.
I appreciate this.
Creamy without the use of butter or cream. Crunchy without the step of deep frying. Satisfaction of a yummy warm soup without much prep, is AMAZING. My family and I ate and enjoyed every drop of this soup. Thank you for sharing your creativity with us all.
delicious recipe! made it with some bacon, fried green tomatoes, and brie paninis (be jealous.) the tahini dallop, which i was considering omitting really is semi-necessary, it adds just what the soup needs!
Made this for dinner tonight and really enjoyed it. I opted for all of the garnishes except the pita (toasted-sesame bread instead).
Just one thing. Some of my chickpeas had a satisfying crunch but others sort of just dried out and got a little leathery instead. Do you have any advice for getting them to be more consistently crispy?
Made this for dinner. Delicious! But had to guess on the amount of carrots since I don’t have a scale. Is it possible for you to give quantities of chopped ingredients instead of just weight. Yes I know the weight is more accurate, but in my kitchen there is not room for one more gadget.
I also made the green bean, fennel, toasted almond salad. Wonderful. A big hit. I made it at least an hour before serving and it was fine sitting out and served at room temp. I also added some tiny asparagus spears for part of the green beans, that was wonderful too. The only problem with the dish was that it took two cashiers to check me out at the grocery store since neither of them knew what fennel was.
Best carrot soup ever!! Just made this on a dull, cold Sunday afternoon in Paris, and it was perfect. I had to tweak, as the tahini i was sure i had was mysteriously eaten by a cupboard-monster, so made the dollop with a little creme fraiche, lemon juice and a tblsp of sesame oil. Don’t know how close it comes to the original dollop, but it was very very tasty !
Deb, you’ve done it again – many thanks! I had this in mind while shopping the other day, but (fortunately, as it turns out) didn’t get to make it until my in-laws were unexpectedly over for dinner last night. Rave reviews all around… my FIL commented on how easily I get my guy to eat all kinds of vegetables when he had so much trouble himself :p The cumin chickpeas will be a staple snack from now on!
My notes: I used canned chickpeas and they didn’t quite get crispy, but lovely and chewy-tender. Adding lemon juice to my tahini made it “curdle” strangely; on the second try I mixed the lemon juice and water first and made sure to stir the separated oil back into the tahini really well, and it worked fine. Doubled the spices all around and used a pretty decent amount of red chilli flakes as we all like it spicy, and the tahini swirl was a perfect foil to the extra bite.
This was AMAZING! I thought I was in love with my bright and simple carrot ginger soup this winter but I now have a new love…. I made a triple batch last night to trial for book club on Monday. I foolishly posted how great this smelled and ended up bringing it to a running club run. Gone Baby Gone…. So a new double batch is in the works in less than 24 hours. What more praise does a recipe require?
WONDERFUL. This is so January-appropriate that it has become my new favorite soup.
I never comment on this site, though have been a long time follower. This soup is terrific and super easy to make. The amount of spice is right on and the aleppo pepper is perfect! Deb — I know you love the toppings, but I served only the roasted chick peas and it was sublime!
Make, don’t buy, the tahini paste!
http://bottomupfood.wordpress.com/2011/03/03/ideologically-consistent-homemade-hummus-features-homemade-tahini-as-well/
I was home sick with a bad cold on the day this was posted and I was so excited when I realized I had everything in my fridge to make it. It was easy enough to do with sick-brain and the results were awesome. It’s so delicious you forget it’s healthy. And now I made this soup twice since it was posted and I love it more every time I eat it. I did the chick pea add-in for the first batch and toasted pita for the second. I love the blog – you’re an internet treasure!
Made this recipe tonight and when I told my husband he was a little hesitant. He is not a huge soup fan, but both of us LOVED this recipe. It has been bookmarked, printed out, and place in our favorite file. My husband also finds carrots to sweet at times and he loved the tahini with lemon topping, gave just the right amount of citrus. Thank you for this recipe.
Woowowwowwowow
like it….!!!
Tried this recipe tonight. I made whole wheat roti rather than pita. It was so easy, uses minimal ingredients and tasted amazing. My husband licked his bowl clean. Thanks for sharing it!
I really enjoyed this soup. I was a bit short on carrots so I added some red lentils to fill it out a bit and it was really tasty that way – also was very on top of it so I made my own stock. This NEVER happens.
I am making this soup tomorrow night! And I think my daughter is even excited about it. I made your hummus last night and couldn’t stop eating it! ABSOLUTELY great recipe. I am keeping it forever!
I have been looking for a great carrot soup for a while. This one has everything that I love! Will be making it soon for sure. {drool}
I feel the same way about carrot soup… not much to my liking but I keep coming up with new versions to change my mind about it. Great idea about adding the toasted garbanzos.
