Beetroot Soup with Coconut

Beetroot Soup with Coconut

This easy Beetroot Soup highlights the earthy sweetness of roasted beetroot. It is enhanced with the gentle heat and lemony flavour of fresh ginger and the creamy richness of coconut.  Although it is easy to make and the ingredients are simple, it does taste quite subtle and sophisticated.    It is great for a simple autumn lunch or supper but is not out of place as a starter at a dinner party.

What you need to know about my Beetroot Soup
  • Roasting the beetroot (step 1) is important as it intensifies the flavour and earthy sweetness of the vegetables. If you wrap them in foil while they are roasting they will retain their juiciness and it will also mean that the skin is easy to remove.
  • You can use larger beetroot, up to the same weight of 350 g, if you do not have small beetroot. If so, cut them in half before roasting.
  • The natural starch and fibre of the beetroot thickens this soup rather than flour. This adds an additional element of nutrition and makes the soup perfect for anyone who is gluten intolerant.
  • Cooking the chopped onions slowly is really important (step 4). It caramelises the vegetables and gives the soup a real depth of flavour.
  • Using fresh ginger (step 5) is really important. I think this is one recipe where dried ginger will not do. Fresh ginger has a complex lemony flavour, in addition to its hit of ginger heat. It makes a huge difference to the flavour of this simple soup.
  • My recipe is vegetarian but it is easily converted into a vegan recipe. Just replace the butter with vegetable oil.
  • This soup freezes very well so  you can make a batch and keep it for when you need a quick beetroot fix!

Loved this recipe? Checkout the Recipe Index.

Other easy vegetarian soup recipes

I have lots of easy, vegetarian soup recipes. If you like this Beetroot Soup, you might like some of the others. All my soups are vegetarian and all can be made vegan by substituting animal fats, such as butter, for vegetable fats. Some of them are pretty simple such as Tomato Soup, Fennel SoupJerusalem Artichoke Soup  or Sweetcorn Chowder and showcase a single vegetable. Others combine vegetables which have complimentary flavours such as Curried Parsnip and Apple SoupMoroccan Spiced Sweet Potato SoupCeleriac and Apple SoupMushroom and Chestnut SoupPumpkin and Sweetcorn Soup or Leek and Potato Soup. A few have more unusual combinations of flavours such as Butternut and Peanut Butter SoupNettle Soup uses foraged ingredients. I also have a few chilled soup recipes, which are fantastic cold in the summer, but can also be served warm such as Asparagus and Pea.

Other beetroot recipes

I love the sweet, earthy taste of roasted beetroot and the fantastic rich carmine pink colour that it brings to every dish.  The flavour is autumn on a  plate and the colour cheers me up as days are getting cooler and I know winter is on its way.

In addition to soup, I think beetroot is a brilliant ingredient in salad. I make a very quick and salad, Raw Beetroot and Carrot Salad with Citrus Dressing and also a Middle Eastern-inspired Roasted Beetroot Salad with Yogurt and Tahini. I also have a fantastic recipe for a Beetroot Tart which can be eaten either hot or cold.

Recipe for Beetroot Soup with Coconut

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Beetroot Soup with Coconut

  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 45
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: Serves 6
  • Category: Soup
  • Cuisine: English

Description

This autumnal vegan soup combines the earthy sweetness of beetroot with the gentle heat of fresh ginger and the the creaminess of creamed coconut.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 small beetroot (around 350 g or 1 lb in total)
  • 25 g (1 oz) butter and 1 teaspoon oil (or 2 teaspoons of oil if vegan)
  • 1 onion
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 cm of fresh ginger
  • 500 ml (1 pint) water
  • Half teaspoon of vegetable bouillon powder
  • 50 g (2 oz) of creamed coconut

Instructions

  1. Set your oven to 200 C/Gas Mark 6. Wash your beetroot and loosely wrap each one in kitchen foil.  Place the wrapped beetroot on an oven tray.   Roast the beetroot in the oven for around 40 minutes until soft.   Remove the beetroot from the oven and allow to cool.  When they are cool enough to handle, remove the skins using a sharp knife.   Roughly chop the peeled beetroot.
  2. Heat the butter and oil in a large heavy-based pan
  3. Peel and chop the onion, add it to the pan and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Cook very gently for around 30 minutes until the onion is soft and sweet. Slow cooking caramelises the natural sugars in the onion and greatly improves the flavour of the soup.
  5. When the onion is cooked, add the chopped beetroot together with the peeled and crushed garlic cloves. Peel the fresh ginger and finely grate it into the pan.
  6. Add the water and vegetable bouillon power to the pan. Gently cook the soup for 5 minutes.
  7. Add the coconut cream to the soup.
  8. Blend the soup until it is smooth using a food processor or hand-held blender.
  9. You can add a final swirl of coconut cream to each portion for an added creamy richness if you wish.

