Spicy Instant Pot Carrot Harissa Soup
User Reviews
5
Spicy Instant Pot Carrot Harissa Soup
Description
Spicy Instant Pot Carrot Harissa Soup combines roasted red bell pepper and roughly chopped carrots cooked with aromatic spices including cumin, smoked paprika, and harissa sauce. The vegetables and spices are sautéed before pressure cooking in vegetable broth, allowing flavors to concentrate. The soup is enriched with tahini and lite coconut milk to create a smooth, creamy texture without dairy. Brightened with fresh lemon juice, the resulting soup offers a complex balance of spicy, smoky, and earthy notes.
The preparation starts with roasting and steaming the red bell pepper to develop a smoky flavor and soften it for blending. Meanwhile, the aromatics like onion, garlic, and ginger are sautéed with carrots and spices to build the base. Once pressure cooked, the ingredients are blended into a creamy soup. Garnishing with chopped scallions and cilantro adds freshness and a slight herbal note to the dish.
This soup works well as a starter or light main course and can complement a range of meals. The use of harissa adds a North African influence, and tahini provides a subtle nutty richness enhancing the overall depth of flavor. It’s a good choice when a spicy, creamy soup with vegetable-forward ingredients is desired.
Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper large
- 1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for roasting the bell pepper
- 1 sweet onion diced, large
- 1 1/2 pounds carrots ~680 g, scrubbed and roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- black pepper freshly cracked, to taste
- 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 2- inch ginger grated or finely minced, piece, fresh
- 1 teaspoon cumin ground
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 3 tablespoons harissa sauce ~45 g
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 1/4 cups vegetable broth 540 mL, low-sodium
- 1/4 cup tahini 56 g, high-quality
- 1 lite coconut milk 13.5 oz / ~400 mL, canned
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- scallions chopped; for garnishes
- cilantro chopped; for garnishes
Instructions
- Roast the bell pepper. Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Lightly brush a sheet pan with olive oil and place the bell pepper on top. Roast the pepper for 20 minutes, then using a pair of tongs, flip the pepper over and roast for another 20 minutes. Once the pepper is charred in spots, remove from the oven and cover it with a glass bowl or place in a resealable plastic bag. Steam the pepper for 15 minutes. Once steamed, roughly slice the pepper and remove the seeds.
- While the pepper is roasting, prepare the soup in the Instant Pot. Select the Sauté setting on the Instant Pot. After a few minutes of heating up, add the 1 tablespoon olive oil, followed by the onion and carrots and season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and a few turns of black pepper. Cook the vegetables for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic, ginger, cumin and paprika, and cook for 1-2 minutes, coating the vegetables in the spices. Select the Cancel setting.
- Add the harissa sauce, bay leaf, vegetable broth, tahini, coconut milk, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine.
- Select the Pressure Cook or Manual button at high pressure and set the cook time to 10 minutes. Make sure the sealing vent is set to Sealing.
- Once the timer goes off, perform a quick pressure release by carefully turning the sealing vent from Sealing to Venting. Give the soup a stir and taste for seasonings.
- Transfer half of the soup to a stand blender and add the sliced roasted bell peppers. Blend until the soup is creamy and smooth. Repeat with the remaining soup. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender to purée the soup directly in the Instant Pot. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon and garnish the soup with scallions and cilantro if desired.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 342 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 342kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 38g | 13% |
| Protein | 7g | 14% |
| Fat | 19g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Sodium | 644mg | 27% |
| Potassium | 903mg | 19% |
| Fiber | 9g | 36% |
| Sugar | 16g | 32% |
| Vitamin A | 30302IU | 606% |
| Vitamin C | 72mg | 80% |
| Calcium | 115mg | 12% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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