I’m always on the hunt for easy soup recipes, especially ones that are hearty and can last through the week as a side or main when in a rush for weekday dinner. I stumbled across this one recently and was reminded how much I love harissa. Adding a dollop to this soup really kicked up the flavor and an otherwise basic soup ended up bursting with flavor!

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium leek, white and pale green parts only, finely sliced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 (2-inch) knob of ginger, peeled and finely chopped (or if you’re like me and lazy you can buy pre-chopped ginger in a little jar that ends up saving so much time!)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 to 2 tablespoons harissa paste
• 2 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 quarts low-sodium homemade or store bought vegetable or chicken broth (I used chicken stock)
• kosher salt
• lemon juice and lemon zest

Directions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering.
2. Add leeks, onions, garlic, and ginger, and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Add cumin, coriander, and harissa paste and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add carrots and stir to coat in spice mixture.
4. Add broth, season with a pinch of salt, bring to a boil, reduce to a bare simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are completely tender, about 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Let cool for a few moments, then stir in parsley, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt.
6. Using an immersion blender, blend it all together, serve with parsley and a little harissa (careful, it’s spicy!)

From Epicurious Carrot and Ginger Harissa Soup