Beet and Orange Soup

Who doesn’t love soup, hot or cold? Serve it either way and this vibrant Beet and Orange Soup is guaranteed to brighten up any table. The earthy sweetness of the beets blends perfectly with the citrusy tang of orange zest, and all cooled by a little yoghurt and fresh mint.

Make this soup a little earlier than you plan to eat it to give the orange zest time to infuse and the flavours of to develop. Beautiful, tasty and healthy – what more could you ask!

Beet and Orange Soup

Ingredients

• 1 onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 1/2 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 heaped tbs tomato purée
• 2-3 medium beets peeled and cubed
• 4-5 cups stock (chicken or vegetable)
• Salt and black pepper
• Zest of 1/2 orange plus extra for garnish
• Sour cream or Greek yoghurt
• A small handful of mint leaves

Method

Take a large pot, heat some olive oil and gently fry the onions and garlic. When they are soft and translucent, add the tomatoes and tomato purée. Stir and continue cooking for a few minutes.

Add the beetroot and the stock, bring to the boil and then cover and simmer for about 30 minutes until the beetroot has cooked.

Blend the soup to a smooth, silky consistency, season with salt and black pepper and add the orange zest. Add a little more water if the soup is too thick. Return the pot to the heat and cook for a further 15 minutes. Allow to rest a little to let the flavours develop.

Check your seasoning. Serve with a big dollop of sour cream or Greek yoghurt and a scattering of fresh mint leaves and an extra sprinkle of zest.