Moroccan Spiced Carrot Soup

 • شوربة مغربية بالجزر •

Moroccan cuisine is artfully seasoned and attempts to strike a balance of sweet and savory flavors. Pleasantly spiced and gently sweet, this Moroccan Spiced Carrot Soup is not just warm and filling, it’s also easy to prepare.

Because I’m due to go produce shopping and the veggie level in my kitchen was relatively low, I didn’t know what to make for dinner tonight. I ending up making some breaded tofu cutlets, but I wanted something else to go along with it.

Since I love to use them in stir-drys, fresh juices, and salads, I always have a huge bag of carrots on hand. I also had a small bunch of cilantro that would’ve lasted only another day before spoiling. I immediately thought to make this soup!

I’ve been making this soup for years now. Because it comes together with ingredients I almost always have on hand, it’s one of my favorite last minute, don’t-know-what-to-make meals. If you have a food processor with a shredding blade attachment, it is even faster. Otherwise, a simple box grater is entirely sufficient, although admittedly a bit more tedious.

Serve this soup with a big wedge of traditional Moroccan Kesra Bread. Heat up the leftovers for an easy lunch the next day.

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Moroccan Spiced Carrot Soup

 

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Pleasantly spiced and gently sweet, this Moroccan-Spiced Carrot Soup recipe is not just warm and filling, it's also easy to prepare.

Author: Lands & Flavors

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, grated
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 1½ teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• ¾ teaspoon dried thyme or oregano
• ½ teaspoon ground fennel
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• pinch of cinnamon
• 4 cups shredded carrots (about 6-8 carrots)
• 8 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 teaspoons vegetable broth powder, or replace 4 cups of the water with your favorite prepared vegetable broth
• 1 Tablespoon chopped preserved lemon or 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 small tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
• ½ of a jalapeño, serrano, or other chile pepper, seeded and left whole
• ¼ cup whole wheat couscous
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro or parsley

Instructions

1. In a pot over medium-high heat, sauté the onion in 1 Tablespoon olive oil for 5 minutes. Add another 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to the pot and sauté the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds. Next, add the paprika, coriander, thyme/oregano, fennel, turmeric, black pepper, and cinnamon and sauté the spices for 10 seconds.
2. Finally, pour in the water, then add the carrots, bay leaf, vegetable broth powder, lemon zest, salt, chopped tomatoes, and jalapeño. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer the soup for 10-15 minutes.
3. After it has simmered, discard the bay leaf and put 4 cups (or about half) of the soup into a blender jar and carefully blend until smooth. Return this smooth portion back to the pot.
4. Stir in the couscous and lemon juice and let the soup sit for five minutes off the heat. After 5 minutes, stir in the cilantro or parsley, taste for seasoning, and serve.

Notes

-You can substitute fine bulgur wheat for the couscous. Or for a gluten-free version, use some precooked quinoa or millet.

-If you prefer a more chunky, brothy soup, skip the blending step. Conversely, if you like a silky smooth soup, blend the whole thing.

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