Chickpeas, with their high content of plant-based protein alone, are such a great ingredient to use in recipes. And this Vegan Carrot & Chickpea Soup, with its warming cumin tones, complement each other perfectly!
Very easy to make, you can have a delicious, healthy soup in less than 30 minutes.
Main ingredients and the minerals and vitamins, protein and fibre they contain per 100 g / 3½ oz!
Benefits of eating Carrots
– per 100g = Biotin, Potassium, K1, B6 and Beta Carotene (converted into vitamin A) / 0.9 g Protein / 2.8 g Fibre
Benefits of eating Chickpeas
– per 100g = Biotin, Potassium, K1, B6 and Beta Carotene (converted into vitamin A) / 8.4 g Protein / 17 g Fibre
Benefits of eating Cumin
– per 100g = Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Iron, Vitamin A, C, B6 / 18 g Protein / 11 g Fibre
The prep only takes about 5 minutes and you can toast the cumin seeds whilst the soup is cooking. And with only 205 calories per serving means, you can indulge in a good chunk of bread!
Cumin is such a versatile spice. Renown for being part of Indian cooking in lovely curries, but it also gives warming, not spicy, flavour to many dishes.
The secret is not to overuse it. I have used a scant 5 ml / 1 teaspoon to flavour this soup but you can add more when blending if your taste prefers it. Just remember, you can add but you can’t take away! I really need to remember that when I am adding chilli to dishes. I like things a bit more fiery than my husband does! ???? ????
Did You Know?
Cumin is said to be the second most common spice in the world.
Also, cumin was used to pay taxes! If only that were the case now!!
Cumin is believed to have many health benefits, aiding digestion being at the top of the list.
How to Make Vegan Carrot & Chickpea Soup!
Equipment you will need
Being strongly averse to waste, I rarely peel carrots. However, when blending vegetables with the peel on, they don’t always blend as smoothly as you would like. Therefore, this recipe calls for the carrots to be peeled. (I eat the peel as I can’t bear to throw it away!)
I know it’s a little bit annoying, but you need to peel the carrots before weighing them as you need 300 g / 10½ oz after peeling. I usually peel, top and tail, a couple and weigh as I am going, so as not to peel more than I need.
Then melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Fry gently for 5 minutes to soften the onion.
Whilst the onion is softening, add the stock powder to the freshly boiled water and stir to mix in and dissolve. It won’t dissolve completely as there are usually tiny pieces of vegetables in it too.
Next, add all the remaining ingredients except for the salt and pepper as that can be added to taste after blending the cooked soup.
Cover and bring the pan to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 15 minutes until the carrots are soft. The time will depend on how small you diced the carrots so check after 10 minutes. If a knife goes through the carrots and cuts them easily then the soup will be ready to blend.
In the directions, I have said to blend until smooth, but this really is down to your own preference. However, you may get a slightly different volume.
Once blended add freshly ground salt and black pepper to taste and stir in.
‘Toasting’ the Cumin Seeds
While the soup is cooking is a good time to toast the cumin seeds for sprinkling over the top of the served soup. Of course, it’s not necessary to sprinkle cumin seeds over the served soup but they do look good and add to the flavour when eating.
Using the word ‘Toasting’ is a little deceptive really as you don’t have to actually toast them under the grill. This method of pan toasting is so much quicker and really effective.
Just heat a dry frying pan over a medium heat and toss the seeds (nuts are easily done this way too) for 1-2 minutes to toast them. DO NOT be tempted to add oil. Adding oil just leaves you with a greasy mess! The natural oils in nuts and seeds are released sufficiently to stop them drying on to the pan.
However, be sure to remove them from the pan once they are done as the residue heat in the pan will continue to cook them and may result in them burning. When they start to jump/pop off the bottom of the pan they will be done.
The toasted cumin seeds also add great colour contrast to the orange the carrots give to the soup.
Although, in the photos, I served mine with my delicious Sundried Tomato Spelt Bread but my Easy Bread Rolls will also be great to pull apart and ‘dip-in’.
I’d love to hear when you try this tasty soup, so please leave me a comment in the box below ????
Happy Soup making and ENJOY!
Vegan Carrot & Chickpea Soup
- 12/01/2021
- 4 (makes 1200 ml / 2 pints)
- 30 min
- 205 Cals/Serving
- Print this
Ingredients
- 25 g / 1 oz vegan butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 large, or 4 small, garlic cloves, minced
- 15 ml / 1 tablespoon gluten free stock powder
- 750 ml / 25 fl oz freshly boiled water
- 300 g / 10½ oz peeled carrots, diced
- 1 tin chickpeas, drained
- 5 ml / 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 5 ml / 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- Freshly ground salt and black pepper
Directions
- Step 1
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Gently fry over a medium to low heat for 5 minutes until softened.
- Step 2
- Meanwhile, add the stock powder to the freshly boiled water and stir to dissolve.
- Step 3
- Add all the remaining ingredients to the saucepan, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes until the carrots are soft.
- Step 4
- Whilst the soup is simmering, heat a dry frying pan over a medium heat and add the cumin seeds. Gently toss them for 1-2 minutes for even toasting. When they start to ‘pop’ on the bottom of the pan they are done. Transfer to a bowl to stop them from toasting further as they may burn. Set aside.
- Step 5
- When the carrots are soft, blend, using a hand blender, until smooth. Season with freshly ground salt and black pepper to taste.
- Step 6
- Serve in warm soup bowls, sprinkled with the toasted sesame seeds, with Sundried Tomato Spelt Bread or Easy Bread Rolls.
