Curried Almond Sweet Potato Soup
Pumpkin Pecan Soup with Pecan Butter Croutons
Artichoke–Walnut Butter Bisque
Indonesian-Inspired Coconut Peanut Soup
The peanut plant is believed to have originated in South America. Records show that the Incas of Peru used peanuts as sacrificial offerings and entombed them with their mummies as early as 1500 BC. Since both peanuts and potatoes are Peruvian crops, they are combined in this flavorful soup. There are two ways to serve this soup. Served chunky, it is homey and rustic, and is especially good served with coarse dark bread. Puree the soup and it turns a lovely butterscotch color and looks quite elegant, especially garnished with chives.
GLUTEN FREE
SOY FREE
SERVES 6
1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil or 1⁄4 cup water
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 pound all-purpose potatoes, peeled and diced
6 cups vegetable broth
2⁄3 cup peanut butter
Salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped chives
Heat the oil or water in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and broth, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 40 minutes. Stir in the peanut butter, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
If a chunky soup is desired, it can be served at this point, garnished with the chives.
For a smooth soup, puree the mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth, or use an immersion blender to puree the soup right in the pot.
Return the soup to the pot and heat over medium heat until hot, about 5 minutes. Serve garnished with the chives.
CURRIED ALMOND SWEET POTATO SOUP
This soup has it all: great taste, vibrant color, and the creamy goodness of almond butter. For this recipe, I use Frontier brand organic curry powder, a heady blend of coriander, turmeric, cumin, mustard, fenugreek, cardamom, nutmeg, red pepper, cinnamon, and cloves, but most any curry spice blend should perform well. For a thinner soup, stir in a small amount of nondairy milk during the final heating.
GLUTEN FREE
SOY FREE
SERVES 4 TO 6
1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil or 1⁄4 cup water
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
5 cups vegetable broth or water
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2⁄3 cup almond butter
1 tablespoon curry powder
1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt
1⁄4 cup chopped roasted almonds
Heat the oil or water in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, broth, and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes.
Stir in the almond butter, curry powder, cayenne, and salt to taste. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Puree the mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth, or use an immersion blender to puree the soup right in the pot. Heat the soup over low heat until hot. Serve sprinkled with the chopped almonds.
Because peanuts are an abundant crop in Africa and a good, inexpensive source of protein, peanut soup can be found in many African countries. Traditionally, African peanut soups begin with whole peanuts that are ground to a paste, but beginning with peanut butter is infinitely more convenient.
GLUTEN FREE
SOY FREE
SERVES 6
1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil or 1⁄4 cup water
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
5 cups vegetable broth
1⁄2 cup brown rice
1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and ground black pepper
2⁄3 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts
Heat the oil or water in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, their juice, and the broth. Bring to a boil. Add the rice, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until the rice is tender, about 40 minutes.
Ladle about 1 cup of broth into a small bowl, add the peanut butter, and stir until smooth. Stir the peanut butter mixture back into the soup until it is incorporated. Serve hot, sprinkled with the chopped peanuts.
EASY NUT BUTTER SOUP
Combine two parts vegetable broth with one part nut butter (any kind) in a saucepan. Simmer for 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring until smooth and well blended. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Stir in a splash of almond milk before serving, if desired. Garnish with chopped nuts.
Just as you don’t need dairy cream to have a creamy soup, you don’t need dairy cheese to add a cheesy flavor to recipes. Almond butter adds extra richness to this flavorful soup.
GLUTEN FREE
SOY FREE
SERVES 4 TO 6
1 tablespoon olive oil or 1⁄4 cup water
1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium russet potato, peeled and finely chopped or shredded
1 pound broccoli, trimmed and coarsely chopped
3 cups vegetable broth
Salt and ground black pepper
1⁄2 cup nutritional yeast
1⁄4 cup almond butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 cups plain unsweetened almond milk
In a large pot, heat the oil or water over medium heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the potato and broccoli, and stir in the broth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove 1⁄2 cup of small broccoli florets, and set aside.
Add the nutritional yeast, almond butter, lemon juice, and mustard to the soup.
Use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot, or transfer to a high-speed blender or food processor and puree, in batches if necessary, then return to the pot.
Stir in the almond milk, then taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Reheat the soup over low heat until hot. To serve, ladle soup into bowls, garnish with the reserved broccoli florets. Serve hot.
PUMPKIN PECAN SOUP WITH PECAN BUTTER CROUTONS
A fresh pumpkin or orange-fleshed winter squash may be used instead of the canned pumpkin. To do so, peel and seed the pumpkin or squash. Cut it into 1⁄2-inch chunks. Add to the pot with the onion, and proceed. The hot chile may be omitted for those who prefer a mild soup. To make this gluten-free, use a gluten-free bread for the croutons.
