Maple Harissa Roast Carrot Soup Recipe with Crispy Mushrooms

Fall and Winter Soup Season is on and we're making this Maple Harissa Roast Carrot Soup Recipe with Crispy Mushrooms all season long! Made from roasted carrots and potatoes seasoned in a sweet and spicy sauce, this is an easy recipe made from simple ingredients you're sure to love. 

If you're looking for a fresh vegan recipe that makes good use of whole carrots, look no further. This soup is packed with plenty of umami savory flavors you'll love. Let's make this together! 

Ingredient List for the Maple Harissa Roast Carrot Soup

This Maple Harissa Carrot Soup is one of those basic recipes for soup but packed with flavor. Here is what we'll need to make this riff off the classic soup for carrots: 

• Potatoes: We're using russet potatoes help to give our soup a creamy texture without the use of dairy. We're roasting with fresh carrots until caramelized to concentrate the flavors of our root vegetables in this creamy carrot soup. 
• Carrots: Large carrots of the Napoli variety are in abundance at the farmer's market and in our CSA box so let's put them to use in this soup. You can also opt for small baby carrots if you find those at your local grocery store too. Since we're blending it up either of these carrot types will work for this carrot soup recipe. 
• Aromatics: A few cloves garlic will get chopped to roast with our veggies. We'll also use a few fresh herbs. In this recipe we're using chopped parsley and chives. 
• Dried Harissa Seasoning: A number of my favorite carrot recipes uses dried harissa seasoning. An umami accent, this dried harissa seasoning is a great addition in creating warmth in our carrot soup recipe. If you can't find dried harissa seasoning, start with a a couple teaspoons of prepared harissa paste and build the flavor from there based on your personal preference and taste buds. And, if you really don't want to use harissa, that's okay! A quarter teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes is a great way to add a little bit of warmth here. 
• Pure Maple Syrup: To balance the heat, we'll add a little sweet. Maple syrup makes for a wonderful sweetener given it's lower on the glycemic index. It also adds a nice caramelization to the vegetables during the roast.   
• Rice Vinegar: I love the way the vinegar helps to balance the flavors here while also tenderizing them during their cooking time in the oven. The bright acidity works well. You can also substitute for the zest and lemon juice, if preferred. You could also use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. The acidity helps to balance the natural sweetness with this vegan carrots recipe. 
• Stock of Choice: Chicken broth or chicken stock work great here. If wanting to keep this vegan like the version we've created, many vegetable dishes do well with a good vegetable stock. 

​For Our Maple Harissa Roast Carrot Soup Topping: Crispy Mushrooms

The topping for this soup includes these deliciously crispy mushrooms. Here's what we will need to make these: 

• Mix of Mushrooms: We're using lion's mane and portobello mushrooms which offer a wonderfully meaty texture that compliments our smooth and creamy soup. 
• Fresh Herbs: For these mushrooms we're loading up on the fresh herbs. We use chopped rosemary, parsley, thyme, and chives. The combo is insanely delicious and a definite recipe improvement. 
• Garlic: I love garlicky mushrooms so we'll add a couple more cloves here during the sauté. Worth it. 
• Olive Oil: The oil is needed to crisp up the mushrooms with the garlic and herbs. Since the mushrooms soak up a bit of the oil, we'll use 4 tablespoons here.

Making the Maple Harissa Roast Carrot Soup with Crispy Mushrooms

 In just under an hour, this flavorful soup is ready to enjoy. Here is how we make it: 

• First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set to the side.
• Peel and dice the carrots and potatoes. Add them to the baking sheet. In a small bowl, whisk together the grated ginger, fresh garlic, harissa, extra virgin olive oil, maple syrup, vinegar, and kosher salt.
• Pour the mixture over the vegetables and using your hands or a spoon, toss the vegetables to coat in the mixture. Sprinkle with herbs and roast for about 40 minutes until the vegetables begin to caramelize slightly and the edges are crisp.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
• Dice focaccia into ½ inch cubes then place the cubed on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Toast the cubes in the oven for about 7 to 10 minutes until the outer edges are golden and crisp. Remove from oven and set aside.
• Using a blender or food processor, blend the vegetables with 1 to 2 cups of the stock. Pour the puréed mixture into a 4-quart dutch oven and add the remaining 4 cups of stock. Stir together well to combine. Allow soup to simmer 10 minutes to thicken slightly.
• While the soup warms, prepare the mushrooms. Dice mushrooms into ½ inch pieces.
• Preheat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with 4 tablespoons olive oil. Add the mushrooms and begin to sauté for 3 minutes until they begin to soften and lightly brown. Add the garlic and fresh herbs then stir to combine. Cook the mushrooms for another 5 to 7 minutes until edges just become crispy.
• To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Top with croutons and crispy mushrooms. Garnish with more chopped fresh herbs, as desired. Serve immediately.

