Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Vegetables
- 30 ml olive oil, liquid
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 750 g carrots, peeled and chopped into 2cm rounds
Spices & Base
- 5 g ground cumin
- 2 g ground coriander
- 1000 ml vegetable broth, hot
- 5 g salt
- black pepper
Finish
- 60 ml tahini, stirred well
- 30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ml water, cold
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 284 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 29 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 14 g
- Sodium
- 1868 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 859 mg
- Calcium
- 241 mg
- Iron
- 3.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 91 mg
- Phosphorus
- 186 mg
- Zinc
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 1633 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 20 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 30 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.17 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.14 mg
- Niacin
- 2.0 mg
- Folate
- 45 mcg
- Water
- 233 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt.
Add the minced garlic, cumin, and coriander. Stir constantly for about 1 minute until highly fragrant, ensuring the garlic does not burn.
Add the chopped carrots and pour in the vegetable broth. Increase heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
Remove the pot from the heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup directly in the pot until completely smooth and velvety.
Whisk in the tahini and fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or lemon if needed. If the soup is too thick, thin with a splash of water.
Chef's Notes
- Carrot sweetness is key: Use standard supermarket carrots for consistency, but if using older carrots, you may need a pinch of sugar or maple syrup to mimic the 'gentle sweetness' required.
- Tahini brands vary widely in bitterness and consistency. Use a runny, high-quality Middle Eastern brand (like Soom or Al Wadi) rather than the stiff paste often found in health food bulk bins.
- To garnish, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds or za'atar for a textural contrast.
- This recipe mimics the flavor profile of hummus. For a protein boost, you can actually blend in a half-can of drained chickpeas during step 4.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Flavors meld and improve after 24 hours. Thicken with a splash of water when reheating if needed.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze without garnishes. Texture remains stable upon thawing.
Reheating: Gently warm over low heat. Do not bring to a rolling boil to prevent tahini from separating.
Troubleshooting
Soup tastes bitter
Cause: Tahini was old, burnt, or the soup was boiled after adding tahini
Fix: Stir in 1 teaspoon of maple syrup or honey (if not vegan) to counteract bitterness
Prevention: Taste tahini before using; always add tahini after removing soup from heat
Texture is grainy or separated
Cause: Tahini seized from high heat or acid shock
Fix: Blend vigorously on high speed for another minute
Prevention: Whisk tahini with a little warm soup water before adding to the main pot
Cultural Context
This dish draws from the Middle Eastern tradition of pairing sweet root vegetables with bitter, nutty sesame paste (tahini), a combination often found in mezze platters like 'Carrots with Tarator'. It deconstructs the flavors of hummus—chickpeas, tahini, lemon, garlic—and reimagines them with carrots as the sweet, starchy base.
