Roasted carrot soup with cilantro and mint relish takes already splendid and familiar flavors and amps them up with a quick roast. Layers of taste await. And, surprisingly, it’s vegan as well as simple to make.
Roasting the carrots concentrates their flavor and brings out their inherent sweetness, highlighted by the Asian-inspired cilantro and mint relish.–Caroline Griffiths and Vicki Valsamis
Do I need to peel my root vegetabes?
Most carrots will be fine with just a quick scrub. As far as parsnips go, if you’re lucky enough to have some baby parsnips in your possession, then go ahead and leave them skin on. Bigger parsnips will need a little bit more attention, though. A quick peel will get rid of that woody or tough skin. As well, if the center core seems tough or woody or particularly fibrous, you’ll want to cut that away too.
☞ Contents
Roasted Carrot Soup with Cilantro and Mint Relish
Ingredients
For the roasted carrot soup
- 1 pound 12 ounces carrots (about 12 medium) trimmed
- 1 large (about 10 oz) parsnip trimmed and peeled
- 1 large (about 12 oz) onion coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil or other mild vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups store-bought or homemade vegetable stock
- Water
For the cilantro and mint relish
- 3/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1 small garlic clove peeled and crushed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice or more to taste
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup peanut oil
For serving
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Unsalted roasted peanuts coarsely chopped
- Roti naan, or pita bread
Directions
Make the roasted carrot soup
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Scrub the carrots, then cut them in half lengthwise. Quarter the parsnip lengthwise.
- Divvy the carrots, parsnip, and onion between the two rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle evenly with the peanut oil and sprinkle with the maple syrup, cumin, and crushed red pepper flakes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and toss to coat. Spread vegetables in an even layer.
- Roast the vegetables until browned and very soft, stirring once, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Make the cilantro and mint relish
- Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor fitted with the steel blade, whiz the cilantro, mint, garlic, and peanuts until finely chopped.
- With the motor running, add the lime juice and 1/4 cup peanut oil in a thin, steady stream until combined. If the relish is too thick, stream in additional oil to achieve the desired consistency. Scoop into a small bowl and season to taste, adding a little more lime juice if desired.
- In the same blender or food processor, whiz the roasted vegetables and any sticky baking juices until very smooth, adding in a drizzle of vegetable stock to get things going, if necessary.
- Pour the mixture into a large saucepan and stir in the remaining vegetable stock and enough water to achieve the desired consistency. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat slightly and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season to taste.
To serve
- Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle with the cilantro and mint relish, scatter with the cilantro leaves and peanuts, and serve immediately, passing roti, naan, or pita on the side.
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Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Roasting the vegetables is key to this flavorful carrot soup while the cilantro and mint relish makes this a winner winner non-chicken dinner. Serving vegetables in soup form is one way to guarantee my family of boys loves a vegetarian meal, served with hearty naan bread.
Homemade soup is always a good thing and sometimes it makes everything seem just right. This creamy vegan soup made with roasted carrots, parsnip and onion for good measure, warm flavor from cumin and a cilantro pesto finish were just the flavors I needed and that made my day!
Making the roasted carrot soup with cilantro and mint relish is pretty straightforward. The relish is more than a garnish and absolutely not to be ignored. Make the relish while the carrots are roasting in the oven and you wake up the finished soup with bright citrus flavor from the cilantro and lime, a bit of earthiness from peanuts and a little cooling from the mint leaves. I can’t wait to dip some crusty bread into the leftover pesto. (I think I am going to skip into the kitchen and do that right now!)
HUNGRY FOR MORE?
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Shauna Hinchen-Joyal
This is a delicious and easy soup to have on hand for a quick healthy lunch or dinner. I used store-bought vegetable broth so I had everything on hand to make this soup. I served this roasted carrot soup with cilantro and mint relish with grilled naan bread which was the perfect dunking bread. Great recipe.