Do you know that feeling when you find two different ingredients that complement each other so well it’s as if their flavors were destined to dance together in your mouth? That’s how I feel about walnut and fennel. The earthy flavor of the walnuts and the mild licorice flavor of fennel is a combination that’s hard to beat. That’s why I am obsessed with this delicious Walnut Fennel Soup. It’s loaded with other herbs and spices like thyme, garlic, and turmeric, so it’s one of the more unique soups I’ve ever made. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
4 T olive oil
3 leeks, white and light green parts chopped (discard green tops or use them for stock)
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 medium fennel bulb, cored and chopped
1 medium apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp garlic powder
½ cup walnut halves, toasted
sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
Directions:
Pre-heat your over to 350 degrees. Start by chopping your fennel and leeks then line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Add your leeks and fennel to the sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil then season with salt. Roast the vegetables for 25 minutes or until golden.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the roasted leeks and fennel then saute for 4 minutes. Add the thyme and apples. Stir everything together and saute for 4 minutes. Add the turmeric and stir to coat all the vegetables. Slowly add in your toasted walnuts and stir together. Season the entire pot with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add the low-sodium vegetable stock and stir together.
Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Simmer all the vegetables for about 14-16 minutes. Once the apples are very soft, remove the soup for the heat. Slowly add the mixture into a blender until totally smooth. Taste the soup for seasoning and enjoy!