I just made this tonight and it’s so good! I have a nutjob of a cat who loves chickpeas, and he’s climbing all over me to get to my bowl to steal these. It’s a multi-species hit!
I made this soup tonight. It was stupendously good! Thank you so much!
Love! Can’t wait to try it.
Yum! I made this yesterday for lunch and it was delicious. I doubled the amount of coriander, as we are coriander mad in this household, and also blitzed it with fresh coriander so it had pleasing little green flecks in it. Also added a bit of orange juice, and used chilli flakes (sparingly!). So quick and easy, especially using the food processor to chop the carrots so took of all 30 seconds to slice 9 carrots! Delicious!
Tried this today–SO tasty! I was worried the carrots would be sweet, but the mix of spices brings a complexity to it that surprised and delighted.Thanks!
I was interested in this soup because I, too, hate carrot soup. As in, I have never been able to choke down an entire bowl. But I usually feel the same way about squash/pumpkin soup, and Deb rescued that with her pumpkin black bean soup. So I thought I’d put my trust in Deb and try this. It’s great! The flavors work so well, and the spices balance out the sweetness of the carrots. I love roasted chickpeas so I think that’s what really made it. The texture that they add is just perfect. My husband said that the tahini was what made it so I’d recommend to others to keep Deb’s add-ins included.
Can’t wait to make this – love that I have pretty much all the ingredients on hand!
I’m going to buy my first food processor, and I really have no idea what to get! i want something basic, and thought i’d ask if you have any suggestions :)
Tried this a couple of nights ago and was a bit underwhelmed. It was ok, but not something I’d go out of my way to repeat. And, as noted by someone else, the texture was a bit akin to baby food. BUT. My kids loved it. So… maybe I’ll play with it a bit – more spice, more stock, maybe some lentils to render it more ‘creamy’ once blended…?
I made this soup last weekend and it was wonderful. My husband, who does not like carrots, loved it. Although, I do have to confess that I did not tell him it was carrot soup until he ate it. The tahini dollup really made the difference. I do not usually put toppings on my soups, but I am glad I did. I also made the chickpeas and we ate it with naan. The combination was just dreamy.
I have recently gone vegan and subsequently bought about nine cookbooks. Some are good, others, well…But, I heard you on NPR one day and got on the website. I have to say that I have found some of the best recipes here. I even made the Mushroom Bourgouignon for company this weekend. The only thing I did not just LOVE was the warm butternut squash and tahini. Maybe, I didn’t make it right. I would love to buy your book, but I am not sure if there are enough recipes I could use. I may try to find it at a bookstore and browse through it first.
This weekend, I am going to make your stuffed peppers with feta and couscous, without the feta, of course. Any substitution suggestions (or will the meal be too different to make without the feta)?
I have been home sick with a cold (boohoo) and spend all day yesterday browsing your site. Deb, If you are ever bored (ha!) and would like to add a vegan section, I would love you forever…not that I would’nt anyway!
I made this soup over the weekend and it is UNREAL. The cumin on the chickpeas adds such a nice kick to the soup. I’m not a huge fan of carrots myself but this soup is delightful.
This reminds me of a carrot & tahini soup in Melissa Clark’s Good Appetite column a few years back…..
I’m not a big fan of cooked carrots and tend not to even buy raw ones so I substituted a can of pumpkin puree instead. The result was warm, delicious and not too sweet! Highly recommend.
Yyyuuummm. This was delicious! I too found that while I could have lived without one or another of the ‘extras’, that they were absolutely delish, and I’ll never look at chickpeas the same! I might have to try out the pumpkin thing that Suzanne mentioned…
I love hummus and tahini, so this should be right up my alley. I think it is time to buy some carrots. I’ve been doing the “I am not Chinese, but I can start my resolutions around the Chinese New Year, right?” and thus ignoring all thoughts of carrot sticks.
Hi!
Soup was delicious, but I found myself wondering whether I should bring the soup to a boil before simmering it. Thoughts?
Wendy
Wendy — If you try to bring something to a simmer over a low heat, it takes forever and a day. If you put the heat on higher and get it to a boil, you can then reduce it to a simmer. So, the standard cooking procedure for most things is BTB (bring to boil) then RTS (reduce to simmer). I always remember it by acronym. ;)
Truly excellent. Thank you.
I absolutely love carrot soup and everything about Mediterranean food. The combination of chickpeas (a food that I eat almost every day) and creamy carrot sounds delicious. I can’t wait to try the recipe!
You are a genius!!! I just made this, and I swear carrots have never tasted so good. Thank you thank you- I will be making this for years to come! I also loved hearing you speak in Philly- thanks for making us a stop on your tour!
