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beetrrot and carrot soup There’s nothing more comforting on a cold and rainy day than a steaming bowl of hot soup. Although I love soup, my repertoire of recipes has been the same for years so this winter I am challenging myself to make some more interesting concoctions. Last month I made this delicious Spiced Butternut Squash Soup which went down a treat with the family. This month, after receiving some lovely fresh beetroot from a friend, I decided to try making it into a soup.
beetroot and carrot soup creme fraiche I have to admit I wasn’t too confident that this soup would go down well with my fussy eater. Lets face it, beetroot isn’t exactly known for being the most kid-friendly of vegetables but the addition of the carrot helps to sweeten it a little, perfect for little palates. My fussy eater was so intrigued by the colour that she forgot to ask what was in it! Unfortunately she wasn’t too keen on the feta, which I expected as it can be quite salty and tangy for small taste buds. So I removed the feta and instead gave her an extra dollop of creme fraiche which she loved stirring in.
Health wise, this soup makes an excellent meal choice for adults and kids alike. Beetroot is an excellent source of vitamins A, B6 and C, potassium, magnesium, iron and folic acid. It is also rich in powerful antioxidents and fibre.
beetroot and carrot soup with feta I used raw beetroot in this recipe. You could also use the ready-cooked variety, just make sure it hasn’t be preserved in vinegar as this will make the soup taste pretty nasty! If the beetroot is pre-cooked you should also adjust the cooking time.
I found just one bowl of this soup to be really filling and didn’t miss not having bread with it. But you can of course serve it with some nice crusty bread to bulk it out a little.
A delicious and vibrant kid friendly soup made with raw beetroot, carrot and potatoes, garnished with creme fraiche and crumbled feta cheese
INGREDIENTS
Soup:
- 500g raw beetroot
- 2 carrots
- 200g potatoes
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- 1 white onion
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 litre vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ tsp thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp creme fraiche
- 80g feta cheese
- 1 tbsp parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
- Trim, peel and chop the beetroot, carrots and potatoes into similar size chunks.
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and fry gently for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for another minute before adding the diced beetroot, carrots and potatoes. Fry for 3 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add the stock, tomato puree, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables have cooked through.
- Blend the soup until smooth. Divide into 4 bowls and top with creme fraiche, feta and parsley.
