Carrot Soup (Printable Version)
Velvety carrot soup with warming cumin and ginger, finished with cream or coconut for an easy, comforting starter.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced
02 - 1 medium onion, chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced (optional, for creaminess)
→ Liquids
05 - 4 cups vegetable broth
06 - 1 cup water
→ Dairy or Alternative
07 - 1/2 cup heavy cream or coconut cream (for vegan option)
→ Spices & Seasoning
08 - 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
09 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
10 - 1/4 tsp ground ginger
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 - Fresh parsley or chives, for garnish
# How-To:
01 - Heat the olive oil or butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and translucent.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic, sliced carrots, and diced potato if using. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
03 - Add the ground cumin and ground ginger, stirring continuously for 1 minute until fragrant and evenly distributed.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the carrots and potatoes are fork-tender.
05 - Remove the pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until silky smooth, or carefully transfer to a stand blender in batches.
06 - Stir in the heavy cream or coconut cream. Return to low heat if needed and warm through gently. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
07 - Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley or chives. Serve immediately.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The natural sweetness of carrots does all the heavy lifting so you barely need to season aggressively.
- It freezes beautifully which means you can make a double batch and pretend you are the kind of person who always has homemade soup ready.
02 -
- Do not skip peeling the carrots because the skins leave tiny tough flecks in an otherwise smooth soup.
- Blending in batches with a stand blender is risky with hot liquid so always vent the lid and hold it down firmly with a kitchen towel.
03 -
- Taste and adjust seasoning after adding the cream because dairy dulls salt and you will likely need more than you think.
- The soup thickens as it sits so keep a little extra broth or water nearby when reheating to loosen it back up.