Keywords: beetroot, soup, vegan

This recipe has been shared on #CookBlogShare with Apply to Face Blog and #FiestaFriday with Fiesta Friday and Liz @ Spades, Spatulas & Spoons

Beetroot and Carrot Salad

Easy Beetroot and Carrot salad

This Beetroot and Carrot salad can be made in ten minutes and only contains three main ingredients plus a zesty, citrus dressing. It is great as a side dish and also as a filling for sandwiches or pitta bread. This is one of my favourite winter salads as it is so quick and easy, has fantastic fresh crunchiness that I crave at this time of year and also it is such a brilliant, almost psychedelic, red-pink colour that it always cheers me up!

Raw vegetables – easy, healthy and tasty

This recipe involves no cooking. The finely-grated beetroot and the carrot are is raw. You may have used raw carrot in salads before but possibly not raw beetroot. However, its sweet crunchiness – similar to that of the carrot but with an added depth of beetroot flavour – is a fantastic raw salad ingredient. Keeping the vegetables raw, in addition to tasting good and having that fresh crunch that is very welcome in a winter salad, also retains all their nutrients.

The dressing of this salad is a combination of orange and lemon juice. This gives it a flavour and tartness which enhances both the beetroot and the carrot. It will be thinner than a conventional dressing as it has a high proportion of juice to olive oil. In fact, it works partly as a marinade with the acid in the juice working to enhance the flavour of the grated vegetables particularly if you make the salad at least a couple of hours before you plan to eat it.

The final ingredient in this simple salad is dried cranberries. I have discovered these quite recently and love them as an alternative to raisins or sultanas. In addition to the sweetness of other dried fruit, they have a pop of cranberry sharpness which really perks up your recipes.

Salads – not just for summer..

I am a firm believer in winter salads. On cold, grey winter days, I crave crisp, fresh vegetables and sharp, tasty dressings. These are some of my favourite winter salads – all of which are extremely easy to make.

Beetroot and Carrot Salad – 10 minute recipe

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Beetroot and Carrot Salad

  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 6
  • Category: Salad
  • Cuisine: English

Description

This simple raw Beetroot and Carrot salad is healthy and delicious and can be made in only 10 minutes.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 small beetroots
  • 4 carrots
  • 50 g dried cranberries
  • 50 ml olive oil
  • 1 orange
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon salt


Instructions

  1. Peel and coarsely grate the raw beetroots and carrots.
  2. Put in a bowl with the dried cranberries.
  3. Make the dressing by putting the olive oil in a measuring jug and adding the squeezed juice of the orange and the lemon, the honey and the salt.  Mix well to combine.  The dressing will be quite thin as the proportion of oil to juice is lower than in a normal dressing. 
  4. Pour the dressing over the beetroot, carrot and cranberries.  If possible, leave for a couple of hours before eating to allow the flavours to develop.


Notes

  • This recipe is vegetarian.  If you want to make it vegan, you can use an alternative, such as maple syrup, for the honey.

Keywords: beetroot, carrot, salad

This recipe has been shared on #CookBlogShare with Crumbs and Corkscrews  and #FiestaFriday with Fiesta Friday  and Liz at Spades, Spoons and Spatulas

Loved this recipe? You may also like the following recipes. Or checkout the Recipe Index.

Roasted Beetroot Salad with Yogurt and Tahini

Easy and healthy Roasted Beetroot Salad with Yogurt and Tahini

This easy and healthy Roasted Beetroot Salad combines the earthy sweetness of beetroot with creamy Greek yogurt and the nuttiness of tahini. It also looks very attractive as the beetroot juices colour the yogurt a pretty pink and this with the dark red beetroot chunks. I recommend this recipe if you are trying to convert a confirmed beetroot-hater. Often those who claim to dislike this delicious and healthy vegetable have only eaten it when it is chopped into tiny chunks and doused in strong vinegar. If you are beetroot lover, have a look at our recipes for lovely sweet-sour Beetroot Tart and Beetroot Soup with Coconut.

Roasting the beetroots concentrates their flavour and, although it takes around 40 minutes, once they are cooked it takes only a few minutes to assemble the salad. If it is more convenient, you can roast the beetroots the day before you want to eat the salad. I am a big fan of roasting vegetables as I think it improves the flavour and retains the nutrients. Roasting is also a very easy way to cook as you just put them in the oven and leave them to it.

Tahini, which is a paste made from roasted sesame seeds, complements the flavour of the beetroot. It is used in hummus so, even it you have never used it in cooking, you will be familiar with its flavour. It is full of minerals and is healthy as well as very tasty!

When you are entertaining, I think offering a range of different types of salads, to which guests can help themselves, is a great option. Everyone can choose what they like (and come back for more!). This Roasted Beetroot Salad is fantastic in a mix which might include Broad Bean Salad and Roasted Pepper Salad plus a crisp green salad.

