Loaded with vegetables and warm spices, this Cumin Roasted Root Vegetable Soup is a perfect veggie-filled soup even your kids will love! Full of flavor, it’s quick to make, perfect for meal prep, and versatile to fit all your dietary needs. Prepare a big batch for easy meals all week long! Vegan.
Welcome to Part 2 of our healing spices week! This Cumin Roasted Root Vegetable Soup is part of our Restorative Health Series, meaning it’s made with anti-inflammatory spices and nutrient-rich vegetables to nourish the body.
Ravenous for Roots
Do you eat roots? I try to include a variety in my diet every week! Now, before you think I’m too crazy. I don’t mean the thick kinds that hold trees in place. Instead, think more along the lines of vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips, and beets! In my opinion, these ingredients are extra delicious in comfort food recipes like Turkey Sweet Potato Chili, Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup, and my Easy Beef Stew! Are we on the same page now? After all, who doesn’t love a good sweet potato tot? Especially when you realize that sweet potatoes and other root vegetables are full of vitamins, nutrients, and fiber!
So, to give these foods the appreciation I feel they truly deserve, I created this Cumin Roasted Root Vegetable Soup to not only enhance but show off their flavors with an easy vegetable soup that is both kid-friendly and quick-to-make. I didn’t stop there, though!
I also included healing spices such as cumin, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to help reduce inflammation, improve your immunity, and more. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? I promise, it’s not! Keep reading to learn everything you’ll need to know to make this recipe.
What Are Root Vegetables?
Simply put, root vegetables are vegetables that grow underground and are located at the base of a plant. Although referred to as roots, some of these vegetables are actually bulbous growths that are used by the plants to store nutrients. (Source)
Given that these parts of the vegetables store nutrients for the plant, consuming them delivers immense dietary benefits for humans. Examples of root vegetables include fennel, onions, water chestnuts, beets, carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and yams.
Health Benefits
As a whole, root vegetables have been shown to reduce the risk of cancer, improve heart health, and reduce inflammation. (Source) However, each vegetable contains varying amounts of different vitamins and minerals, making their specific nutritional benefits different. For this article, we’re going to dive into the specific veggies used in this Root Vegetable Soup!
- Parsnips – Parsnips are high in fiber, potassium, folate, and vitamin C. As a result, they can help decrease the risk of high cholesterol, diabetes, improve energy levels, and more.
- Sweet Potatoes – Sweet potatoes are one of the best sources of vitamin A! They’re also rich in potassium, vitamin B5, vitamin C, and antioxidants such as carotenoids. They help fight free radicals in the body, reduce inflammation, and boost your immune system.
- Beets – Beets are rich in antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, and manganese. As a result, they can be used to fight inflammation, reduce the risk of cancer, and improve digestion. Some reports have even shown that they may be beneficial to improving athletic performance!
Note: We did not use beets while making this recipe, but they are vibrant, nutrient-dense, and definitely worth throwing in the pot!
- Carrots – Carrots are a great source of vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin K, and potassium. Consuming them in your diet may help lower cholesterol, improve eye health, and reduce inflammation.
No More Plain Jane Vegetable Soup
Unlike some soup recipes that have complicated steps and take all day to make, this vegan root vegetable soup comes together quickly and contains simple ingredients and spices that create incredible flavor with ease!
How to Add Flavor with Spices
Adding spices like those included in this soup is an underrated way to enhance the flavor of any recipe, especially soup! Ranging in flavors from sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami, spices can be combined in thousands of ways to enhance the natural flavors of foods, creating new tastes that would not be experienced without them. Just a dash can transform a dish while also providing beneficial nutrients, depending on which spices you use!
Did You Know? In addition to providing their own benefits such as the ability to reduce inflammation, boost immunity, improve digestion, and more, studies have shown that spices like those used in this root vegetable soup can also enhance the bioavailability of vitamins and nutrients in fruits and vegetables. (Source)
More than Meets the Eye – The Health Benefits of Spices
Of course, we’re adding spices to this vegetable soup to make it extra tasty. However, I carefully selected specific spices including cumin and paprika to boost the nutritional value of this recipe and help reduce inflammation, improve cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure, fight cancer, and more!
How to Make Spiced Root Vegetable Soup
- Preheat. To begin, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Roast. While the oven heats, toss chopped and prepared root vegetables in 2 tablespoons of oil, cumin, salt, and pepper, and add them to a baking sheet. Place them in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender but not thoroughly cooked.
- Sauté. Sauté the onion and garlic in 2 teaspoons of oil in a large pot/dutch oven over medium heat for about 2 minutes or until they are fragrant. Then, add the roasted vegetables and broth, and bring the ingredients to a boil.
