Roasted Carrot Soup homemade (1)
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  • Food: Roasted Carrot Soup
  • Writer: Lizzie Green
  • Content-Type: Food Blog

Do you like carrots? This carrot soup dish will be a hit with your family. It’s decadently creamy and bursting with roasted carrot flavor.

This traditional carrot soup goes well with a variety of winter salads, sandwiches, and even festive entrées. It’s a versatile soup to maintain in your repertoire because carrots work well with so many other ingredients.

You might be shocked to find that this luscious soup is produced without the use of cream. It’s a light and healthful soup that’s also cost-effective.

I attempted to make the soup using sautéed carrots rather than roasted carrots, but roasted carrots give this soup magical abilities. If you’ve tried my butternut squash or cauliflower soups, you’ll be familiar with the approach used in this dish.

Carrot ginger soup, curried carrot soup, and Thai curry carrot soup with lime are three fun and simple versions I came up with since I can’t stop myself from experimenting with tastes.

Details can be found in the recipe notes. It’s long past time for this food blog to have a genuine carrot soup recipe, and this one is four in one!

Carrot Soup: How to Make?

The complete recipe can be found below, however, there are a few crucial elements to consider.

Carrots, roasted

Roasting the carrots concentrates their flavor, bringing out the sweet-and-savory nuances in the carrots. This step is the difference between a blah carrot soup and a carrot soup that makes you wonder why it’s so amazing.

Prepare some aromatics and spices in a pan.

Roasted Carrot Soup Yum (1)
Food: Roasted Carrot Soup homemade (Source: The Spruce Eats)

In the meantime, we’ll cook some chopped onion in oil until it’s soft. Then some fresh garlic, ground coriander, and cumin will be added. The spices add a subtle dimension to the soup’s flavor.

(If you don’t have coriander or cumin, you can leave them out.) Cooking the spices for 30 seconds in oil wakes them up while mellowing the garlic.

Simmer to combine everything.

When the carrots are done roasting, we’ll add vegetable broth, water, and roasted carrots. To bring all of the flavors together, we’ll gently boil them for 15 minutes.

Note: I’ve been experimenting with substituting water for vegetable broth in soups, and I’ve found that I don’t miss the broth nearly as much.

Water is a wonderful alternative here if you’re trying to save money or limit your sodium consumption. Soon, I’ll offer more information on my notes on this subject.

In a stand blender, combine all of the ingredients.

Stand blenders consistently produce ultra-creamy results. Immersion blenders are no match! That’s why I usually advocate using a stand blender to blend the soup.

I don’t mind doing extra dishes, either, but the texture that results is worth it. My favorite blenders can be found at my Amazon store (affiliate link).

Blending should be done with caution. Allow a few minutes for the soup to cool before transferring it to a blender; never fill over the maximum fill line (it could explode), and be careful around the steam coming from the lid (it’s hot!).

Finish with a dollop of butter and a squeeze of lemon.

You won’t believe how much a tablespoon of butter makes a difference in the finished result.

When combined with the other ingredients, it gives the soup a richer flavor without overpowering the other flavors like cream does (did you know soups could be this creamy without cream?).

Adding some lemon juice to the finished product brightens it up and ties it all together.

Three Delectable Carrot Soup Recipes

Roasted Carrot Soup (1)
Food: Roasted Carrot Soup homemade (Source: The Spruce Eats)

You know me, I couldn’t resist experimenting with this recipe. Here are three modifications to the “classic” recipe that is delectable. Let’s name the “basic” version classic instead of “basic.” It is not monotonous in flavor!

Soup with Carrots and Ginger

Another timeless gem! If you’re feeling under the weather or attempting to warm up from the inside out, try the carrot-ginger variant. Along with the garlic, add freshly grated ginger (see amounts provided in the recipe notes).

Soup with Curried Carrots

This is probably my favorite choice. Simply combine the ground spices with some Indian curry powder. Carrots and warming curry spices go together like a dream. If you want, you can also add some ginger to this version.

