Roasted Beet Soup with Balsamic and Honey

Do you want your house to smell amazing? Try roasting beets. The sweet, caramelized aroma is unbeatable! If you want to make this recipe and you simply don't have the time to roast the beets first, have no fear, you can buy bottled or canned beets and use those (you need about 1 pound). Just don't buy the pickled variety!

This soup is excellent served warm or chilled (it's still in the triple digits in AZ).  When I serve it chilled, I top it with crumbled feta cheese. 

Roasted Beet Soup with Balsamic and Honey

1 1/2 pounds fresh beets, ends trimmed, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 cups good-quality chicken stock

1 clove garlic, grated

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

In a large bowl, combine the beets, oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat the beets. Arrange the beets on a large baking sheet and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until tender, stirring halfway through cooking. 

Transfer the beets to a large saucepan and add the stock and garlic. Set the pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Puree with an immersion blender or regular blender (when using a regular blender, work in batches to prevent spillover).  

Stir in the vinegar and honey. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 

Serves 6