- Cook. Once boiling, cover the pot and cook the ingredients on medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes or until the vegetables are very soft.
- Blend. Once the vegetables are cooked, allow the ingredients to cool. Then, transfer them in batches to a blender, and blend until smooth before returning the soup back to the pot/dutch oven. Add nut butter (or butter) to the mixture, and blend again.
Note – No Blender? No Problem! Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture. Just be sure to use a large pot to prevent splatter. Or, wear an apron. 😉
Foodie Swap: For a creamy vegetable soup option with a slightly silkier taste, substitute the nut butter with regular butter or dairy-free butter.
- Simmer. Stir in additional cayenne or chili powder, non-dairy milk, salt, and pepper, and simmer the ingredients for 5-10 minutes or until they are creamy and well-combined.
Storage Options
This root vegetable soup is great for meal prep because it stores easily and lasts a long time! Soup made with chicken broth can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days while soup made with vegetable broth will last up to 5 days.
Meal Prep Tip: Portion out individual heat-safe jars or containers for single-serving portions that can be taken on the go!
Freezer Option: Or, let your soup cool completely, and store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months.
The Perfect Pair – What to Serve with Root Vegetable Soup
Personally, I think this recipe is hearty and filling enough to serve as a complete meal. However, it also makes for a great side or appetizer! Try serving it with a fresh salad and homemade crackers. Or, pair it with a protein source such as Lamb Chops or a yummy sandwich.
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Roasted Root Vegetable Soup (Vegan)
- Total Time: 52 minutes
- Yield: 4 –5 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Full of vegetables and quick to make, this Cumin Roasted Root Vegetable Soup is the perfect comfort food recipe for easy meals you’ll love!
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds root vegetables (parsnips, sweet potatoes, and/or beets), peeled and diced (See notes)
- 2 large carrots (150 grams), peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
- 1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (or 2 cloves)
- 3 1/2 – 4 cups (475 to milliliters) chicken broth or vegetable broth (See notes)
- Optional: 2-3 Tablespoons creamy nut butter or unsalted butter
- 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
- Optional: 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 cup light coconut milk, unsweetened non- dairy milk, or non-dairy cream
- Sea Salt/Pepper to taste
- Optional toppings: crushed nuts, red pepper, herbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss the prepared and chopped carrots and parsnips/potatoes in 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Add the vegetables to the prepared baking sheet. Let them roast for 15-20 minutes (flipping halfway through) or until the potatoes are tender but not fully cooked, .
- Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté for 2 minutes or until they are fragrant.
- Add the roasted vegetables and broth to the pot, and bring the ingredients to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to medium or medium-high for 5-10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
- Allow the soup to slightly cool, and add it to a high-speed blender in batches to puree. (See notes)
- Once smooth, add the nut butter (or unsalted butter) to the blender, and blend again.
- Transfer the ingredients back to the pot, and stir in chili powder, cayenne (if using), non-dairy milk, salt, and pepper.
- Let the ingredients simmer for 5-10 minutes or until they are creamy and well-combined.
- If using, add the optional toppings (crushed nuts, herbs, red pepper flakes), and enjoy!
Notes
Feel free to use one type of root vegetable or a combination of them.
The amount of broth used will need to be adjusted depending on the vegetables used. For thinner soup, add more broth.
No blender? Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture in the pot instead. Make sure to use a large pot or stock pot to prevent splatter.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 42 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 270
- Sugar: 7.6 g
- Sodium: 688.3 mg
- Fat: 20.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 19.6 g
- Fiber: 4.1 g
- Protein: 5.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: soup, root vegetables, vegetables, vegan, vegetarian, comfort food
This root vegetable soup has quickly become a favorite of mine! I love knowing that not only is it tasty, but it also helps support my health goals through nourishing ingredients. After all, who said being healthy had to be boring? If you make this recipe and enjoy it, I would love it if you let me know in the comments below!
Cheers,
LC
Can this recipe be made in the instantpot? If so, how long?
I haven’t tried it in the instant pot, but are you still wanting to roast vegetable first or saute in the instant pot instead?
I could do either but I’m wondering if it’s easiest to cook in the instant pot first to soften, then maybe sauté the other ingredients and blend??? Not sure.
And thank you for all of the work you put into these great, easy recipes. Easy is key for me bc I don’t love cooking but have to feed a family of 6 and we are always on the run. I’ve just gone GF & DF so your site has been so so good for me.
Sorry for the delay Kristy. YOu could try sauteeing the vegetables and then pressure cook 10 minutes, add milk and blend, then keep warm. Just an idea! THe cumin flavor might not be as strong since you’re not “roasting.” Does that make sense? And thank you for your kind words!
Sounds good! Thanks!