Recipe Za'Atar Soup

My za’atar roasted carrot soup brings a wonderful Middle Eastern twist to the classic carrot soup with a balance of sweetness, spice, and tang. This post is sponsored by Calphalon. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Beyond Sweet and Savory possible.

With fall finally here, I’m looking forward to crisp mornings, the leaves changing color, and soup season. My cooking changes with the seasons and I gravitate toward soup during cooler weather. With soup being my ultimate comfort food, I’m excited to partner with Calphalon to share a new take on the classic carrot soup-za’atar roasted carrot soup with chickpeas. Za’atar and tahini bring a wonderful Middle Eastern twist to the humble carrot resulting in a creamy soup with a flavor kick, subtle nuttiness, and gentle sweetness.

The base of the soup is quite simple–roasted carrots infused with flavors from za’atar, garlic, and shallot. Once the carrots were prepped, I tossed them in a mixture of extra virgin olive oil, za’atar, salt, and pepper and roasted them at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes until just tender. Roasting the carrots intensifies their sweetness. This step makes all the difference between a decent carrot soup and an exceptional one!

Roasted Carrot, Za'atar & White Bean Soup

To make the soup, I sauteed shallot and garlic until soft and fragrant in my Calphalon Premier™ Hard-Anodized Nonstick saucepan. The roasted carrots were added to the pan and simmered for another 15 minutes for the flavor to develop. Everything went into a high speed blender to get that ultra creamy texture. You can also use an immersion blender but the result is a coarser feel. Even though I don’t like washing extra dishes, the texture with a high speed blender is completely worthwhile.

The carrot puree went back into the saucepan with heavy cream and 2 tablespoons of tahini added in forrichness and flavor and continued cooking for a bit longer. The whole kitchen was filled with a wonderful aroma while the soup finished simmering and the kids waited for their dinner. I enjoy the whole process of making soup especially with having quality cookware from Calphalon making everything a breeze from cooking to cleaning.

Chickpeas are a great addition to soups and stews. They lend a wonderful textural contrast to a dish. After rinsing, draining, and drying the chickpeas, I sauteed them in my Calphalon Premier™ saute pan with olive oil, salt, and za’atar to start the crisping process. The chickpeas were transferred to the oven at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes to finish crisping up. I love how the Calphalon Premier™ saute pan is oven safe up to 450°F and can easily go from stovetop to oven. Less dishes to clean is always a win in my book!

Red Lentil Soup With Freekeh, Spinach, And Za'atar Seasoning

I really enjoy serving the za’atar roasted carrot soup with the chickpeas to add some crunch, a dollop of Greek yogurt for tang, and fresh cilantro to lighten it. The roasted chickpeas make the perfect crispy, savory topping. Creme fraiche or crumbled feta would be great alternatives to the Greek yogurt. Skip the yogurt altogether if you don’t like it. For a complete meal, you can pair it with a salad, toasted sourdough, or pita bread.

This velvety za’atar roasted carrot soup has a wonderful balance of sweetness, spice, and tang. With two of my favorite ingredients shining through--za’atar and tahini, the classic carrot soup is taken up to the next level. The za’atar lends a wonderful kick while the tahini adds a subtle nuttiness to the soup, giving it depth and character. Nothing warms a cold day like a hot bowl of soup that is nourishing and deeply satisfying.

My za’atar roasted carrot soup is a great soup to make a big batch of and freeze for quick lunches or those nights when you have little time to put dinner together. Double the recipe, eat half now, then freeze the rest for later. Pour the cooled soup into airtight containers without the chickpeas, yogurt, and cilantro and put them in the freezer. Thaw and reheat on the stove when you need it. Just add the garnishes before serving.

Roasted Vegetable Soup With Tahini & Za'atar

For more soup inspiration, check these recipes: Vietnamese lemongrass coconut seafood soup, roasted carrot and cashew soup, Jerusalem artichoke soup, roasted kabocha squash soup, roasted romanesco soup.

My za’atar roasted carrot soup brings a wonderful Middle Eastern twist to the classic carrot soup with a balance of sweetness, spice, and tang.This vegan butternut squash soup with za’atar seasoning is a Middle Eastern take on the classic; this cozy soup also features sweet potato and carrot.

