Description
This Fennel Leek Soup with Walnuts & Turmeric is a creamy, earthy, and comforting plant-based soup perfect for any season. Featuring the aromatic flavors of fennel, leeks, and turmeric with a delightful crunch from toasted walnuts, this gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian soup is both wholesome and flavorful.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 leeks, white and light green parts chopped (discard green tops or use them for stock)
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 1 medium fennel bulb, cored and chopped
- 1 medium apple, peeled, cored and chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ cup walnut halves, toasted
- Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 cups vegetable stock
Instructions
- Heat and sauté the leeks: Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks and thyme. Stir and sauté the leeks until they are slightly soft, about 4 minutes.
- Add fennel, apple, and turmeric: Add the chopped fennel and apples to the pot. Stir everything to combine, then sprinkle the turmeric over the vegetables and stir to coat evenly. Sauté until the fennel starts to soften, about 4 minutes.
- Incorporate walnuts and seasoning: Add the toasted walnut halves and stir them into the soup. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper to taste.
- Add vegetable stock and simmer: Pour in the vegetable stock and stir well. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables and apples are very soft, about 15 minutes.
- Blend the soup: Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully blend the soup mixture in batches using an upright blender until completely smooth.
- Adjust seasoning and reheat: Return the puréed soup to the pot. Check the seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper if needed. Bring the soup back to a boil over medium heat.
- Serve: Serve the hot soup with optional drizzles of maple syrup, fresh black pepper, fennel fronds, and additional toasted walnuts for garnish.
Notes
- For best flavor, use homemade vegetable stock if possible.
- Celery can be used as a substitute for fennel if unavailable.
- Pecans can be used instead of walnuts for a slightly different, complementary flavor.
- Use an upright blender carefully when blending hot liquids to avoid splashes and burns.
- Maple syrup is optional and adds a subtle sweetness that balances the earthy flavors.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
