Carrot-Ginger-Tahini Soup: A Sunny, Creamy Blend for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

This Carrot-Ginger-Tahini Soup has been on my "to-make" list ever since I first saw the recipe. I like the addition of creamy tahini to an already classic combination of carrots and ginger. The fact that it is simple to make for a busy pre-holiday week makes it all the better.

It's from Vegan's Daily Companion by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. The recipe looked fine as written but I love cumin with carrots so I added a bit and a squeeze of lemon juice before serving. Since it shares some of the same ingredients as hummus, I paired a cup of the soup with some garlic hummus and slices of warm flat bread for a light supper.

Patrick-Goudreau says, "If you have never added tahini (sesame paste) to a creamy soup, you're in for a real treat. With it's nutty flavor and smooth texture, it adds dimension and pairs particularly well with carrots."


Carrot-Ginger-Tahini Soup
From Vegan's Daily Companion by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
(Yield: 4 Servings)

7 or 8 large carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
1 yellow onion, diced
2 tsp (5.4 g) grated ginger
4 cups (940 ml) vegetable stock or water
2 Tbsp (30 g) tahini
1/4 cup (60 ml) nondairy milk (soy, rice, almond, hazelnut, hemp or oat)
salt and freshly ground pepper
(1 tsp ground cumin)
(juice of 1/2 lemon)

To a 4-quart saucepan, add the carrots, onion, ginger, and vegetable stock. Cook over medium heat for 40 minutes, or until the carrots are soft.

Transfer to a blender, add the tahini and milk, and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Return the soup to the pot to heat and serve, or transfer to a container and store in the refrigerator until ready to heat and serve. Garnish with freshly ground pepper.

Note: Oil-free, wheat-free, soy-free if not using soy milk.


Notes/Results: Silky smooth and a nice combination of the warming ginger, sweet carrots and nutty tahini. The cumin added a smokiness and the lemon brought out the flavors. This is a low-effort soup, just a bit of chopping in the beginning, and if you use an immersion blender, it's a one-pot dish. Satisfyingly creamy without any dairy, I would make this again.



We have some good friends waiting in the Souper Sundays kitchen, let's take a look.

Janet from The Taste Space has a healthy Lentil and Root Veggie Dal to share. She says, "...a red lentil curry, complete with ginger, curry powder, coriander, cumin, cardamom and cinnamon, complemented with a host of root vegetables: carrot, parsnip and turnip (did you spot the cruciferous vegetable?). A quick and healthy recipe, it was also up my alley. ...The vegetables make this a sweet curry and I thought this complemented the savoury spices well. For the curry novices out there, there was no hint of curry powder taste… unless you decide to add more! I found this perfecto as written."

Graziana from Erbe in Cucina is back with a hearty Autumn Chili to share. She says, "A recipe warm and comforting that will make you love the autumn for its delicious ingredients. I used my Black Chili Powder made from Chilhuacle Negro chilies. You can use a pinch of any type of hot powder, but black or brown chiles are generally mild and very aromatic.You can change some ingredients creating your own autumn chili, but don't forget the fried pumpkin, it was the perfect topping. I use one of my gorgeous Jack Be Little mini pumpkins. I served the chili with a freshly baked corn bread with aromatic herbs, that I will post soon."

My friend Sue from Couscous and Consciousness is joining us for the first time at Souper Sundays from New Zealand where summer is arriving slowly. Sue made this pretty End of Spring Ministrone with Rocket, Spinach & Walnut Pesto, and says, "For this soup brown rice is cooked in a light vegetable broth, with spring vegetables (I used asparagus, zucchini, and peas) added right at the end, so that the vegetables are still bright green and crispy. I made a pesto from some spinach and rocket (arugula) I'd harvested from my garden, and topped the soup with a generous dollop of that, along with some freshly grated lemon zest and shaved pecorino cheese." Welcome Sue!

Tigerfish from Teczcape-An Escape to Food has a unique dessert soup to share, this Snow (White) Fungus Dessert Soup. She says, "I wanted more nutrients in a bowl so that time and efforts spent cooking in the same pot is maximized. So, it is wild snow fungus 野生银耳, sweet potatoes and hulled barley. Weird? After I made this, I decided that that it was the last time with sweet potatoes and barley. Not that it tasted lousy but it was really kind of weird. The second time I made it, I just cook the snow fungus to tenderness and before consuming them, drizzle good quality raw honey into it. It was much better, and I get the feeling of being refreshed inside out!"

One salad this week from Joanne at Eats Well With Others who made a flavorful Eggplant and Chickpea Salad with Moroccan Spaghetti Squash. She says, "It was with great trepidation... that I taste tested the Greek feta dressing from Marzetti's new Simply Dressed line. Unlike most salad dressings, these are free of preservatives, trans fat, high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors. The verdict? Yum. The dressing was tangy and totally feta-full, which I loved. And it went perfectly on top of my eggplant and chickpea salad with Moroccan-spiced spaghetti squash (the only way in which I've ever actually LOVED eating spaghetti squash on it's own)."

Thanks to everyone who joined in. If you have a soup, salad, or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays link on the side bar for all of the details.

Note: Souper Sundays is still on for Christmas although we will be posting a little early. If you'd like to join in, please try to have your entry in by midnight, (Hawaii-Standard Time) on Saturday, December 24th. Mahalo!

Have a happy, healthy holiday week!