Today we’re thrilled to bring you an interview with one of the preeminent cookbook authors of Middle Eastern and Lebanese cuisine: Salma Hage! Salma is Lebanese, a James Beard-nominated author who currently lives in London. She’s joined us to tell us a bit about her life, how food unites us, and share a recipe from her latest cookbook, The Middle Eastern Vegetarian Cookbook. It’s one of the best books on Middle Eastern vegetarian cuisine we’ve seen, full of colorful, delicious recipes that we can’t wait to test out.

Cauliflower Corn Soup With Za'atar Chili Crisp

The one we tried, this vegan butternut squash soup with za’atar seasoning, was an instant favorite in our house. Even our 6-month old son Larson loved it! It was great for a weeknight dinner, or would be perfect as a Thanksgiving recipe, too. Now let’s get to the interview!

Interview with the author: Salma Hage Sonja: Tell us about growing up in Lebanon. What are a few of the foods you made growing up that you look back on with the most nostalgia?

Salma: My earliest memories of my family kitchen in northern Lebanon and of watching my grandmother closely, trying to learn as many recipes as I possibly could.I also remember first realizing how much I loved cooking when I was just 9-years old. I made my father a dish called m’juderah (cooked lentils and rice smothered in crispy fried onions). He said: “My darling, that is delicious, you are such a lovely cook”. I am not sure how truthful he was being at the time, but I believed him and there began my love of cooking.I cook from these fond memories still today. Growing up, cooking was a communal activity–it brought people together. That sense of spreading love through feeding people has never left me.

Easy Za'atar Soup Recipe

Sonja: Growing up you ate mostly vegetarian–then after decades of cooking with meat, you returned to cooking more vegetarian again. What prompted the change?

Salma: Yes, eating vegetarian food is largely how I ate as a child growing up in a tiny village, in the mountains of Lebanon. The climate was ideal for growing delicious fruit and vegetables. Meat was something we could rarely afford. In the last few years my family has become vegetarian out of choice, and I have started to re-visit a lot of the recipes I used to cook as a child.

My son and grandson are passionate vegetarians and today I cook largely for them (recipes like this vegan butternut squash soup!). They inspire me tremendously. I am the eldest of twelve siblings so I often did most of the cooking for everyone as a child so my mother could take care of my brothers and sisters. Apple hamlet was a very small village and cooking was a communal activity–it brought people together. That sense of spreading love through feeding people has never left me.

White Bean And Za'atar Soup With Toasted Sesame Seeds

Sonja: We are huge fans of Middle Eastern cuisine. What are a few recipes you’d suggest for home cooks just starting to experience Middle Eastern cuisine?

Salma: First I would recommend to arm yourself with some great Middle Eastern staples such as za’atar (a thyme and sesame seed seasoning) which can be added to almost any vegetable dish, along with

(a crushed berry spice) that adds a real kick to simple roast vegetables and soups. They are both great in stews too and sprinkled on almost anything and everything.

Cauliflower & Za'atar Soup

: they are a wonderful addition to any salad and can really transform a simple dish into something quite exotic. They are not only pretty to look at but add a very unique sweet/sour taste. For desserts, have a good stock of

. My ‘Nan’s Kibbeh’ is a spicy, sweet version that dates back generations in my family and is still a firm favorite. We have it almost every weekend to this day. ‘

’ is a dish I have been cooking for 60 years; it gives real insight into how the simplest of ingredients make something quite wonderful. The eggplant is scorched over an open flame to bring out the flavor, which gives the dip a unique smoky taste.

Best Zaatar Soup Recipe

There are also a few traditional lesser known Middle Eastern dishes that could be a great for home cooks new to this cuisine.

(not to be mistaken with harissa, the Tunisian hot chili paste) is a celebratory barley dish often cooked on days of religious significance, in a huge cauldron at a village gathering. In my book, I have a version for home cooks that is very straightforward. Also,

Also known as Israeli, pearl, or giant couscous. The version in

Instant Pot Split Pea Soup (vegan)