Have you tried roasting the carrots? I don’t really like carrots that much because I find them bland and sweet, but roasting them before putting them in a broth and then blending seems to add to their flavor. I also like roasting and then blending a bunch of different vegetables (squash, eggplant, etc) to get max flavor.
Oh, seriously?? I used to just be happy with a really simple carrot soup with some carrots, onions, and maybe a little ras el hanout tossed in. I’m now spoiled forever (and more dangerously, so is my husband, who was nonplussed by the idea of this soup in writing, and then promptly ate about 3 servings). While this soup would be awesome without all of its accoutrements, it is totally over the top with them all in there. You spoil us. :)
Love this recipe!! Made it last night and substituted creme fraiche for the tahini (ran out). Thanks Deb!
Previous to yesterday I had made the crisped chickpeas but had not tried the soup. A very tasty soup. I made sure to leave some of the veggies unpureed and added to the top for a garnish and some texture.
Next time, I am adding some roasted red bell pepper.
I came across this recipe from Evernote Food. I made it the very next day & it was A M A Z I N G! My daughter is vegan & she was excited beyond belief! Thank you- I am now a follower of your blog!
I made this soup a few weeks ago and it was divine!!! I altered it, though, and it worked out great. I only used half the amount called for carrots, and instead made up the extra half with yams. It made for a bit different flavor, and a more varied nutrient content. It was easy but time consuming, probably because I peeled the chick peas… Definitely will make it again, perhaps with some homemade biscuits!
Who knew that so few ingredients could result in something so delicious! This soup is going to become a staple in our house. And the toasted chickpeas may be our new favorite snack food.
PS Ordered your cookbook today. I’m really excited.
I made this for dinner tonight. I had one bowl. My fiance had the rest. I think it was a hit.
This was my dinner just now, AMAZING!! DELICIOUS!! I literally liked my bowl clean, thats how good it was.
I made this last night – lovely! I swirled the tahini, chickpeas in the middle, parsley and a light sprinkling of sumac, which made it look soooooo beautiful! there is the tiniest portion left for my lunch today (I have a family of soup lovers…) thanks Deb!
Just made this for supper and it blew my mind! Such a lovely soup, really hearty and a great combination of flavours. Just got the book, can’t wait to try some more recipes.
Reminds me an awful lot of a pumpkin curry dish we made. Looks good!
Your recipe for ‘carrot soup with tahini and crisped chickpeas’ was of interest because it was listed under my query for pressure cooker recipes…frankly I can’t see where that ancient cooking device comes up in your cooking instructions. BUT…what I really want is an opinion on whether to keep one around as opposed to including it in an upcoming garage sale? I have NEVER used one in 40+ years of home cooking. Am I missing out on some great eats??
David — It may have come up because I said you can cook beans quickly in it. And I know some people made the soup in it. I’d say as long as it is still safe to use, keep it around.
Wondering how well this will freeze (without the additions). I like to make big batches when I’m on a roll and then just pull things out of the freezer when I have less time and ambition. Thoughts?
I’m a new follower to your blog, and I love it:) My good friend just brought me back some Za’atar from the middle east and I was happy to find some lovely recipes here that include it. The soup was delicious! I had to add a little water at the end because mine was very thick, but I had also put in a little extra garlic and spices so it all evened out. AND I only dirtied one pot! I love that. I made the soup with your awesome baked feta and tomatoes adding some blanched kale and a yellow pepper:
http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2012/08/mediterranean-baked-feta-with-tomatoes/
Thank you for the great recipes and inspiration!
CRAZY DELICIOUS! Follow the recipe exactly, but recommending doubling the chickpeas lets they be gobbled up before your soup runs out.
Love this new carrot soup recipe and have added it to my collection, alongside a carrot ginger soup that I also love. The chickpeas and Moroccan spicing is – as I already said – a great variation.
LOVE your “Surprise me” button in your tool bar!
I’ve been wanting to do this ever since you first posted it. But that was in the middle of summer, here in southern Africa. By now it’s autumn and soup is welcome. And wow, it was worth the wait! Tasty and so much fun to make :)
Wonderful, colorful, healthful soup. We made it for dinner last night and the stir-ins really made it perfect. Thanks for the recipe!
Wow! That soup looks amazing, despite the weather being over 100 degrees today where I live. It’s on my list to make. It’s great that it’s gluten-free. Thanks for sharing. You’re amazing!
I’ve made this soup about a thousand times and I love it! Even my meat-loving, soup-loathing husband raves about it. Thanks for the great recipe!!
I made this soup tonight and it was simply amazing! Thanks for the fabulous recipe!
Fabulous recipes. Will be trying all of them soon. Been trying to eat healthier for awhile. These recipes look beautiful, thank you for all the photos. I love it when you can see what it’s supposed to look like all the way along.
