Lenten Recipe: Creamy Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup with Roasted Almonds

Joanne Makhoul, IOCC’s Lebanon Team
Serves 4-6

1 tsp (15 mL) virgin coconut oil
2 C (500 mL) sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 Tb (15 mL) minced fresh ginger
2 Tb (30 mL) red curry paste
4 C (1 L) low-sodium vegetable broth plus more if needed
¼ C (60 mL) raw almond butter
3 C (750 mL) peeled carrots, diced in ½ in (1 cm) cubes
3 C (750 mL) peeled sweet potatoes, diced ½ inch (1 cm) cubes
1/2 tsp (2 mL) fine sea salt plus more to taste
1/4 tsp (1 mL) cayenne pepper (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
Minced fresh cilantro for serving
Lime juice for serving
1/2 cup (125 mL) raw almonds finely chopped
1 Tb plus 1 tsp (20 mL) low-sodium tamari or coconut aminos

Melt coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and ginger; sauté 5-6 minutes, until onion is translucent. Stir in curry paste.

In a small bowl, whisk some of the broth with the almond butter until smooth. Add mixture to the pot, along with remaining broth, carrots, sweet potatoes, salt, and cayenne (if using). Stir until combined.

Bring soup to a low boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes, until potatoes and carrots are fork-tender.

Ladle the soup carefully into a blender (may require batches, depending on blender size). With the lid slightly ajar so steam escapes, blend on low and slowly increase speed until soup is completely smooth. Or use an immersion blender to blend directly in the pot.

Return the soup to the pot and season with salt and black pepper. Thin with a bit more broth if preferred. Reheat if necessary.

Ladle soup into bowls and top with minced cilantro, almonds, and a squeeze of lime juice, if desired. Keeps in fridge up to a week; freezes well for 1-2 months.

To roast almonds:

Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, toss the almonds with the tamari until the almond pieces are fully coated. Spread the almonds over the prepared baking sheet in an even layer. Roast the almonds for 9 to 12 minutes, until lightly golden. The tamari will have dried up. Let cool completely on the pan. The almonds will harden up as they cool. Using a spoon, scrape the almonds off the parchment paper and enjoy! Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of weeks.