Carrot Orange & Red Pepper Soup

A simple soup that can be served hot or cold.

It’s been a bit difficult to decide between warm weather soup and cold weather soup, our temperature here in Maine has fluctuated so much. I started out having this carrot soup warm the first day and then cold the next day. I’m thrilled to report it worked both ways, so you can eat it whichever way you like.

It’s savory and smooth without being heavy.

There are lots of recipes for carrot soup out there, but this one is gorgeous and slightly tangy with the freshly squeezed orange juice and the coconut cream provides a subtle creamy sweetness (don’t worry, it doesn’t taste notably coconut-y). It’s simple enough to be a weekday staple, yet impressive enough to serve to guests. I believe this would be a great cold soup to serve in shot glasses as an appetizer at a 4th of July barbecue.

Just throwing that out there.

Carrot and Red Pepper Soup

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup diced onion
1 pound carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tbsp. white rice
salt & freshly milled pepper
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley)
Grated zest and juice of 1 large orange
4 cups good quality vegetable broth
Garnish: cilantro, coconut cream, crispy curry chickpeas (recipe below)

Place olive oil in soup pot and add the bell pepper, onion, carrots, rice, and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat, covered, until the onion has softened completely, about 10 minutes, stirring several times. Add a grind of pepper, cilantro, orange zest, orange juice and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, until rice is cooked, about 25 minutes. Cool briefly, then puree with an immersion blender or in your high speed blender until smooth and creamy. Taste for salt, season with pepper, garnish with a dollop of coconut cream, fresh cilantro, crispy chickpeas and serve.

Crispy Curry Chickpeas
1 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained, rinsed, patted dry
1 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss chickpeas with oil, curry powder, and salt on a rimmed baking sheet until coated. Spread in an even layer and bake until crisp and golden brown, about 25 minutes.