This spicy vegetable soup gets its heat from Tunisian harissa paste and features cauliflower, sweet potato & spinach in a hearty vegan munch!
Easy Spicy Vegan Soup
My site is positively dripping with soup recipes and more than its fair share of spicy soup recipes. Many of them are vegetarian or vegan.
But there is always room for more, and this hot and spicy vegetable soup recipe showcases cauliflower and sweet potato.
I love cauliflower; it has appeared here in dishes as diverse as my cream of cauliflower soup through to my roasted cauliflower steak.
It sits alongside soft and earthy sweet potato. An ingredient that I think is great with North African flavours, as my sweet potato tagine demonstrates.
Our simple "broth" is nothing more than tomato passata and vegetable stock. This is seasoned with the classic herb mix Za'atar.
Finally, our spicy kick comes from Tunisian harissa paste and a bit more chilli!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is harissa paste?
Harissa paste is a Moroccan and Tunisian spiced pepper paste, and I love the stuff a lot!
Harissa has a deep, almost smoky complex flavour and features many types of pepper, cumin, caraway, and coriander, among a host of other flavours.
It is great as a base flavour for soups or stews, as we use it here or in my spicy vegetable tagine.
It is also great as a glaze for meat or fish. I use it with dried mint for my harissa pork chops and you simply must try my harissa garlic prawns!
What is Za'atar?
Za'atar is a spice blend that pops up here in dishes like my halloumi burger and my lamb tagine.
It is a sprawling mix of sesame seeds, sumac, savory, thyme, oregano and lots of other goodies.
It often contains salt, too, so be careful when seasoning this recipe; you may not need to add any salt at all!
Can I make this in advance?
Yes, this dish will store in the fridge for 4-5 days, but you will need to add more stock to warm it through.
As a bonus, the flavours really develop when this spicy soup is made in advance. I have tried freezing it, but I am not keen on the texture when it reheats.
Serving Suggestions
A bowl of soup is always great with bread, and this one is no different.
If you were feeling adventurous, you could give this Moroccan Khobz recipe a try.
Although I recently served this with a no-knead ciabatta bread from my friend Rosemary, it was the perfect accompaniment.
Other than that, I just sprinkle on loads of fresh coriander or parsley and call grubs up!
If you like your soups a little "thicker", you can blend part of it and mix it all together.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 20cm or 8" saucepan.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Vegetable peeler.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
Spicy Vegetable Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 200 g Sweet Potato 1½ Cups
- 250 g Cauliflower Florets 2 Cups
- 75 g Baby Spinach 3-4 Cups
- 1 Small Onion 100g
- 1 Small-Medium Carrot 75g
- 1 Small Celery Stick 35g
- 1 Medium hot Chilli Pepper
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 1 tablespoon Cooking Oil
- 2 tablespoon Harissa Paste
- 1 tablespoon Zaatar
- 250 ml Vegetable Stock 1 Cup
- 250 ml Tomato Passata 1 Cup
- Salt to Taste
Instructions
- Cut the onion, carrot, and celery into a 3-4mm (⅛-¼") dice.
- Heat a 20cm or 8" saucepan over a low to medium heat and add the oil. Add the diced carrot, onion, and celery and soften for 10 minutes.
- Dice the garlic as finely as you can.
- Slice the chilli pepper into thin rounds.
- Peel the sweet potato and cut into a 1cm (½") dice.
- Add the sliced chilli, garlic, and sweet potato along with the harissa paste and zaatar.
- Stir and combine for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in the vegetable stock and passata, stir, taste and add as much salt as required.
- Add a lid and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Cut the cauliflower into 1-2cm (½-¾) florets.
- Add the cauliflower to the pan, return the lid, and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the spinach and stir until wilted, and then serve.
Content
Sunday 6th of June 2021
Step 3: cucumber? Is this supposed to celery?
Brian Jones
Tuesday 8th of June 2021
Yes, thanks for the heads up, I've changed that :)