I have a thing for Indian food (see Spicy Red Lentil Curry, Curried Butternut Squash Soup, Green Chickpea Curry with Couscous, 30-minute Coconut Curry, and Samosa Potato Cakes.)
The obsession lives on, and I have another treat for you guys: A 30-minute curried beet soup with crispy tandoori-roasted chickpeas. You in?
There’s an Indian restaurant in Portland called Bollywood Theater that’s quite sensational.
They serve a roasted beet dish cooked in coconut milk and curry leaves. Mmm. So many people had raved about them I had to try them myself.
The bad news: While the flavor and concept was there, the texture wasn’t what I was hoping for.
The good news: I made my very own inspired version at home and turned it into soup. Spoiler alert: Mine (in my opinion) is better than the original concept (just sayin’).
This soup is simple, requiring just 30 minutes from start to finish. It’s also vegan, gluten free, and loaded with health benefits.
Beets are rich in iron, fiber, folate, vitamin C, and potassium. They’re also a natural anti-inflammatory, are loaded with disease-fighting phytonutrients, and help the body detoxify.
Coconut milk not only provides a creamy base to this soup, it also boasts healthy doses of B vitamins and vitamin C, as well as iron, selenium, and calcium.
Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory and pain reducer. It’s also proven to help settle an upset stomach and also improves digestive function. Also, delicious.
Garlic also acts as an anti-inflammatory in the body, and is a great source of vitamin C, B6, manganese, and selenium. Somehow, it also contains compounds that help regulate our blood pressure. I know, it’s magic.
While your soup is cooking, roast your chickpeas. I toss mine in a simple mixture of salt, coconut sugar, and my go-to tandoori masala spice blend. It’s an Indian seasoning that’s spicy, robust, and so versatile (learn more about it here)! You can find it at spice markets and grocery stores like Whole Foods or make a DIY version (see recipe notes).
The result is a tender chickpea with a slightly crispy edge and a rich, smoky, subtly spicy flavor – perfect for topping this soup.
I hope you all love this soup! It’s:
Creamy
Comforting
Curry-spiced
Hearty
Earthy
Healthy
& Quick
If you have an abundance of beets in your pantry, this is the recipe for you. This soup is perfect for when you’re craving something a little spicy, warm, and comforting. The crispy, tandoori chickpeas make it a complete meal with one small serving providing almost 11 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag a picture #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see what you came up with. Cheers, friends!
Curried Beet Soup with Tandoori Chickpeas
Ingredients
CHICKPEAS
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas (rinsed, drained + dried in a clean towel)
- 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil (or sub grape seed oil)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
- 2 Tbsp tandoori masala spice blend (see notes for DIY/where to buy*)
- 1 tsp coconut sugar
SOUP
- 1 Tbsp coconut or grape seed oil
- 2 medium shallots, thinly diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 cloves yield ~1 Tbsp)
- 1 Tbsp minced ginger
- 6 small-medium beets, peeled and quartered
- 1 pinch each sea salt + black pepper (plus more to taste)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp green curry paste (or sub 12 g curry powder per 25 g paste)
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch each ground cardamom and coriander (optional)
- 1 14-ounce can light coconut milk (optional // more for serving)
- 2 cups vegetable broth (DIY or store-bought)
- 2-3 Tbsp coconut sugar (or maple syrup)
- Fresh chopped cilantro (optional)
Instructions
- If preparing chickpeas, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C), and add rinsed and dried chickpeas to a small mixing bowl. Top with coconut oil, salt, tandoori masala, and coconut sugar. Toss to combine, and sample a chickpea. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Spread onto a bare baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until deep golden brown and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
- In the meantime, heat a large pot over medium heat.
- Once hot, add oil, shallots, garlic and ginger. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add beets, salt and pepper, curry paste, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, cardamom and coriander (optional). Stir to coat, then cover and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add coconut milk, vegetable broth, and coconut sugar.
- Bring to a low boil over medium heat and then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until beets are fork tender.
- Use an immersion blender, or transfer soup to a blender, and purée on high until creamy and smooth. If using a blender, return soup back to pot.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more dry spices, salt, or sweetener to taste. I didn’t make any adjustments.
- Serve with an extra drizzle of coconut milk (optional), a generous amount of tandoori chickpea, and a sprinkle of cilantro (optional).
- Store leftover soup covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. Store chickpeas separately in a well-sealed container at room temperature up to 2 days.
