Last week we confessed our love for all things saffron and pomegranate in our Saffron Roasted Cauliflower recipe and this week we’re back at it — this time infusing the bright flavors of saffron and pomegranate into a warm and comforting soup… with the addition of carrots!
We used the fullest’s Saffron Threads to create a tincture that gently adds depth and color to the broth. Instead of bread crumbs, we opted for a pomegranate pesto (which we made with our go-to sweetener, Just Pomegranate Syrup.
Combining the brightness of pomegranates with other vibrant (dare we say, woke) flavors like mint, parsley, orange juice, and orange zest creates a soup that is a hearty and delicious meal you’ll be wanting many more servings of.
SAFFRON & CARROT SOUP WITH POMEGRANATE PESTO INGREDIENTS
Soup:
2 tablespoons Brightland Awake Olive Oil (can also use coconut oil)
1 medium-sized yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
6 cups organic carrots, roughly chopped
3 cups low-sodium vegetable or mushroom broth
Saffron Tincture made from the fullest’s Saffron Threads (we used about 6 half-full droppers)
Himalayan pink salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper
*Optional: add up to 1 cup of organic full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk for creaminess
Saffron Tincture:
15 threads
⅛ cup water
(Let sit in the fridge overnight in a dropper vial/bottle.)
Herby Pistachio & Pomegranate Pesto:
⅓ cup mint, finely chopped
⅓ cup parsley, finely chopped
⅓ cup crushed pistachios
2 tablespoons Just Pomegranate Syrup
Zest and juice of ½ an orange, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
*Optional: add a pinch of aleppo or crushed red chiles for some heat.
SAFFRON & CARROT SOUP WITH POMEGRANATE PESTO ASSEMBLY
1 | On medium heat, drizzle the onion and garlic in olive oil in a stockpot or enameled dutch oven. Saute until the onions and garlic are slightly translucent and soft, stirring occasionally.
2 | Add in the carrots, saffron, broth, a few generous pinches of salt, and give everything a big stir to evenly combine ingredients.
3 | Bring to a boil and turn the heat down to medium-low, covering the pot with a lid to let simmer for about 25 minutes or until the carrots are fork-tender.
4 | While the soup is cooking, make the herby pesto by roughly chopping the herbs and pistachios before adding Just Pomegranate Syrup, olive oil, fresh orange zest/juice, and salt and pepper to taste. (Want more tart sweetness? Add more pomegranate syrup. More acidity or the pesto isn’t holding together? Add a touch more fresh orange juice.) Tweak amounts depending on your preference, and set aside.
5 | Once the carrots are fork-tender, transfer the soup mixture from the stockpot to a high powered blender and blend until smooth, gradually adding up to 1 cup of coconut milk if desired for creaminess. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6 | Ladle into serving bowls and top with herby pomegranate pistachio pesto.
