During the busy holiday season, I lean heavily on recipes that make for a quick and easy dinner. Both healthy and tasty, this soup by David Tanis from the New York Times is in regular rotation at our house — especially this time of year when life gets hectic and nights are chillier. I typically double or triple the recipe so we have plenty for lunch the next day. Makes 3-4 generous servings.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cups peeled carrots, roughly chopped into large rounds
- 2 medium leeks, white part only, chopped
- 8 cups water or broth (chicken or vegetable)
- 2 tablespoons miso (any color works fine)
- 1 small lime
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Thinly sliced chives, for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
- Melt butter in a pot over medium heat. Add carrots and leeks when the butter starts to sizzle. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for two minutes, then add water or broth.
- Bring to boil over high heat and then reduce to a simmer. As soup cooks, taste and add salt as needed.
- Cook until carrots are soft, about 15-20 minutes. Turn off heat.
- Allow the soup to cool a bit. Remove two cups of liquid then puree the remaining soup with an immersion blender or standard blender (I use my Vitamix, which results in a silky smooth soup). Add reserved liquid to adjust the soup’s thickness to your liking.
- To serve, heat soup and whisk in miso.
- Divide among bowls. Top with a squeeze of lime juice and chives. Enjoy!