Carrot Soup with Sesame and Chickpeas

One of the soups that I've made a few times recently(ish) is the Carrot Soup with Tahini and Chickpeas from Smitten Kitchen. It's a healthy and delicious soup, and is pretty quick and easy to make.

The soup itself is lightly spiced. Do not skip the sesame-lemon drizzle! It provides a definite punch of flavor, making the soup anything but boring.  The addition of chickpeas also makes this more interesting than your usual blended veggie soup. In some ways, it's like eating a soup version of hummus. As a meal, this soup is light but filling. It's also vegetarian and vegan! And it's wonderful served with Golden Pita Bread. 

Want other soups? Try Miso-Carrot Soup, Lentil Soup with Lemon, Baked Potato and Bacon Soup, Black Bean Soup, or Slow-Cooker Chicken Chili.

📖 Recipe

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Carrot Soup with Sesame and Chickpeas

This healthy and delicious soup is filling and satisfying. 

Servings: 4

Author: Leona Konkel

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 2 pounds carrots (diced or thinly sliced)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon table salt
• a pinch of red pepper flakes
• 4 cups vegetable broth (you can use water and salt to taste instead, although it's not as good)
• 1 can chickpeas (14oz; drained, rinsed, and patted dry)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons tahini paste (sesame)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• a pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons water
• parsley to garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Saute onions, carrots, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper flakes until the onion begins to brown.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 425F. Toss chickpeas with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with cumin and salt. Place in a heavy baking sheet and bake until browned and crisp, about 10-20 minutes, tossing occasionally. (This usually takes me closer to 20.)
3. Add vegetable broth to the vegetables, scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
4. While the soup simmers, combine the tahini, lemon juice, pinch of salt, and water and whisk to combine, stirring until smooth. This mixture will be thin; add more lemon juice or water if necessary.
5. Puree soup using an immersion blender (affiliate link) or in a blender until smooth. Ladle into bowls, then drizzle with the tahini-lemon sauce and top with chickpeas and parsley if using. Serve with pita bread if desired.