Beet Soup with Tahini and Pine Nut Za’atar

Does soup get any more gorgeous than this? I knew immediately after seeing this on Dishing Up the Dirt that I needed to whip up this vibrant creation for my own spoon and bowl.

Beets always yield such beauty.

Beets really do lend themselves well to easily dazzling up a dinner. Here are a few past favorites that deck out the kitchen table in red: Pickled Beets, Smoky Black Bean and Beet Burgers with Herb Yogurt Sauce, Purple Summer Tabbouleh.

I’m adding this soup to the list.

Beyond feeling decadent from pure looks alone, this soup has a nice earthy flavor that gets complimented by some rather stellar toppings. First, there’s the tahini. You can almost always count me in for tahini-topped anything, and it’s creamy combination with beets is no different. This particular sauce adds a slight lemony-tang to the sweet beets, and is absolutely perfect with the specks of parsley you’ll catch on most bites. Feel free to omit the allspice from the sauce – it’ll add subtle, but not mandatory, notes of flavor.

Then, there’s the za’atar, a traditional Middle Eastern herb and spice blend that is speckled with sesame seeds. Toasted in a pan with pine nuts, it takes on this woodsy flavor that’s hard to describe as anything but unique. Here, it adds an easy punch of flavor that allows this soup to remain simple to make, and to rely on the freshness of its garden ingredients.

But enough words already. Likely, if you’re going to make this soup, it was its visual representation that snagged your eye. Bring its beauty to your own bowl, might I suggest alongside a crusty, toasty slice of bread.

P.S. Stop by Andrea’s blog, Dishing Up the Dirt, if you get the chance. It’s a winner.

Beet Soup with Tahini and Pine Nut Za’atar

Yield: 4-6 servings

Via Dishing Up the Dirt

Ingredients

For the Soup:
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 lg. leek, roughly chopped, white and light green parts only
1 sm. yellow onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic minced
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1 heaping tsp. ground cumin
Small pinch of cayenne pepper
3 med. sized purple beets, scrubbed and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
4-5 cups vegetable stock
3/4 cup full fat coconut milk (save the extra from the can to add to smoothies or your morning coffee!)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Parsley, handful, minced
For the Tahini:
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 cup tahini
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Pinch of black pepper
2 Tbsp. water
For the Pine Nut Za’atar:
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
3 Tbsp. za’atar

Instructions

Heat the coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leek and onion and cook until beginning to soften. About 5 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander, cumin and cayenne pepper. Cook until fragrant, stirring often. About 3 minutes.
Stir in the beets and add the broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the beets are tender and cooked through. About 25 minutes. Carefully puree the soup with an immersion blender (or in batches transfer the soup to a blender). Stir in the coconut milk and season to taste with salt and pepper. Taste test and adjust seasonings if need be.
While soup cooks prepare the tahini sauce. Combine all the ingredients and whisk until smooth. This works best with an immersion blender. Taste test and adjust seasonings as need be.
Mix the toasted pine nuts with the za’atar in a shallow bowl.
Divide the soup among bowls. Drizzle with the tahini and top each bowl with a tablespoon of the pine nut mixture. Add minced parsley and enjoy!

https://foodfitnessfreshair.com/2015/07/14/beet-soup-with-tahini-and-pine-nut-zaatar/