Can’t wait to get started.
Lee
Wow! Glorious recipe, Deb! The fussy 4 year old loved it, only pausing to gripe that she didn’t get enough of the chickpeas (Will do double next time). The ravenous 1 year old simply adored it, opening her mouth for more before we could refill her spoon. We parents were happy because of the beautiful and satisfying flavours.
My lemon/tahini mix was never going to achieve the ‘consistency of yoghurt’. I didn’t even add the 2 tbspns of water, yet it was still entirely thin and ungluggy. But it didn’t matter one bit! The taste was really amazing. Oh, and I used mint not parsley as the topper because this is what I had – worked really well. Thanks again.
After making (and loving) the Black Bean Pumpkin Soup I made this last night. It was easy and again — AMAZING recipe. I was ‘meh’ about carrot soup, but the flavors and little extras (chickpeas and tahini) take it over the top. Unbelievably I think this could be an all time favorite. Thank you!
Kuddos… this is truly amazing!
I tried the chick peas tonight and want to try the soup later when I actually have a bag of carrots. They’re super tasty! I don’t know if it’s because I used canned peas, but they started to pop while in the oven and never quite got crispy enough because I was afraid of losing them all as chick-pea-shrapnel!
Made this for lunch today, and it was perfect for a late fall lunch. The soup was nice, but it was really the chick peas and the tahini that made this recipe shine. I loved the richness of flavor and texture that they brought to a simple carrot soup. I couldn’t stop snacking on the chick peas, so I might suggest doubling the recipe and using whatever is left over as a delicious snack!
This was so, so good. I’m thinking of getting myself an immersion blender for Christmas so that I can do more soups like this with less to clean up. Will definitely make it again regardless of the blender type! Seriously, this is one of the best recipes I have ever made.
I know you were being funny when you made that comment about adding quinoa to create the perfect superfood but I actually went ahead and did it to help spread the leftovers out over a couple of work lunches. It was delicious that way too and I’d recommend it to anyone looking to make the soup a little heartier(but still very healthy).
Oh my goodness. This comes together so quickly when you use a food processor for the carrots. Next time, I’ll have to start the chickpeas earlier.
Just made this again… and yeah, it’s still the perfect soup. My husband still looks at it like it’s strange, then he devours it and remembers how good it is. This time I made the pita to go with it, and oh man, just… oh man. Flavors like olive oil, salt, cumin, and that beautiful tahini sauce are right up our alley.
I made this today and it was a big hit!!!!! I don’t usually do soups but this had enough texture and flavor to convert me. Only issue I had was mixing the lemon/water with the tahini.. it went thick and weird so I just used it on its own before the chick-pea topping. Thanks so much for this recipe!
Just made this and the flavors and texture are incredible! A possibly dumb question tho – my chickpeas came out tasting yummy but they aren’t really crisp. I sort of assumed from the description that they’d almost be like cornnuts, texture-wise, but they’re actually quite soft on the inside… is that how it should be? If not, any tips?
Jeni — Okay, I’ve never had corn nuts (my loss, I think?) but the amount of crisp you get from the chickpeas really varies. I find that firmly cooked fresh ones definitely get more crunchy and nut-like (but not, say, crisp all the way through) than canned ones, but with time and good drying, the canned ones can get a nice crisp from their usually more loosened skins.
I made this soup yesterday substituting 1 pound of carrots for 1 pound of parnsips because I have a winter CSA and so many parsnips! It was out of this world delicious. (I substituted ground ancho chile on the chickpeas instead of the cumin giving them a nice smoky flavor.)
This soup looks delicious! I love carrots and chickpeas. This a great twist on carrot soup! I want it now. It looks so yummy!
Heading into winter in Dunedin, NZ called for a warming soup for dinner. I’ve just made your lovely soup, not exactly to the recipe but as close as my pantry would allow. The addition of the tahini dollop and using chickpeas as croutons are both brilliant and tasty ideas. I loved the interesting combination of flavours so it will definitely be on the menu again. Thank you!
Hi Deb! I’ve made this soup once and we all just loved it – thank you! I’m wondering – do you think it would work to serve this soup cold or at room-temperature, or will I loose out on tasting all the flavors if the soup isn’t heated? Thanks!
Elana — Hm, I haven’t tried it at room temperature so I cannot say for sure. Try cooling a batch off and see. It can always be warmed if it’s not good cold, right?
Lovely soup :) I made it yesterday with the chickpeas. Next time I’ll make the tahini dollop and pitawedges too. Thank you for the excellent recipe.
Making this today and am pretty excited. I am not sure my chickpeas are done are they brown and soft or actually crispy/crunchy? Loving the color. Perfect for a cold and rainy day
I love this soup make this all the time… sometimes with the all the fixings, sometimes without. Making it right now: definitely a perfect soup for January 3.
