charred carrot soup with miso

My back-pocket method for silky-smooth vegetable soup takes place, almost entirely, in the oven. Here’s the cheat sheet: Roast vegetables, throw them in a blender with water and something-flavorful, press a button, and pat yourself on the back. (At this point, I usually container and freeze, then devour for lunch a couple of weeks or months down the road.) The trick is to take the vegetables farther in the oven than you think you should. The softer they are, the better they’ll blend, and those charred, almost-burnt edges become a seasoning in their own right. Maybe the vegetables are parsnips and leeks, or broccoli and cauliflower. Maybe the flavor-booster is Worcestershire or cheddar. The options stretch as far as your eyes can see, but this is the combo I always come back to.

Good

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Combine the carrots, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and ¾ teaspoon salt on a rimmed baking sheet and mix. Combine the celery, onions, the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and 1 teaspoon salt on another rimmed baking sheet and mix. Stick both pans in the oven and roast until the vegetables are fork-tender and dramatically browning in several spots, 40 to 60 minutes total, shuffling the vegetables with a spatula halfway through to encourage even cooking.

Step 2

Add half of the cooked carrots, celery, and onions to a blender along with 3 tablespoons of the miso and 4 cups (950ml) water. Blend until smooth, then pour into a stockpot. Repeat with the remaining vegetables, the remaining 3 tablespoons miso, and another 4 cups (950ml) water.

Step 3

Give the soup a taste. Add more salt, water, or miso until it’s highly cozy to you. If needed, warm over medium-low heat, stirring every so often, until it’s however hot you like your soup. (Alternatively, after you blend it, you can stick it in the fridge or freezer for another day.)

Step 4

a fridge hero

Step 5

There are many, many varieties of the Japanese fermented paste miso—depending on the main ingredients (say, soybeans and rice), as well as fermentation time. Creamy, mellow, sweet-ish white miso is my go-to for soups of all kinds, noodle and pasta sauces (see this page), and salad dressings. In the recipe above, you can swap in a darker variety, like red miso, but start with half the quantity and adjust to taste from there.