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Roasted Beetroot Salad with Tahini and Yoghurt

Roasted Beetroot Salad with Yogurt and Tahini

  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 40
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 46 as a side dish 1x
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Roasting
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean

Description

This Roasted Beetroot Salad combines the sweetness of roasted beetroot with creamy Greek yogurt and nutty tahini.   Once the beetroot have been roasted, it can be assembled in minutes.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 small raw beetroot
  • 300 ml Greek yoghurt 
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 1 clove of garlic (crushed)
  • Salt 

Instructions

  1. Set your oven to 180 C, 350 F or Gas Mark 4.  
  2. Wash your beetroot and loosely wrap each one in kitchen foil.  Place the wrapped beetroot on an oven tray.   Roast the beetroot in the oven for around 40 minutes until soft.   Remove the beetroot from the oven and allow to cool.  When they are cool enough to handle, remove the skins using a sharp knife.
  3. Chop the cooked beetroot into chunks of approximately 1 cm.
  4. Put the Greek yogurt, tahini and crushed garlic clove into a large bowl and mix well.  Add salt to taste.  
  5. Add the chopped beetroot chunks to the mixture in the bowl and stir to ensure that it is coated with the yogurt dressing.

 


Notes

You can use full-fat Greek yogurt or one of the varieties that is lower fat.  I generally use the 5% fat version rather than the 0% fat version.

This salad can be served either warm or at room temperature.  It can be made in advance and keeps well in the fridge for two or three days.

Keywords: beetroot, yogurt, tahini, salad

Loved this recipe? You may also like the following recipes. Or checkout the Recipe Index.

Beetroot Tart

Beetroot Tart

This Beetroot Tart has a lovely sweet and savoury taste and a fantastic dark carmine-pink colour if made with red beetroot.   You can also make it with golden beetroot or, if you want a particularly spectacular effect, with a mixture of the two in contrasting stripes!

I find this Beetroot Tart to be a very versatile autumn or winter dish.  It can be made ahead and can be eaten either hot or at room temperature.   It makes a good vegetarian main course and, because it is so flavourful,  needs only simple accompaniments such as a green salad and some buttery boiled potatoes.

Other beetroot recipes

I love the sweet, earthy taste of roasted beetroot and the fantastic rich carmine pink colour that it brings to every dish in which it is included.   The flavour is autumn on a  plate and the colour cheers me up as days are getting cooler and I know winter is on its way.

Some of my favourite recipes include a very quick and salad, Raw Beetroot and Carrot Salad with Citrus Dressing and a Middle Eastern-inspired Roasted Beetroot Salad with Yogurt and Tahini which is a bit more substantial. I also have a fantastic recipe for a vegan Beetroot Soup with Coconut.

Other quiche and tart recipes

Savoury tarts and quiches are a fantastic, cook-ahead simple supper or lunch. They are easy to make and are great either hot or at room temperature. They can also be easily divided into portions if you are feeding a large number of people. Easily transportable, they also make a good addition to lunch-boxes or basis for a picnic. Here are some of my favourites.

Loved this recipe? Checkout the Recipe Index.

Beetroot Tart

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Beetroot tart

Beetroot Tart

  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 6
  • Category: Tart
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: English

Description

This Beetroot Tart has a great sweet and savoury taste and makes a fantastic autumn vegetarian lunch or supper.  As with all beetroot dishes, it also has an amazing dark carmine-pink colour.


Ingredients

Scale

For the pastry

  • 275 g plain flour
  • 125 g fat (I use a mix of half butter and half Trex as I think this makes the lightest pastry)
  • Salt and pepper
  • Several sprigs of fresh thyme (or one teaspoon of dried thyme)
  • A little water

For the filling

  • 4 medium beetroot
  • 25 g butter and 1 teaspoon oil
  • 2 onions
  • Salt and pepper
  • Several sprigs of fresh thyme (or one teaspoon of dried thyme)
  • 3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 150 ml double cream
  • Freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

  1. Set your oven to 180 C, 350 F or Gas Mark 4.
  2. Wash your beetroot and loosely wrap each one in kitchen foil.  Place the wrapped beetroot on an oven tray.   Roast the beetroot in the oven for around 40 minutes until soft.   Remove the beetroot from the oven and allow to cool.  When they are cool enough to handle, remove the skins using a sharp knife.
  3. Make the pastry. Put the flour in a bowl.  Add the fat and combine –  either by “rubbing in” by hand or processing – until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Remove the leaves from your sprigs of fresh thyme and add to the mixture (or add one teaspoon of dried thyme). Season with salt and pepper.  Add a little cold water (2-3 tbsp) and shape the mixture into a dough.
  4. Roll out your pastry and use it to line your quiche or flan dish.   Bake for 15  minutes in the oven to allow the pastry to “set”.  This will stop the filling making it soggy.
  5. Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan.   Peel and chop the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook gently for around 15 minutes until soft and translucent.
  6. Remove the leaves from your sprigs of fresh thyme (or one teaspoon of dried thyme) and add to the pan.
  7. Coarsely grate the roasted, peeled beetroot and add to the pan together with the vinegar and the sugar.    Cook the mixture gently for a further 10 minutes.
  8. Remove the onion and beetroot mixture from the pan and spoon it into your pastry case.
  9. Beat the eggs and add the cream and grated nutmeg.   Pour into the pastry case.
  10. Place the tart in your oven and bake for 35 minutes.

Notes

This tart can be eaten hot or at room temperature.

You can make this tart with golden beetroot instead of red beetroot or with a mix of both in dramatic contrasting stripes if you wish!

Keywords: beetroot, tart, vegetarian