SOY FREE
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION
SERVES 6
SOUP:
1 tablespoon olive oil or 1⁄4 cup water
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1⁄2 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 small hot chile, seeded and minced (optional)
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16-ounce) can solid-pack pumpkin
4 cups vegetable broth
1⁄4 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and ground black pepper
2⁄3 cup pecan butter
CROUTONS:
2 tablespoons pecan butter
1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil
3 to 4 slices firm white bread
SOUP: Heat the oil or water in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, and chile, if using. Cover and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, pumpkin, broth, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.
Stir in the pecan butter. Puree the mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth, or use an immersion blender to puree the soup right in the pot. Simmer the soup 10 to 15 minutes longer. Taste to adjust the seasonings.
CROUTONS: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a 10 x 15-inch baking pan and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the pecan butter and oil, and blend until smooth.
Place a sheet of wax paper on a cutting board. Brush both sides of the bread slices with the pecan butter mixture, and place on the wax paper. Cut each slice of bread lengthwise into 1⁄2-inch strips, then cut the slices crosswise to form the croutons.
Separate the croutons and transfer them to the prepared pan. Bake until browned, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Cool completely before using to garnish the soup. Store in an airtight container.
ARTICHOKE—WALNUT BUTTER BISQUE
Walnut butter adds buttery rich counterpoint to the artichokes in this elegant soup. Frozen artichoke hearts are used because they are superior in flavor to canned, and they don’t have the expense or labor of fresh ones.
GLUTEN FREE
SOY FREE
SERVES 4
1 tablespoon olive oil or 1⁄4 cup water
1 large or 2 small shallots, chopped
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
3 cups vegetable broth
Salt
1⁄3 cup walnut butter
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1⁄8 teaspoon ground cayenne
1 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichokes, drained and chopped or thinly sliced
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives, for garnish
2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts, for garnish
In a large pot, heat the oil or water over medium heat. Add the shallots, cover, and cook until softened. Uncover and stir in the artichoke hearts, broth, and salt, to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, until the artichokes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Stir in the walnut butter, lemon juice, and cayenne. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup right in the pot, or transfer the soup to a highspeed blender or food processor, in batches if necessary, and puree. Return the soup to the pot. Stir in the almond milk, then taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary, adding more salt if needed. Simmer the soup over medium heat until hot, about 5 minutes.
Ladle into 4 bowls, top with the marinated artichokes, then sprinkle with the chives and walnuts, and serve hot.
This rich, opulent bisque is a wonderful first course for a special autumn or winter meal, especially Thanksgiving or Christmas. Since fresh chestnuts can be difficult to find and time consuming to prepare, I stock up on frozen or jarred chestnuts whenever I find them on sale. The least expensive prepared chestnuts can be found in vacuum-packed bags in Asian markets.
GLUTEN FREE
SOY FREE
SERVES 4
1 tablespoon olive oil or 1⁄4 cup water
1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
12 ounces cooked and peeled chestnuts
4 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice
1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger
1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne
1 bay leaf
Salt
1⁄2 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
In a large pot, heat the oil or water over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cover and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.
Thinly slice 3 of the chestnuts and set them aside for garnish. Add the remaining chestnuts to the saucepan, along with the broth, parsley, allspice, ginger, cayenne, bay leaf, and salt, to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf and discard. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot or transfer to a high-speed blender or food processor and puree it in batches if necessary, then return the soup to the pot.
Stir in the almond milk, and taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Reheat over medium heat until hot. To serve, ladle the soup into 4 bowls, garnish with the sliced chestnuts, and serve hot.
Many cooks throughout the South have their own version of peanut soup. These soups all have one thing in common: the rich creamy taste of peanut butter. If a thinner consistency is desired, stir in a little additional broth just before serving.
GLUTEN FREE
SOY FREE
SERVES 6
1 tablespoon olive oil or 1⁄4 cup water
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 large baking potato, peeled and chopped
5 cups vegetable broth
3⁄4 cup peanut butter
Salt and ground black pepper
1⁄4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
Heat the oil or water in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the potato and broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat. Puree the mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth, or use an immersion blender to puree the soup right in the pot. Return all but 1 cup of the soup to the pot, and return to a simmer.
Add the peanut butter to the reserved cup of soup, and puree until smooth. Stir the peanut butter mixture into the soup. Taste the soup before seasoning with salt and pepper—the amount of salt needed will depend upon the saltiness of your broth and peanut butter. Simmer for 10 minutes to blend flavors. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with the chopped peanuts.
