As we head towards October and cool autumn days, one of the things I’m most excited about is that we’re approaching soup season! We often get those final few days of late summer in September and it’s a tricky time temperature-wise – you go to work in a jumper and come home wishing you were in shorts and a t-shirt! It’s difficult to know when to make the shift from sandwiches or salads, to the comfort of a warm bowl of goodness.
Soup is such a simple lunch choice and it can also be really healthy, especially if you pack it full of vegetables. My all-time favourite soup has to be carrot and coriander. I know coriander is quite a contentious herb – you either love it or you think it tastes like soap (apparently)! Luckily, I fall into the first category, which means I put loads of coriander in my soup and any Thai food I make.
The great thing about this meal is that it’s easy to make and you can freeze it – unless you use cream, as it tends to separate when defrosted. I love making a big batch and portioning it up, either to eat for the week at work or to take out of the freezer for a last-minute weekend lunch.
The other thing I love about soup (have I mentioned that I love soup?!) is the excuse to have warm, crusty bread smothered in butter to dunk into it. Yum! For me, buttered bread and soup go together like strawberries and cream, spaghetti and meatballs, ice cream and jelly! They’re an iconic food pairing that non-soup lovers will never understand.
So, for the recipe – with only a handful of ingredients and a few steps to follow, this is a great recipe to make with kids. You’ll have to give them a hand with chopping the vegetables, but if you get them involved in cooking and ask for their help, they’re more likely to eat the end result. I love big bowls of soup, so this recipe made 6 portions, but if you’re feeding little ones or just having it as a light lunch, you’ll be able to portion up a few more.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons oil (I prefer using olive oil)
2 onions, diced
1kg carrots, peeled chopped into small chunks (this is about 6 large carrots)
2 large potatoes, diced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1.5 litres vegetable stock
A big handful of fresh coriander
Method
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and fry for about five minutes until softened.
2. Add the potato and ground coriander, stir and cook for a couple of minutes.
3. Put the chopped carrots into the pan along with the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer.
4. Cover the saucepan and cook for around 20 minutes until the carrots and potatoes are tender.
5. Leave to cool slightly, then use a hand blender or tip the contents of the saucepan into a food processor to whizz up. Add the handful of fresh coriander and blend until smooth.
6. Depending on how thick you like your soup, you can either serve it as it is (or leave it to cool if it’s heading to the freezer) or add a little boiling water to thin it.
And there you have it – a super simple soup recipe to warm your stomach and your soul!