Carrot-Top, Potato & Onion Soup

Did you know carrot tops are edible? Yes, I'm talking about the green fern-like leaves atop the orange roots.

My first foray into cooking and eating carrot leaves (or tops, if you prefer) involved sauteing them in olive oil with some garlic and then adding them to beaten eggs for a carrot-top frittata. The greens were surprisingly mild in flavor -- I expected a bitter edge and intense carrot flavor, neither of which turned out to be the case -- and the frittata was packed with nutrients from the carrot tops as well as protein from the eggs.

Here is my second recipe using carrot tops: A healthy and comforting soup that is dairy-free and can be made vegetarian/vegan if you substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth and omit the cheese garnish. It's also incredibly easy to make.

Ingredients
6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 small onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large bunch carrot tops (leaves and stems), well-rinsed and chopped
1 lb potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves OR 1/2 tsp dried thyme

Bring broth to a boil in a soup pot. Add all other ingredients, reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook until the potato is fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and use a stick blender (aka hand-held or wand blender) to puree the soup to desired consistency. If you don't have a stick blender, you can ladle the soup into a regular blender to puree (you may need to work in batches). Serve hot, and garnish with grated or shredded parmesan, Swiss or other cheese.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria
Carolina Sauce Company

PS: For more vegetarian and vegan recipes, follow my Vegetarian Recipes on Pinterest.