Notes
*DIY Tandoori Masala Blend: 3 Tbsp ground cumin, 2 Tbsp garlic powder, 2 Tbsp ground paprika, 3 tsp ground ginger, 2 tsp ground coriander, 2 tsp ground cardamom. Multiply as needed.
*This recipe is inspired by both Thai and Indian flavors. You can learn more about the origins of green curry paste and tandoori masala by following the links.
*Recipe adapted from my Curried Butternut Squash Soup.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated.
Shawn says
This soup is straight ~magic~ or something. I am not the biggest beet fan, or even curry, to tell you the truth. Both are fine. But I came here to use up CSA beets and WOW, just wow, my mind has been blown. This was so delicious, for the first time in my life I bought beets on purpose so that I can make it again this weekend. I only used 3 med/large-ish beets and 3 carrots and it turned out amazingly. So to anyone who only has three beets – go forth and prosper! It will still turn out a vibrant dark fuchsia as pictured and sufficiently beet-y. I did my chickpeas in the air fryer. Everything else I followed to a tee. Another 10/10 winner.
Amazing! Thanks so much for sharing, Shawn. We’re so glad you enjoyed!
Daisyheadfayzie says
Let me start by saying this soup was very satisfying, especially with the added roasted chickpeas. It’s also good cold. However, it is misleading to say it takes 30 minutes from start to finish to make. It took me over an hour to prepare and at least 40 minutes to cook the beets.
I wouldn’t have made it if I knew this ahead of time. You should adjust that on the recipe.
Thanks for the recipe.
Jay Dee says
How do you cook the beets first? Boil or roast? :)
Hi Jay, we add raw chopped beets in step 5, but you could roast them first for even more flavor!
Christin says
OMG YUM! This soup is incredibly creamy & loaded with flavor. I baked the chickpeas for 35 minutes to make them extra crispy too. Thank you so much for a delicious dinner! Xoxo.
Yay! Crispy chickpeas are the BEST. Thanks for the lovely review, Christin!
Nicole says
I’m completely in love with this soup. I made it to use up farm box beets, and am so glad I tried it. My green curry paste is quite spicy so I omitted the cayenne and it was still plenty spicy. Otherwise followed the recipe. Next time though I’ll chop the beets smaller or roast them first, as they were only borderline fork tender after 35 minutes simmering. Thankfully my immersion blender is tough! Didn’t make the chickpeas or have cilantro and it was still a hit as it was and with a dollop of thick plain yogurt.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Nicole! Thank you as always for sharing your experience! xo
Jessica says
This was delicious! I had to double the chickpeas because my 3 year old loved them! This is a great recipe to use the beets I get in my CSA box.
Yay! So glad you enjoyed this, Jessica!
Meredith says
This was really good, and really pretty! I used whole coconut milk (you’re really just paying for water when you buy lite). I poured a little out of the can to save for garnish, and then added some water back to make it the same amount of liquid.
My chickpeas always come out half-dehydrated when I bake them, so I pan fried them in a cast iron until they were crispy.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Meredith! Thank you for sharing! xo
Elisa says
I loved this!! Just absolutely wonderful and earthy!! I made this a few weeks ago and I doubled the spices, because I love a ton of flavor! I found that squeezing fresh lime into the soup really helps brighten it just a bit. Making this again in the next few days and looking forward to sharing it with a coworker that seemed very interested in it 😅
Thanks so much for sharing this!! I’ve grown to love beets. Didn’t grow up on them and always thought they were gross until I moved to Europe and started seeing how many people love them and cook them. Now I crave them from time to time and love trying new things with them. They are such an under-rated veggie!!
Woohoo! Thanks so much for such a thoughtful review, Elisa! We are so glad you enjoy the soup!
Jk10 says
I’ve made this 4 times, just the soup part, and it is a favorite of 3 households. I always make extra to share. I usually add about twice the spice and I find that squeezing lemon on top is an integral layer to the heavy flavor of my soup. Such a winner!!
Wonderful! Love the lemon addition. Thank you for sharing! xo
Coleen says
This velvety smooth, full flavoured soup is now my go-to recipe for beets! My husband, who is not a beet lover, not only approves but even went for seconds.
Woohoo! Thanks for the lovely review, Coleen. We’re so glad you both enjoy the soup! xo
Jennifer says
I made this over the weekend with organic golden beets so my soup was a different color :-) but it was sooo creamy and delicious! I halved the recipe as it is just me but used probably close to the same amount of chickpeas (cooked from scratch). I added cauliflower florets to the chickpea mix and roasted both for topping. I also used some coconut flavored soy yogurt in place of coconut milk because I needed to use it up. Surprisingly filling and so flavorful! Definitely a keeper! Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes.
