Thanksgiving Sides Series: Start with Soup

November 13, 2012

Spice up your Thanksgiving side dishes with this recipe for curried carrot and sweet potato soup. (Photo Credit: Suzanne Lehrer)

Clean Plates is delighted to offer our readers a scrumptious series of healthful, delicious and nutritious side dishes for Thanksgiving, ideal for contributing to the holiday table or combining for a luscious, primarily plant-based meal on their own. The first, a starter high in vitamins A and C, is from talented contributor and recipe developer Suzanne Lehrer.
-Tory Davis, Managing Editor

I love kicking off the Thanksgiving meal with a soup. It’s warm, it’s inviting, and it’s the perfect segue into the main meal so you’re not going from 0 to 60 immediately after hors d’oeuvres.

Although every curry powder is different, whichever one you choose will add warm, peppery notes to the soup without overpowering the natural sweetness in the carrots and sweet potatoes.

Curried Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

SERVES

PREP TIME

00 min

COOK TIME

00 min

Ingredients

4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus a pinch

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander

2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 pounds carrots (about 6 large), cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1 1/4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 medium), cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1/4 cup dry white wine

5 cups vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

Fresh thyme leaves to garnish

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onions and pinch sea salt.

Saute onions until translucent and slightly caramelized, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes.

Add curry powder, coriander and garlic; stir to toast spices, about 1 minute.

Add remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil, carrots, sweet potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Saute until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add wine and stir until alcohol evaporates, about 2 minutes.

Add stock and bay leaf. Bring to boil over high heat; reduce to simmer.

Cover; cook until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat. Puree soup in pot using immersion blender, or in batches in blender. Season to taste with salt.

Ladle soup into warm bowls; garnish with fresh thyme leaves.

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