Curried Carrot Soup With Maple Roasted Chickpeas

This Curried Carrot Soup with Maple Roasted Chickpeas soup is a vibrant winter vegetarian recipe. The base is packed with vegetables while the topping brings extra texture and protein. 

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We are now in the thick of winter here in the Midwest and the grey cold days make me crave nothing but warm soup and crusty bread. Although I love all kinds of soup, I do often times get a little bored with the texture pureed soup so I always like to dress it up to feel more filling with crunchy toppings. That is exactly why I decided to top this super flavorful curry carrot soup with crispy chickpeas, crunchy pepitas, and acidic quick pickled red onions (or pickled radishes if that is what you have on hand). Also top with some fresh herbs if you have them – I used cilantro here but chopped chives or parsley would also be delicious. 

This carrots give this soup a slightly sweet flavor while the curry powder and cumin boost the flavor with spice. This soup takes about 40 minutes to make (including prep and simmering time). I’d recommend starting by getting the soup on the stove and simmering and then while that simmers you can work on prepping the toppings. If you’d like to thicken the soup it up a bit, you can whirl in some heavy cream or thick yogurt at the end. 

This soup is delicious the day it’s made but is actually even better the next day after it’s had time for the flavors to merry. To store, let it cool completely, then transfer to a sealable container, and place it in the fridge for up to 3 days. When reheating, feel free to add a little bit more vegetable broth or water to thin it out. 

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Curried Carrot Soup With Maple Roasted Chickpeas

This Curried Carrot Soup with Maple Roasted Chickpeas soup is a vibrant winter vegetarian recipe. The base is packed with vegetables while the topping brings extra texture and protein. 

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Author: Shelly Westerhausen

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 1 sweet onion , diced
• 3 garlic cloves , peeled and lightly crushed
• 2 bunches of carrots (about 3 cups / 2 lbs), stemmed removed and diced
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 6 cups vegetable broth (or water)
• 1 bunch of herbs tied together with string (I used 3 spring of thyme, 1 sprig rosemary, and a bay leaf)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or yogurt (optional)

For the chickpeas:

• 1 15 ounce can of chickpeas , drained & rinsed.
• 2 Tablespoons oil (I used peanut but you can use vegetable, grapeseed, etc)
• 1 Teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 Tablespoon maple syrup

For the quick pickled red onions:

• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup water

For serving:

• 2 Tablespoons toasted pepita / pumpkin seeds
• 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro, parsley, or chives
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine all the roasted chickpea ingredients together and spread in one layer on a baking sheet. Set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat in a large saucepan.

4. Add the onions and carrots with a pinch of salt and let cook for 5 minutes.

5. Next, add the garlic, cumin, and curry powder and continue to cook for another two minutes. Pour in the vegetable stock (or water) and bundle of spices and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower to a simmer and leave it alone to cook slowly for 30 minutes.

6. In the meantime, place the chickpeas in the preheated oven and let roast for 20-25 minutes (shaking them around every 10 minutes to ensure they don't burn). Once crispy, remove from oven and let cool.

7. For the quick pickled red onion topping: combine the white wine vinegar, water, and 1/2 tsp salt in a small bowl and submerge the thinly sliced onions in the mixture. Let sit while you prepare the rest of the soup (at least 10 minutes and up to an ahour). Drain and serve.

8. Once soup has simmered, remove from heat and puree using a hand blender.

9. Return to heat and let it cook for five minutes more while you check the flavor (add more salt or pepper, if needed).

10. Remove from heat and stir in the heavy cream or yogurt, if using.

11. Serve warm with all the toppings.

Make sure to tag Vegetarian ‘Ventures on Instagram and use #vegetarianventures when trying this dish out!