Description
A creamy, vibrant soup combining the subtle sweetness of fennel and apple with the earthy warmth of turmeric and the crunch of toasted walnuts. This gluten-free, vegan recipe is perfect as a comforting main course or starter.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 leeks, white and light green parts chopped (discard green tops or use them for stock)
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 1 medium fennel bulb, cored and chopped
- 1 medium apple, peeled, cored and chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ cup walnut halves, toasted
- Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 cups vegetable stock
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks and thyme. Stir and sauté the leeks until they are slightly softened, about 4 minutes.
- Add vegetables and spices: Add the chopped fennel and apple to the pot. Stir to combine. Sprinkle in the ground turmeric and stir thoroughly to evenly coat all the vegetables with the spice.
- Sauté until softened: Continue cooking the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until the fennel starts to soften, about 4 minutes more.
- Incorporate walnuts and season: Stir in the toasted walnut halves. Season the mixture generously with sea salt and ground black pepper to taste.
- Add stock and simmer: Pour in the vegetable stock and stir well. Cover the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and let it simmer until all vegetables and apples are very soft, approximately 15 minutes.
- Blend the soup: Remove the pot from heat. Carefully transfer the soup in batches to an upright blender and blend until completely smooth.
- Adjust seasoning and reheat: Pour the puréed soup back into the pot. Bring it to a boil again, check seasoning, and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Optionally, drizzle with maple syrup, add fresh cracked black pepper, garnish with fennel fronds, and sprinkle extra toasted walnuts for crunch.
Notes
- Homemade vegetable stock enhances the flavor but commercial stock works well too.
- Celery can be used as a substitute for fennel if unavailable.
- Pecans are a great alternative to walnuts, offering a slightly different yet complementary flavor.
- For a richer soup, swirl in a dollop of coconut cream or plant-based yogurt before serving.
- Use a high-quality blender to achieve a perfectly smooth texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