Cashews make an unusual and rich-tasting base for a soup. With notes of ginger, curry, and citrus, this soup is good hot or at room temperature. This recipe is from Nava Atlas, author of numerous cookbooks and editor of the popular web site VegKitchen.com.
GLUTEN FREE
SOY FREE
SERVES 6
11⁄2 tablespoons neutral-flavored vegetable oil
2 large onions, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large celery stalk, diced
1 cup cashew butter
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger, or to taste
2 teaspoons good-quality curry powder, more or less to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more to taste
1⁄2 cup orange juice, preferably fresh
3 cups steamed fresh green vegetables (such as finely chopped broccoli, green peas, diced zucchini, cut green beans, or any combination)
Salt and ground pepper to taste
Thinly sliced scallions for garnish
Chopped cashews for garnish, optional
Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onions, garlic, and celery and sauté over medium-low heat until all are lightly browned. Transfer to a food processor with 1 cup water and process until smoothly pureed, then transfer to the soup pot. Or, simply add 1 cup water to the pot and process with an immersion blender until pureed.
Add 3 cups water and bring to a rapid simmer. Whisk in the cashew butter, about 1⁄3 cup at a time. Stir in the ginger, curry powder, cumin, nutmeg, lemon juice, and orange juice. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
Stir in the steamed vegetables. The soup should have a slightly thick consistency. If the soup is too thick, add a bit more water. Season with salt and pepper, then serve. Garnish each serving with a sprinkling of scallion and, if desired, a few chopped cashews.
For the creamiest texture, you can puree this delicious soup in a high-speed blender. If using a regular blender or food processor, strain the soup through a fine-mesh sieve before serving.
GLUTEN FREE
SOY FREE
SERVES 4
1 tablespoon olive oil or 1⁄4 cup water
1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
8 ounces white mushrooms, lightly rinsed, patted dry, and quartered
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, lightly rinsed, patted dry, and quartered
5 cups vegetable broth, mushroom broth, or water
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1⁄2 teaspoon dried
Salt and ground black pepper
3 tablespoons almond butter
1 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
In a large soup pot, heat the oil or water over medium heat. Add the onion and celery, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth and thyme, then add salt and pepper, to taste (how much salt you add depends on the saltiness of your broth). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
Add the almond butter. Puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender, or transfer to a high-speed blender or food processor, in batches if necessary, and puree, then return to the pot. Stir in the almond milk, then taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Reheat the soup over low heat until hot.
Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with the parsley and toasted almonds. Serve hot.
INDONESIAN-INSPIRED COCONUT PEANUT SOUP
The intense, vibrant flavors of Indonesia are the inspiration for this creamy soup redolent of ginger, lime juice, coconut, cilantro, and of course, peanut butter—all in a wonderful balance that is right on target. The bean sprouts add a nice crunch, while the cilantro adds a lovely color contrast to the pale orange soup. Blanch the bean sprouts for 30 seconds—just long enough to remove the raw taste.
GLUTEN FREE
SOY FREE
SERVES 4
1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil or 1⁄4 cup water
3 shallots, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 small hot chile, seeded and minced (optional)
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
3 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon natural sugar
1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne
Salt and ground black pepper
2⁄3 cup peanut butter
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1⁄2 cup fresh bean sprouts, blanched
1⁄4 cup crushed roasted peanuts
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
Heat the oil or water in a large pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and carrot, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, chile (if using), ginger, tomatoes, broth, sugar, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the peanut butter and remove from the heat.
Puree the mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth, or use an immersion blender to puree the soup right in the pot.
Return to the saucepan, stir in the coconut milk and lime juice, and simmer until hot. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. Serve garnished with bean sprouts, peanuts, and cilantro.
This bright and versatile soup can be served piping hot in cold weather, but is also refreshingly delicious when served cold. I like to use a tart Granny Smith apple, but a sweeter variety such as Fuji or Gala may be used.
GLUTEN FREE
SOY FREE
SERVES 6
1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil or 1⁄4 cup water
1 yellow onion, diced
1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 baking potato, peeled and chopped
1 large cooking apple, peeled, cut in chunks
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups vegetable broth or water
1 cup apple juice
Salt and ground black pepper
1⁄3 cup cashew butter
1 small apple, unpeeled, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped roasted cashews
Heat the oil or water in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and potato. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened. Add the apple, ginger, cinnamon, broth or water, apple juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in the cashew butter.
Puree the mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth, or use an immersion blender to puree the soup right in the pot.
Pour the soup back into the pot and heat until hot. If serving cold, pour the soup into a container and refrigerate until chilled. Serve garnished with apple slices and chopped cashews.