Great winter recipe! Made it once this week, and it was so good that I made it again. I did half carrot, half sweet potato since we only had a pound of carrots. Love the toppings — my kids devoured the garbanzos!
I am now eating the leftovers of this soup for lunch. Instead of the tahini/chickpeas/pitas (all of which were eaten by my kids last night), I poured on a handful of salted roasted sunflower seeds. It.Is.Divine. Try it!!!
This easily one of my favorite soups. Easy to make, tastes delicious, reheats beautifully, and doesn’t cost a lot to make. Thanks.
WOW! This looks great! Yes most of us are enjoying some carrots now! Thank you for sharing!!
Looks delicious! Any recommendations for adapting this to a slow cooker?
Made this today and loved it. Added all of the toppings except parsley – who knew I had everything from chickpeas to sumach on hand but no parsley. Go figure. Also added a dollop of plain yoghurt as I needed more of a non-seasoned balance.
Even my picky six-year-old ate it (he loved the crisps), and the nine-year-old loved the whole thing including the chickpeas (chickpeas normally being one of the few things he doesn’t appreciate).
Thanks for sharing, this so un-babyfood carrot soup will be added to the rotation!
I made this tonight and am eating it as I type. It is divine. Thank you so much for the recipe!
This soup has become a favorite in our house. I grew up in Israel so I love all the Mediterranean flavors here. So easy and so delicious! Most days, we just serve it with nan, and the chickpeas and tahini sauce you list above. Tonight we’re adding your oven baked chicken meatballs. Thanks for posting!
I made this soup for last night’s dinner. The soup was excellent. Everyone loved it. I had trouble with the crisped chick peas… I used chick peas (cooked from the beans) that were defrosted from frozen. I followed the instructions for roasting, but the chick peas came out tasting like paste! Awful in both taste and texture. I did not use them in the soup. Any ideas why? Your recipes never fail me, so I was quite surprised.
I have never frozen chickpeas before so I cannot say if that is the issue. Many things lose their structure when defrosted…
Someone asked me for ways to use tahini besides hummus and I told them I make this soup all the time! After I reread the recipe I realized “all the time” meant I’ve made a couple changes. I always add a little tumeric and thyme to the carrots along with the coriander and cumin. I don’t puré hem either- just leave them chopped with the chickpeas. Why? Well, honestly mostly because it saves time+dishes. I do eat it all the time, for sure not just in January!
Deb, if I want to double the soup, should I also double the spices. I know sometimes that is not a good idea. Love your blog! Have your book! Always looking to you for inspiration. Keep up the great work!
Absolutely. And thank you!
Very delicious and soup. The topping was very interesting and made the soup special. My friend and I were very much satisfied. I can recommend other readers to try this recipe. The making is foolproof.
This soup has become an absolute favorite of my family and friends – thought it was about time I said thank you for this!!! It’s the perfect healthy, utterly satisfying fall/ winter soup. Enjoying it again on this November day. Thank you Deb.
This is soooooo good ! Everyone loved it, even Adult picky eater. The tahini dressing gives it a deliciously refreshing twist and we loved the grilled chickpeas as croutons. One of the best soups ever. And quite easy to make, too.
Just made this tonight and it is so delicious. Thank you!
Sunday afternoons are for taking my time with a recipe, especially one with multiple parts. I enjoying chopping veggies by hand (have you seen the opening scene of Girl with a Pearl Earring?) and having everything in place before beginning. That’s the difference between weekend and after-work weeknight meals. This recipe was an unhurried joy on a cold winter day. The soup has so much more flavor than I expected! My husband immediately reached for his sour cream, then put it away after seeing the tahini dressing. He wasn’t disappointed. The crispy chick peas were perfect. Dairy-free and meatless, it was an excellent Lenten meal (served over fresh spinach)… but it seemed so decadent! I focused on being grateful for such unexpected delight with such humble ingredients. I will be sharing this one, for sure! Thank you!
I made this yesterday! The extra bits and pieces make the dish, so I’d say are well worth the (minimal) effort to make them. I also made the mint and parsley pistou from your “Summer Squash Soup” which was perfect, and really lifted and brightened the whole thing. I’d highly recommend this – especially with the pistou.
Made it today and omg, it is so good!
Carrot and tahini goes surprisingly well together!
Delicious and wonderful exactly as written–oh wait no, I added an extra 1/4 tsp of coriander as well as a half teaspoon of honey because I was afraid my carrots were bitter. But those were the only deviations from the exact formula.
All of the condiments add a lot of interest, but the soup itself really is just great on its own. And my kid had it with parsley, chickpeas, and grated parmesan (instead of the tahini sauce) and that was pretty fantastic too.