Soup with Thai Curried Carrots

To make a vivid carrot soup with tempting Thai tastes, add some Thai red curry paste. Instead of lemon, add some lime juice at the end. When served with chopped peanuts and fresh cilantro leaves, this variant is extremely lovely.

Roasted Carrot Soup

15-minute prep time

Time to cook: 50 minutes

1 hour and 5 minutes total

Serving: 4 bowls

This creamy (yet cream-free) homemade carrot soup recipe is full of rich, roasted carrot flavor! It’s the most delicious carrot soup you’ve ever had. This recipe makes enough soup for 4 bowls or 6 cups.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 pounds carrots
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided, to taste
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 4 cups vegetable broth (or water)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, to taste
  • 1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). If preferred, line a large-rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup.
  2. Peel your carrots and cut them on the diagonal so that each piece is about 12 inches thick at its widest point (see photos).
  3. On a baking pan, arrange the carrots. 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt Toss the carrots in the oil and seasonings until they are gently coated. Make a single layer using them.
  4. Roast the carrots for 25 to 40 minutes, flipping midway, until they’re caramelized on the edges and easily punctured with a fork. (Heirloom carrots can be roasted in as little as 25 minutes, but normal carrots are denser and take 35 to 40 minutes to roast.)
  5. Warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat until shimmering after the carrots are almost done roasting. 14 teaspoon salt and the onion Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the onion is cooked and transparent.
  6. Combine the garlic, coriander, and cumin in a bowl (if following a variation, see recipe notes for additions). Cook, stirring regularly, until aromatic, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Scrape up any browned bits on the bottom with a wooden spoon or a robust silicone spatula as you pour in the vegetable broth and water.
  7. When the roasted carrots are done, toss them into the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat as needed to keep the mixture at a soft simmer. Allow approximately 15 minutes of cooking time to allow the flavors to mingle.
  8. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set it aside to cool for a few minutes once the soup has finished cooking. Then, working in batches if required, carefully transfer the hot soup to a blender. (Do not exceed the maximum fill line; else, the soup may overflow!)
  9. Add the butter, lemon juice (or lime, if you’re going Thai), and a few twists of black pepper. Blend until the mixture is smooth. If necessary, season with more salt and pepper to taste. If you want it richer, add another tablespoon of butter, or a squeeze of lemon juice if it needs more zing. Blend once more, then serve.
  10. This soup will keep for approximately four days in the refrigerator, or several months in the freezer, if kept covered.

NOTES

  • VARIATION ON CARROT GINGER SOUP: Combine the garlic and ground spices with freshly grated ginger. 1 teaspoon for a light ginger flavor, 2 teaspoons for a stronger ginger flavor, or 1 tablespoon for a hot carrot-ginger flavor.
  • VARIATION ON CURRIED CARROT SOUP: Along with the garlic and powdered spices, add some curry powder. Depending on your preferences, use 1 teaspoon (mild) or up to 2 teaspoons (hot). 2 teaspoons freshly grated fresh ginger (for curried ginger soup) at this time
  • VARIATION ON THAI CURRIED CARROT SOUP: Combine the Thai red curry paste, garlic, and ground spices in a mixing bowl (if you’re avoiding fish, choose Thai Kitchen’s vegan/vegetarian alternative). Depending on your preferences, use 12 teaspoons (mild) or up to 1 tablespoon (very spicy). Lime juice can be used instead of lemon juice. You might add some chopped toasted peanuts and fresh cilantro leaves to your soup bowls as a garnish.
  • HOW TO MAKE IT DAIRY-FREE/VEGAN: There are a few ways. You can eliminate the butter if you prefer the flavor of the blended soup without it. You might add a tablespoon of good olive oil or cashews instead of butter for added richness. 14 cup cashews, soaked for 4 hours, then drained and rinsed (if you have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec, you can skip this). When you’re ready to add the butter, add the cashews.