Straight from the Earth

HEARTY BEET SOUP

I love beets—their earthy, sweet flavors; their bold and vivacious colors; the way they taste like health. This hearty soup is an homage to the incredible beet. Full of flavorful chunks of red beets and complex spices, it’s unbelievably satisfying served hot and equally delicious cold. This recipe includes both the beetroot and its greens, so you don’t have to waste any part of this magical vegetable. If you can’t find whole bunches of beets with their greens, you can substitute the beet greens with a bunch of chard. Bursting with iron and fiber, this is the perfect soup for a boost after a long and depleting day. Even people who aren’t as in love with beets as I am will enjoy this soup—as my dad will happily attest. —MAREA

Serves 4 to 6

¹/₄ cup/60 ml canola oil

1 large yellow onion, finely diced

3 large garlic cloves, minced

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp fennel seeds

1¹/₂ tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

¹/₂ tsp dried thyme

Big pinch of red pepper flakes

5 cups/1.2 L Easy Vegetable Stock (page 76) or low-sodium vegetable broth

4 large beets with tops, beetroots large dice, greens finely chopped

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

¹/₄ cup/10 g finely chopped fresh cilantro for garnishing

Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add the oil. Stir in the onion, garlic, bay leaves, fennel seeds, coriander, cumin, thyme, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, until the onion has softened and the mixture is fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and beets. Cover, bring to a boil, and then lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beets are soft and tender, 30 to 45 minutes.

Add the greens to the pot, cover, and cook for 3 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot or cold, garnished with the cilantro.