My last trip to the Middle East had me on the road for two weeks stuffing my face with loads of hummus, pita, and knafeh for dessert. By the time I got home, I needed to reset my diet but still wanted some of my favorite flavors of the region—tahini, za’atar (a mix of herbs, sesame, and sumac), and chickpeas.
I rifled through my pantry for those ingredients and started cooking and cooking. The result was this Tahini Carrot Soup with Za’atar Croutons recipe that’s totally vegetarian and creamless but super rich and filling and just the right amount of nod to my trip.
That’s it! Go stock up on all your cooking essentials then head into the kitchen, make this, and share it with us by tagging @saltandwind and #swsociety on social!
Tahini Carrot Soup with Za'atar Croutons Recipe
My last trip to the Middle East found me stuffing my face with loads of hummus, pita, and knafeh. By the time I got home, I needed to reset my diet but still wanted some of my favorite flavors of the region and the result was this Tahini Carrot Soup with Za'atar Croutons recipe.
Equipment
Dry Measuring Cups And Spoons
Liquid Measuring Cups
Glass Bowls
5 1/2-quart Dutch Oven
Wooden Spoon
Rimmed Baking Sheets
Immersion Blender
Vitamix Blender
Cuisinart 14-cup Food Processor
Ingredients
For The Carrot Soup:
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 medium leeks white part only, thinly sliced
- 8 medium garlic cloves roughly chopped
- kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pinch coriander seeds
- 3 pounds carrots
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme plus more leaves for garnish
- Juice of 1 lemon to taste
- 1/2 cup tahini or almond butter
For The Za'atar Croutons:
- 4 cups small diced seeded whole wheat bread
- Pinch of za'atar spice to taste
- extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
For The Crispy Chickpeas:
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas
- extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
Instructions
- Make The Carrot Soup: Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium head. Add the leek and cook until translucent. Add garlic, salt, pepper, coriander, and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add carrots and stir to coat them with leek mixture. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, then add broth, thyme, and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer, partly cover and cook until carrots are very tender, about 45 minutes.
- Make The Croutons: Meanwhile, heat oven to 400°F. Drizzle bread cubes with enough olive oil to soak, toast to coat, and sprinkle with salt and za'atar. Spread them on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until brown and crisp, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool.
- Make The Crunchy Garbanzo Beans: Meanwhile, combine garbanzo beans on a rimmed baking sheet, with oil and salt, and toss to coat. Bake until crunchy, split, and golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely on baking sheet. Will last up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Finish The Soup: When carrots are tender, turn off heat and let soup cool for 10 minutes. Remove thyme branches and stir in tahini. Using either an immersion blender, high-performance blender, or food processor, purée soup until smooth. Return to pot and reheat if necessary. Taste and add lemon juice and more salt if desired. Serve topped with croutons, garbanzo beans, and a drizzle of olive oil.
PERSONAL NOTES
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 306kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 9gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 131mgPotassium: 791mgFiber: 10gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 28844IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 120mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @saltandwind or tag #swsociety!