Easy, nourishing, and just so good and cozy. Big hit.
I just made this in an instant pot with whole baby carrots. Generally I’d say this is a quick enough cooking soup to make the instant pot pointless, but cutting out chopping the carrots (while my toddler harassed me to play hide and seek for the millionth time) was great and would’ve added a lot of cooking time on the stove.
The recipe remains the same, except less liquid is required. I eyeballed it but would guess I used about 1.5 cups of broth for cooking, then added another half cup while blending. I used the soup setting for 25 minutes with a manual release.
Thank you for the Instant Pot notes! I was ready to wing it and am glad to have your experience as guidance.
Delicious!! Made the whole recipe including the tahini and chickpeas, it was a hit!
Have any advice on making this in the instant pot?
Could probably do the longer simmer in 5 to 7 minutes on high. Not the crispy chickpeas, alas.
I can confirm this works — use half the amount of broth called for in the original recipe and replace the long simmer with 6 mins high pressure, then manually release pressure.
Made this tonight with one addition – one tablespoon of fresh ginger along with the rest of the vegetables. I think I overdid it on the tahini dollop at the end tho, it sort of took over the flavor. Otherwise this was such a delicious and easy to put together soup!
i made this and really enjoyed it, but it was very thick. what would you recommend to thin it out a bit?
More broth or water
Made this earlier this week, increasing the spices a bit- at least double. I was a fan, especially with all of the add ins to up the texture and interest. Hubs unfortunately said it was too much like baby food even when I thinned it out a bit. I guess it won’t go on rotation, bummer.
This was delish! I think the key is that delicious lemon-tahini sauce swirled in it (don’t leave out!) and the crisped chickpeas. And also dipping crispy pita triangles in the soup didn’t hurt things either. ;) Thanks for another great recipe, Deb!
This looks great! How long would it last in the refrigerator? Would you recommend re-constructing it before serving?
It should be good for 4 days in the fridge. Only needs more water if it appears overly thick after rewarming. I wouldn’t expect this to continue to thicken, though.
I made this for a dinner party last weekend. I tested it a couple weeks ago and found the colour to be not “orange” enough. It was more of an orangey-brown. Tasted good though. For the party I substituted butternut squash for the carrots. It tasted amazing and had a beautiful bright colour. I made all the add-ins, too, and they were a hit, especially the pita chips.
I barely squeaked out 4 servings. Gotta make more next time.
If you were going to freeze this, would you put the tahini sauce in it? What about the chickpeas?
No and no. I’d put them on when I eat it, as garnishes.
I fixed this tonight, and even my soup-skeptical husband called it delicious! I can’t wait to make it again. Yum!!
This looks delicious! I don’t happen to have vegetable broth in the house. Would you recommend water or chicken broth as a substitute?
Chicken
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This was so good! Completely satisfied my carrot soup craving. The toppings took it to a whole other level.
will definitely try this. I love chickpeas. lol
I added a dollop of homemade harissa to the soup. WOW. That little extra something (my harissa isn’t particularly hot…tho some heat woulda been good too)
Which was your harissa recipe made with a mix of 2 ounces negro, 1 ounce ancho and 1 ounce chipotle chiles. REALLY GOOD and not very hot (with that combo)
https://smittenkitchen.com/2014/10/homemade-harissa/
Made this for dinner tonight. Wow! So good.
Deb! Just made this after you posted it on Instagram. I have a cold coming on so I decided it was a good night for it! Made everything and the tahini with the soup and the chickpeas on top were so flavorful and amped it up! Definitely making again!
Lovely soup…I found it just a bit lacking in something so I added 1/2 teaspoon of garam marsala and that really picked up the flavor. Didn’t have pita and it’s raining yet again in Southern California so I dug some naan out of the freezer…good substitution if you don’t want to make a trip to the store. Thanks, Deb!
I’ve always been too rushed or too lazy to do the thin sliced or diced carrots. Big chunks seem to work just as well, especially since we’re pureeing it anyway. Or am I missing something?
It’s merely about it cooking faster.
Looks so good. Is it sweet?
Where did you get the lovely lemon juicer?
Oof. I think I got it on clearance at Anthropologie? I think I gave it away shortly thereafter. Pretty, but the best tool for the job.
I just made this with the following modifications and it was heavenly.
– I roasted the carrots first (425 for 30 mins) with a healthy dose of salt, pepper, cumin and coriander
– while carrots were roasting, I cooked the onions and garlic, and added fresh diced ginger. Added dried oregano and thyme and turmeric to the mixture as they all cooked. Once it was done I added a few cups of water and a bay leaf and slowly let it simmer.
