This flavorful red beet soup with fennel and coriander is a treat for the eyes, and thanks to the iron and fiber it contains it is also extremely satisfying.
Ingredients to prepare
Peel and dice the onion. Peel and mince the garlic cloves. Peel the red beets, remove the ends, and then coarsely chop. Finely chop the beet greens. Grind the coriander seeds with a pestle and mortar or in a coffee grinder.
The original recipe calls for large garlic cloves. If desired, increase the amount of garlic listed above by a factor of about 1.5.
If you can’t source beets with beet greens, you can use Swiss chard instead.
For the soup
Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add the oil. Stir in the onion, garlic, bay leaves, fennel seed, coriander, cumin, thyme, and chili flakes and cook, stirring constantly, until the onion has softened and the mixture is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
We have intentionally cut the amount of oil in half. If this isn’t enough, you can simply add a little more.
Add the vegan stock and beets. Cover, bring to a boil, and then lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beets are soft and tender, 30 to 45 minutes.
The original recipe calls for vegetable broth. Since broth and even low-salt broth contain a large amount of sodium, we have chosen to instead list vegan broth, which doesn’t contain any salt.
Add the greens to the pot, cover, and cook for 3 minutes.
Seasoning and garnishing
Chop the cilantro. Remove the soup from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot or cold, garnished with the cilantro.
Detailed Nutritional Information per Person for this Recipe
The majority of the nutritional information comes from the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). This means that the information for natural products is often incomplete or only given within broader categories, whereas in most cases products made from these have more complete information displayed.
If we take flaxseed, for example, the important essential amino acid ALA (omega-3) is only included in an overarching category whereas for flaxseed oil ALA is listed specifically. In time, we will be able to change this, but it will require a lot of work. An “i” appears behind ingredients that have been adjusted and an explanation appears when you hover over this symbol.
For Erb Muesli, the original calculations resulted in 48 % of the daily requirement of ALA — but with the correction, we see that the muesli actually covers >100 % of the necessary recommendation for the omega-3 fatty acid ALA. Our goal is to eventually be able to compare the nutritional value of our recipes with those that are used in conventional western lifestyles.
This flavorful red beet soup with fennel and coriander is a treat for the eyes, and thanks to the iron and fiber it contains it is also extremely satisfying.
Number of servings: This recipe was designed by the authors to make 4–6 servings, depending on whether it is served as an appetizer or main dish. We have listed it as 4 servings.
Red beets: Red beets (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris), also known as beetroot, are particularly well known for their deep red color that comes from the high concentration of the glycoside betanin, a compound in the betalain class of pigments. They can be eaten raw, cooked, or pickled. Beets are rich in Vitamin B, potassium, and iron, and are an exceptionally good source of folic acid. Red beets contain high levels of oxalic acid, which is why individuals who are at risk for developing kidney stones, such as Crohn’s disease patients, should avoid eating large amounts of the vegetable.
Fennel seed: Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is the only plant of the genus Foeniculum in the carrot family (Apiaceae). Fennel seeds contain a number of essential oils including anethole, fenchone, and estragole. Anethole soothes the stomach and helps relieve cramps. It is also responsible for the anise flavor and is found in anise and star anise.
Coriander seeds: Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) is in the carrot family (Apiaceae). Both fresh cilantro and dried coriander seed are used to season a variety of dishes. Coriander seeds are spherical and have a tart-spicy to sweet-aromatic flavor. The seeds are often ground and used as a spice. Coriander seeds taste particularly savory if they are first toasted briefly and then ground or crushed in a mortar. Ground coriander does not have a long shelf life because it contains a high proportion of essential oils. To read more, please go to the ingredient Coriander seeds.
Tips
Preventing stains: When peeling the beets, you may want to wear gloves in order to prevent your hands from being stained a reddish, violet color.
Reducing sugar and salt: We have intentionally cut the amount of oil in half. But the amount listed should be enough to prevent the soup from sticking to the pan. If it isn’t enough, simply add a little more. If you are interested in reading more about why it is a good idea to reduce your oil intake, please see our detailed review of the book Salt Sugar Fat by Michael Moss.
Alternate preparation
Cilantro (fresh coriander): The smell of cilantro comes from aldehyde and is often compared to that of bugs, which may cause those who aren’t used to it to react with aversion. According to Swiss statistics, 15% of the allergic population reacts to cilantro. Flat-leaf parsley does look like cilantro, but it has a completely different flavor. However, if you prefer the taste, you can use parsley instead.
Vegetable broth: Instead of using a commercial vegetable broth, we have listed a salt-free vegetable stock. You can make it yourself using the following recipe: Vegan Broth. If you don’t have the time or ingredients, then you can also use the same amount of a preprepared broth. However, this will significantly increase the amount of sodium in the recipe.