Woohoo! Thanks for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Jennifer. We’re so glad you enjoyed! xo
Ava says
This recipe was and is fantastic. I doubled the recipe. It took me much longer than 5 min to prep due to having to peel the beets but I am very satisifed with how the recipe turned out. Once I used the immersion blender, the soup turned that magical bright beet color and it has remained that color (with no added citrus/lemon/lime). The chickpeas were a perfect addition as well and the dish was packed with layers of flavor. The fresh cilantro was also just perfect. Thank you so much for this recipe!!!!!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Ava! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Brook says
I decided to make this since I had a bunch of carrots and some acorn squash from my CSA box. It was delicious, and got the coveted toddler stamp of approval in our house! I used about 3 cups of carrots and 1 cup sweet potato, and included the lentils. I made the roasted chickpeas as a garnish (without the curry). I didn’t find it necessary to add any extra sweetener beyond the maple syrup I cooked the squash with.
Sounds lovely! Thanks for sharing, Brook!
Carolyn says
This was great – I love beets, Indian and Thai food so this is the trifecta! I followed the recipe pretty much to a T (which is rare for me) and it is perfect. The only deviations? I used chicken stock (no veggie in the pantry) and didn’t have any canned chickpeas or the time to soak and cook dried, so I topped the soup with a sprinkle of Indian Bhusu“snack”. Temporary crunch but a big boost of flavor. I’m off to have seconds.
Is there any way to Save the recipes on your site? I’ve made several and have to re-google each time.
Thanks!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Carolyn! Thanks so much for sharing! You could save the page as a bookmark or save to pinterest or another similar site/application. Hope that helps!
Janel says
This was the best soup I’ve made in a while!! I only had three beets, but I made up the rest using 2 large carrots. I roasted the cut veggies in a little oil and salt at 400 for about 45 minutes until they were nice and caramelized before proceeding with the rest of the recipe. I also used coconut beverage instead of canned and it was out of this world good!
I was too lazy to do the chickpeas… But I’ll do them next time so I can stretch this soup into more portions, I ate half the pot at once! XD
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Janel!
Sadye says
After the first bite, I texted a beet-hating friend and said “I think I found a beet recipe you’ll eat *and* enjoy.” This was incredible. Yes, it’s odd that I made it in August, but the CSA sent in beets, and I couldn’t resist — and now I almost can’t wait for winter to dive into this again!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sadye! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
R Thornhill says
This was absolutely wonderful…even better than I expected! I only had 3 medium beets (~300 g) so I supplemented with a sweet potato (another ~275g) and it worked out great. The chickpeas are so fun and make the whole thing a very filling meal. Lovely!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Julie says
I got A LOT of canned beets on the clearance rack this week. I made this using 3 cans of beets and just 1 cup of stock, and it turned out great! Thanks for the recipe!
We’re so glad it turned out well! Thanks for sharing, Julie! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Sneha says
So yummy and easy to make! I used garam masala instead of tandoori. I think the beets could be easier to blend up with the immersion blender, so next time, I will cut them smaller than just quarters. I added a splash of lime at the end to brighten it up and it was perfect. Great for a rainy day like today.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Sneha! Thanks so much for sharing!
Tim says
This took a lot more work than the recipe said, but the soup was amazing. Honestly, a lot better than I expected. I didn’t have the curry paste or tandoori masala, but I used an Indian curry powder and also went heavier on the cumin; the flavors were awesome.
Instead of raw beets, first I roasted the whole beets at 350 for an hour AND cut them smaller than suggested, and I still had to simmer for almost 45 minutes to get them soft enough. With all that simmer time, I also had to add a lot more water than suggested. If I do it again (and I plan to because it’s delicious) I would roast the beets hotter and longer until a knife easily slides through, and then the rest of the recipe might actually work as planned.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Tim! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Kat says
This sounds amazing, I love tandoori, kinda hate beets tho, is there a substitute you can recommend ?
Thnx <3
Hi Kat, We haven’t tried it, but maybe another starchy veggie such as sweet potato? Let us know if you try it!
Terri1 L Wood says
Loved it, loved it, loved it. I love Beets so I reserved a cup full of veggies unblended, I will make again. Perfect to warm you up, and great flavor.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the lovely review!