– once carrots were done roasting, I added them to the soup mixture and let it all simmer together for about 15 mins
Def recommend the roasted carrots and ginger for greater depth of flavor!
I probably make this recipe twice a month at this point, and I’m always thrilled with it. My partner isn’t such a big fan of tahini, so I top it with Greek yogurt mixed with lemon juice, and it’s a delight. Goes well with whatever bread we have in the house, but the pitas are the best. Would absolutely recommend, and plus it’s a really forgiving recipe for modification and experiments.
What could be a possible replacement for tahini (allergy to sesame)? Thank you
You can swirl a soup with almost anything you like — yogurt, cream, etc. You might try a nut butter too
I just made this soup for the family. Everybody loved it, even our 13 year old son. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes. Your cooking style has inspired me to cook again. Your recipes are really good and simple. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to find your blog. I’ve heard about you from a friend who uses your pie crust recipes, but never thought to look into it. I started following you after I made the apple cider caramels (4 times during the holidays) and asked for your cookbook for Xmas. Now I am hooked and my family is enjoying everything I’ve made so far from the crispy rice to the almond breakfast bars. Thank you for sparking my passion for cooking again.
Thank you. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipes. :)
My (very much) non-vegetarian husband looked at me and said “excellent!” I think that says it all. I didn’t bother with the pita wedges (just served it with some good ciabatta bread) but the tahini sauce and chickpeas really do take it to another level.
This was just meh. A lot of work (2 lbs of carrots is a lot!) and just not spiced enough to my liking; I wish I would have gone with gut instinct and doubled spices as I was adding them (I used organic carrots too). I ended up adding lots of freshly ground pepper, more chili flakes and salt to the bowl. Mine ended up quite thick (my daughter asked why I made baby food!). I didn’t have more stock to add, and didn’t want to add water because of limited flavor. Lots leftover; the next day I cooked some farro and mixed it with the soup, which made it feel less like I was eating baby food! I also recommend a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
So delicious I promptly bought another kilo of carrots to make it with.
My modifications resulting from a mixture of what I had on hand and what seemed like a good idea:
– in the soup, I upped the cumin to 1 heaped tsp, did 1/2 tsp of tumeric, no coriander (didn’t have) and 1 heaped tsp of smoked paprika
– I used low-sodium chicken broth as that’s what we had
– I didn’t peel the carrots because I could not be bothered (they were very clean carrots as well)
– I used zaatar instead of cumin for the chickpeas as I didn’t make the pita (didn’t have any) and zaatar is always a good idea
– I added a bit of honey (probably 1/2 tsp at most) in the tahini lemon dollop to take the bitterness of the tahini out and it worked great
The tahini lemon dollop is a must for the soup but I think next time I’ll skip the chickpeas. They were lovely but didn’t add much in my opinion.
I love, love, love this recipe! I’ve been making it for years and it is still a family favorite. Thank you!
This looks delicious. Should you take the little coats off the chickpeas first? (I’m using canned.)
There’s nothing I love more than crisped chickpeas, they are perfect for everything. They make for the perfect topping for this soup!
One technique I use when making roasted chickpeas is after rinsing them to rub them in a kitchen towel. This removes the skin from the chickpeas leaving you with a nicer texture!
I am Israeli and this really hits all the marks for us! The soup was good, but it’s nothing very different. It’s the tchina and chickpeas that made it a special thing. We put tchina on anything here! My son kept putting more in the soup, he loved it. I didn’t have any pita today but if anyone ever has a chance to eat a warm pita with lots of olive oil and zaatar on top, go for it! It’s the best.
Hi Deb:) I adore your recipes and loved your carrot miso soup recipe. I noticed the spiced carrot and pepper soup in your second cookbook and couldn’t help but wonder if the toppings here would work well with it? The spices look similar but I wasn’t sure if the tahini sauce might overwhelm the flavors in the carrot pepper version. Nonetheless, I hope to try both soups soon – so lovely for Fall!
Definitely — I hadn’t even thought of it but I’d like this with that one, too.
I made this this week with two changes: 1) I roasted the carrots to reduce the wateriness that carrot soup often has 2) I added some fresh-grated ginger because I like it. My mother and I liked this soup and found that it aged well — it was better today than two-days ago as the flavors blended. I would recommend making it ahead and letting it sit for a day or two, except for the garnishes. I made my own stock while the carrots roasted, using the onion skins, garlic peels, carrot tops. I love making “garbage stock” like this, which enhances the flavor of the soup ingredients. A delicious and different soup. Also, I would eat the tahini cream on anything.
This is a go-to winter dish that wows AND is economical. I follow exactly as written! I serve it with pork loins if I’m needing to round out the meal for others but for me this is perfect alone;
Love this soup! Would it be good served cold?
I’ve never tried it cold but I feel like it might work — let me know if you try it.
