Prep and cook time: 1½ hours Serves 6
3-4 medium beets, peeled and ends trimmed
2 tablespoons avocado oil, plus more for drizzling
6 unpeeled garlic cloves
1 large leek (white and light green part), thinly sliced
1½ teaspoons fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon powdered turmeric
coarse salt and ground pepper
Sea veggie flakes (kelp, nori, dulse) for garnish
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle beets with oil and roast about 1 hour or until very tender when poked with a fork. Meanwhile, drizzle garlic cloves with oil and roast in separate foil packet, about 30 minutes. Let cool, peel, and quarter. Squeeze garlic from skin. Set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pot over medium heat. Add leek and cook, stirring, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add beets and garlic, basil, bay leaf, and 3 cups water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Let cool slightly, then purée in a blender until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and adjust seasoning to taste. Sprinkle with sea veggie flakes (kelp, nori, dulse) for garnish.
Thanks for this timely recipe. There were some incredible looking beets at the farmer’s market this morning so I made it tonight. It was delicious! Very easy to make. Also, did you know you can roast the beets without peeling? The skins will fall right off under cold running water (be sure to handle them once they have cooled off). I also used an immersion blender.
If you have a stick blender you won’t have to remove the beets from your cook pot. You can just blend everything in the same pot. Makes for an easier clean up. I have a Kitchen Aid stick blender that I just love that I use in soup making all the time. I don’t think they are all that expensive either! A question: I have to watch my sugars and I know carrots and beets are real high in sugar, but also packed with really good nutrients, so when I juice I use them in moderation to avioid a reaction. No, I’m not diabetic I just have difficulty metabolizing simple sugars for some reason. (Maybe having leaky gut?) Pancreatin helps which I take in a digest enzyme format.
I know Beets are good for you, but are there any conditions that you know of that can’t tolerate Beets?
I would avoid using the foil packet for the concern of aluminum leaching into the garlic.
I use foil that is lined with parchment – best of both – you get the heat-retention of the foil, but it’s not in contact with your food.
Thanks Fiona 🙂 What brand do you use?
Yes, please find some nice cooking dishes that have covers. I have collected a few pyrex baking dishes, some ceramic ones and a cast iron pan with a lid so tight it amazes me. It doesn’t have to be foil!
So nice ! I love beetroot but have never paired it with leeks before.
Such healthy ingredients !
Thanks !
This soup is delicious. I needed to add more water and I cut down on the lemon juice. The roasted garlic gives it an amazing, rich flavor.