Simple to make, nutritious, affordable, and satisfying, this soup has a surprisingly complex flavor. Cumin is the spice that makes this (and so many other dishes) nice!
1. Chop a medium onion, mix the bits in a large pot with a couple tablespoons of olive oil, and put the pot on the stove at a medium heat setting, then let the onions cook until you see some good brown color. (It might take longer than you think – I recommend not stirring after you’ve spread the oil-coated onions evenly across the bottom of the pot.)
2. While the onions are cooking, peel, rinse, and chop about 7 large carrots, and add them to the onions once the onions are getting brown.
3. Continue cooking the veggies together for 5-10 minutes, and then add 3-4 hefty dashes of turmeric and 1-2 teaspoons of cumin. Mix all that around and cook for a few more minutes.
4. Add 1-2 tablespoons of Better than Bullion No Chicken Base (I love this stuff, but any vegan broth would do) and a few cups of water – at least enough to fully cover the carrots, or more if you like a thinner soup. Pre-warming it in the microwave or an electric kettle can speed the process along.
5. Bring everything to a boil then simmer until the carrots are tender when you stick a fork in (10-20 minutes), then remove from the heat.
6. Optional, recommended: use an immersion blender, if you’ve got one (or a regular blender for that matter), to whiz up the soup. Careful – it’s hot!
7. Optional: season with black pepper and garlic salt to taste.
8. Enjoy on its own or spooned over a scoop of your favorite grain (I like it with millet), topped with a green vegetable (I recommend peas), or supplement it with croutons or chickpeas. Consider adding a tablespoon of nutritional yeast to your bowl for extra protein, umami, and vitamin B12! The sky is the limit for modifying this one.