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Hello Deb. I made this fantastic soup for supper again last night (for the 4th or 5th time?) and my hubby and well as our three kids (6, 4 and 2 yrs old) all just love it (even the picky eater). Not only is the soup delicious, it’s friendly to plant-based eaters, I double the chickpeas for leftover for lunchbox snacks, and I get to draw funny faces in soup with the tahini sauce, what’s not to love? I’ve not commented before but I’m a big fan of your website and just wanted to (finally) say thank you for all the work you put into these amazing recipes. We really appreciate you!! Times seem a bit tough right now, and a delicious, healthy and comforting bowl of soup just does wonders. Thanks again and please keep up the amazing work!
Just wanted to comment that I had about 5 lbs. of carrots from my CSA and had to do something with them. I figured I’d turn them into soup and freeze to consume over the winter months. I decided to make both the recipe on the blog and the spiced carrot and red pepper in your cookbook; I don’t think I’ve ever eaten any type of carrot soup before. Can I just say that both are absolutely gorgeous in color! I didn’t even make the toppings for either. Before freezing the soup in batches, I consumed a bit from both. I was surprised at just how delicious they were. Can’t even imagine how much better they’ll be with the spiced chickpeas, zatar, harissa, tahini & lemon, etc. These bowls of soup will definitely be “rays of sunshine” during the upcoming dull, bitter cold months.
I don’t typically cook with coriander, so I substituted it with dill. In the carrot & red pepper soup, I had a mix of yellow and red peppers and added a small medium skinny Chinese eggplant along with them.
Just wanted to report back that I’ve had both of these soups during the cold bitter winter months. They froze without any problems, warmed up nicely, and both tasted delicious. I will say that the carrot soup on this website was a bit tastier than the one in the cookbook. However, I did make the modifications as noted in my comment above. Assuming that my CSA has an overgrowth of carrots again in 2022, I know what I’ll be doing with them. I’ve also made and frozen a combination of your 2 tomato soup recipes with excess tomatoes, and that soup turned out well when I defrosted it this winter. These recipes are definitely “keepers.” Yummy!
I’m almost 7 years late to this carrot soup party :) This was absolutely delicious! The tahini lemon sauce is such a great complement to the soup! Voting for this to be resurrected!
Deb, could you please clarify if the tahini paste listed in the ingredient list is the same as tahini (only ingredient on jar is pure ground sesame seeds, but once mixed is a thinner consistency than a paste) or if I should use sesame paste. Can’t wait to try the recipe. Thanks!
Either will work, some are thinner than others from the jar and might need less water to loosen.
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My husband has a cold so wanted to make something comforting. This was really perfect and delicious. Will be saving this to make again. Yum!
Delicious, I took the advice in the comments. I roasted the carrots, onion and garlic in the stove. This made it almost totally hands off. Added it to stock I had and then put the chickpeas on to roast in the same pan I had roasted the carrots. I also added garam masala. I need additional spices since I don’t use salt. It really was delicious the lemon tahini was the perfect complement.
Hi Deb-could I keep this warmed in a crockpot for a potluck once it’s been blended? I’m making for a potluck at work.
I love this soup! I have made it twice now and it’s been a hit with everyone who has treated it! The only changes I make are to increase the spices a bit, especially the Aleppo pepper (since we like things more intensely flavored), and I make extra tahini sauce and chickpeas. (And I add garam masala and more Aleppo pepper to the chickpeas.) This time I also added a small, finally mined garlic clove to the tahini sauce, which was great. Oh, and it is nice with parsley and za’atar, but it’s also fine to skip those – but I would not skip the tahini sauce or chickpeas, which are amazing. Thanks, Deb, for another great recipe!
OK, this is now my go-to lunch, and I would like to share my “lazy prep” version, which is not quite as good but is fast to assemble for a weekday evening. 1) Trim the carrots and cut into roughly 2-inch pieces, 2) Dump them in a bowl with water and let them soak to get the dirt off (we’re not peeling), 3) Slice the onion into 1 inch rounds, 4) smash the garlic on the cutting board using the back of a pot and then peel, 5) cook soup as directed, 6) skip the astonishingly delicious crisped chickpeas and lemon-tahini dollop in favor of a much less exciting plop of hummus.
so good.
changes i made:
omitted coriander and cumin in the soup itself
used corona bean broth
added coconut milk/cream straight from the can into our bowls on the table; after pureeing in vitamix
made crispy chickpeas as written, except of course liberal with salt, cumin, and oil
Deb. Always loved this soup. Is there harm here in using your technique for crispy chickpeas in your Crisped chickpeas with herb and garlic yogurt recipe? Perhaps that would be too crispy?
Go for it. I find the stovetop method much easier.