Carrot Soup Recipe

If you went to your farmers market over the weekend and came home with a beautiful bunch of carrots, then this carrot soup recipe is for you. They’re the main ingredient in this easy recipe, along with a few staples that you likely already have in your kitchen.

This easy soup recipe is just 7 ingredients, and it’s so simple and delicious with no cream, no cashew cream, and no coconut cream (ok just a tad for garnish, but it’s really not necessary). The creamy base of the soup comes purely from the pureed carrots. Here’s what else makes it so darn good:

Season to taste with salt and pepper, and add a bit of maple to sweeten it up, if you wish. That’s it!

I made this carrot soup a full meal by serving it with a simple massaged kale salad made of leftover brown rice, a few carrot curls, dried cranberries, a drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. I also smashed some avocado on toast and topped it with dollops of pesto. It would be excellent with herbed farro as well. For more salad inspiration, check out this post.

The soup is great on its own, but it’s extra tasty with scoops of pesto that I made out of the carrot tops. I’ve made carrot top pesto before, but this is the first time I’ve made it with only the carrot greens and no other herbs. Because who has basil this time of year?

Like most soups, this carrot soup keeps well in the fridge for a few days, so it would be a great make-ahead Thanksgiving starter or weekday lunch. See this post for my best meal prep tips and this one for more lunch ideas.

Creamy Roasted Carrot Soup

This homemade carrot soup recipe is ultra creamy (yet cream-less) and full of rich, roasted carrot flavor! It’s the best carrot soup you’ll ever have. Recipe yields 4 bowls or 6 cups of soup.

Prep: 15min

Total: 1h5min

Yield: 4

Serving Size: 1 bowl—made with vegetable broth and 1 tablespoon butter—to reduce sodium use water instead

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 bowl—made with vegetable broth and 1 tablespoon butter—to reduce sodium use water instead, calories 235 calories, Sugar 14 g, Sodium 1133.5 mg, Fat 14 g, Saturated Fat 3.4 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Carbohydrate 28.2 g, Fiber 6.9 g, Protein 2.6 g, Cholesterol 7.6 mg

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds carrots
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided, to taste
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 cups vegetable broth (or water)
• 2 cups water
• 1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instruction:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup, if desired.
2. To prepare your carrots, peel them and then cut them on the diagonal so each piece is about ½″ thick at the widest part (see photos).
3. Place the carrots on the baking sheet. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Toss until the carrots are lightly coated in oil and seasonings. Arrange them in a single layer.
4. Roast the carrots until they’re caramelized on the edges and easily pierced through by a fork, 25 to 40 minutes, tossing halfway. (Heirloom carrot varieties will roast in as little as 25 minutes, but regular carrots are more dense and typically require 35 to 40 minutes.)
5. Once the carrots are almost done roasting, in a Dutch oven or soup pot, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and turning translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
6. Add the garlic, coriander and cumin (if following a variation, see recipe notes for additions). Cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pour in the vegetable broth and water, while scraping up any browned bits on the bottom with a wooden spoon or sturdy silicone spatula.
7. Add the roasted carrots to the pot when they are out of the oven. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, to give the flavors time to meld.
8. Once the soup is done cooking, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Then, carefully transfer the hot soup to a blender, working in batches if necessary. (Do not fill past the maximum fill line or the soup could overflow!)
9. Add the butter, lemon juice (or lime, if following the Thai variation), and several twists of black pepper. Blend until completely smooth. Add additional salt and pepper if necessary, to taste. Add another tablespoon of butter if you’d like more richness, or a little more lemon juice if it needs more zing. Blend again, and serve.
10. This soup keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for about four days, or for several months in the freezer.

Carrot Soup Recipe with Ginger

This easy 7-ingredient carrot ginger soup is great for warming up on cold nights. With a luscious creamy texture from the blended carrots, it’s totally vegan – no dairy or nuts required!

Prep: 10min

Yield: 3

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion (chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 garlic cloves (smashed)
• 1 pound carrots (roughly chopped)
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)
• coconut milk for garnish (optional)

Instruction:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, salt and pepper and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add the smashed garlic cloves (they’ll get blended later) and carrots to the pot and cook 8 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in the ginger, apple cider vinegar, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Let cool slightly and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth. If your soup is too thick, add a little water. If you would like your soup a little sweeter, add the maple syrup.
4. Serve with a drizzle of coconut milk, if desired.

How to Make Deliciously Creamy Carrot Soup