Home Cooking Tips and Storage Recommendations

• ​This can be served as a delicious side dish as part of the main dinner meal. If you have leftover soup, portion it out into silicone freezer cubes and freeze into 1 cup or 2 cup portions. Store freezer cubes in freezer safe bags for up to 6 months. 
• If you're wanting to change up the flavor profile in this humble carrot dish, you can definitely swap the harissa for curry spices or your favorite dried herbs like thyme or basil or herbs de provence. You can also add a splash of balsamic vinegar at the end for a touch of brightness. 
• Save the carrot tops! If you purchase fresh carrots from the store or farmers market and the tops come with, save them to make this carrot top pesto! It also freezes beautifully and is one of my favorite ingredients to use for gnocchi or in a baked chicken recipe. 

More Soups for Soup Season

There is nothing I love more than cozying up with a bowl of soup on a chilly autumn or winter day. Here are a few more soups I keep in rotation throughout the season:

• Mexican Fish Soup (or Caldo de Pescado) takes me back to my childhood and make a Fish Friday during Lent
• One Pot Beef Stew is classic winter time comfort.
• Roast Dumpling Squash Soup is another great way to use up autumnal squash in lieu of pumpkin or butternut.

Maple Harissa Roast Carrot Soup Recipe with Crispy Mushrooms

Frances Kellar

The flavors of this autumn soup are sublime! Humble carrots and potatoes are roasted until just caramelized and seasoned in a sweet and slightly spicy sauce that creates a stick-to-your-ribs soup for weeknight comfort food.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Course Soup, Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Equipment

• 1 4 quart dutch oven
• 1 high-performance blend or food processor
• 1 full-sheet rimmed baking sheet

Ingredients

  

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For the Soup Base

• 2 pounds russet potatoes peeled and diced into ½ inch chunks
• 1 ½ pounds carrots peeled and diced into ½ inch chunks
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 8 cloves finely chopped garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon dried harissa seasoning You can use 1 to 2 teaspoons depending on desired level of heat.
• ⅔ cup olive oil
• ⅓ cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley and chives
• 6 cups stock of choice

For the Crispy Mushrooms

• 2 cups chopped lions mane mushrooms
• 1 portobello mushroom
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme, chives
• 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons olive oil

For the Focaccia Croutons

• ½ loaf of store bought focaccia cut into ½ inch cubes

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set to the side.
• Peel and dice the carrots and potatoes. Add them to the baking sheet. In a small bowl, whisk together the grated ginger, garlic, harissa, olive oil, maple syrup, vinegar, and kosher salt.
• Pour the mixture over the vegetables and using your hands or a spoon, toss the vegetables to coat in the mixture. Sprinkle with herbs and roast for about 40 minutes until the vegetables begin caramelize slightly and the edges are crisp.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Keep oven on to toast focaccia croutons. Dice focaccia into ½ inch cubes then place the cubed on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Toast the cubes in the oven for about 7 to 10 minutes until the outer edges are golden and crisp. Remove from oven and set aside.
• Using a blender or food processor, blend the roasted vegetables with 1 to 2 cups of the stock. Pour the puréed mixture into a 4-quart dutch oven and add the remaining 4 cups of stock. Stir together well to combine. Allow soup to simmer 10 minutes to thicken slightly.
• While the soup warms, prepare the mushrooms. Dice mushrooms into ½ inch pieces.
• Preheat a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat with 4 tablespoons olive oil. Add the mushrooms and begin to sauté for 3 minutes until they begin to soften and lightly brown. Add the garlic and fresh herbs then stir to combine. Cook the mushrooms for another 5 to 7 minutes until edges just become crispy.
• To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Top with croutons and crispy mushrooms. Garnish with more chopped fresh herbs, as desired. Serve immediately.

Keyword soup recipes, Carrot soup

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