A soup full of flavor and a hint of spice. Sounds perfect, right?
The recipe is easy to make and versatile. If you don’t have an ingredient on the list, switch it up and make it your own.
Are you ready to have some fun with the recipe?
SOME BOOK INSPIRATION:
“Carrot soup, huh?” Milo from Defend My Heart (Crystal Shores Book Three) stepped up behind Angie and rested his chin on her shoulder. “It smells delicious.”
“Holland, (from Cherish My Heart (Crystal Shores Book Four) dropped off a couple of pounds of carrots this morning.” Angie turned her head and kissed his cheek. “Her bunny loves the carrot tops. She said her refrigerator is overflowing with carrots.”
“Is it really possible to have too many carrots?” Milo dipped a teaspoon in the soup and blew on it before tasting it. “This is really good. What’s the spice?”
“I added some Harissa. Was that a bad idea?” She grabbed his teaspoon and dipped the spoon into the pureed contents. “Oh, wow, that’s good.”
“Yeah, that was not a bad idea. I love it.” Milo walked over to the kitchen island and sat down on a barstool. “Is that your first time making carrot soup?”
“Crazy enough, yes, it is.” She took the few steps separating them, snuggled her body between his legs, and laced her fingers behind his neck. “We should make some Harissa Carrot Hummus.” When they first met, they made Spicy Carrot & Edamame Hummus together (recipe available in the back of the book).
“And switch out the Siracha and pepper flakes in our usual recipe?” He wrapped his fingers around her waist.
“Yeah, I think it could make the recipe even better.”
“Sounds good to me.” He leaned in and kissed her. “Do we have more carrots?”
She pulled away from his embrace and ran to the refrigerator. “Half a shelf left.”
“So basically, what you’re saying is, expect more carrot-loving recipes in our future.” He laughed.
“Exactly.”
SOME BEHIND THE SCENES:
Our bunny, Lavender, is a huge fan of carrot tops. Earl Grey is a fan of dandelion greens.
If you caught the funny part of the carrot top sentence, you can see why I decided to make a new recipe using carrots.
We always have a lot of carrots in our refrigerator. Always.
This recipe is not set in stone. If you don’t have an ingredient, don’t panic; mix things up and use what you have.
We’re heading into the cooler months here in North Carolina, so I won’t have fresh herbs in the garden soon. If I didn’t have fresh herbs, I would grab my dried herbs and sprinkle them over the veggies before roasting them. There’s no specific amount I used for the herbs. At the end of the recipe, when the soup has been simmering for a while, you can add more herbs if it needs them. You decide because there are no rules with the recipe.
Harissa Carrot Parsnip Soup
Recipe by Terra Kelly
Prep: 10-15 minutes
Cook: 30-60 minutes
Makes: 4-6 Servings
Ingredients
8 medium to large carrots, cut into large chunks
2 medium to large parsnips, cut into large chunks
2 medium onions, cut into large chunks
4-5 cloves garlic
Handful of fresh oregano (see notes)
Handful of fresh basil (see notes)
Handful of fresh thyme (see notes)
Salt and pepper
4 Tbsp olive oil (use one Tbsp for the soup pot)
5-6 cups stock (see notes)
½ to 1 Tbsp Harissa (see notes)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Use a sheet pan and add the carrots, parsnips, onion, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper. Add olive oil and mix the ingredients. Top with the fresh oregano, basil, and thyme.
Cook the ingredients in a preheated oven for 30-45 minutes, or until fork-tender.
Use a large soup pot or cast-iron pot, add one tablespoon of olive oil, and set the stovetop to medium-high. (See notes for emulsifying the cooked vegetables.) Remove fresh herbs and add the cooked vegetables to the prepared pan. Add 4 cups of stock and emulsify until smooth.
Let the soup cook for 15-20 minutes on medium-low heat.
Add 1 cup of stock and harissa (start with a smaller amount because it’s spicy). Let it cook for another 15-20 minutes.
At this point, you may need the last cup of stock and more harissa. You decide.
Cook for a few more minutes, and then enjoy a delicious bowl!
Notes:
There were still fresh herbs in my garden, so I added some. If fresh herbs aren't available, dried herbs will do. Just sprinkle them over the vegetables and mix them with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.
It says a handful of herbs; I just threw some all around the vegetables. I would do the same with the dried herbs, too. So, add the amount you want and the herbs you want for the recipe. Just have fun with it.
I had chicken stock available. I wanted to use vegetable stock, but I was all out. Use the stock you have available or one that is your favorite.
We use a handheld emulsifying tool (or handheld food processor). You can use a potato masher, a food processor, or a blender. If you put the hot vegetables and stock in your food processor or blender, keep it covered, and blend at a low speed or pulse slowly to prevent steam from escaping quickly or exploding on you.
We buy prepared Harissa in jars. A little goes a long way. You can make your own. If you want more than what the recipe calls for, go for it.
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