If you're looking for a recipe to use up the bag of carrots in your refrigerator, then you've got to try my Roasted Carrot Soup. It's easy, creamy and absolutely dreamy.
Roasting the carrots, onions and garlic is the SECRET here! This cooking process promotes caramelization and brings out the vegetables inherent sweetness. Add warming ginger and rich and silky coconut milk to the mix and you've got yourself a flavourful and satisfying spoonful. For an extra flavour boost, garnish this soup with toasted pumpkin seeds, chopped cilantro and a drizzle of coconut milk.
This homemade soup has always been a fan favourite and can be enjoyed year-round for lunch, dinner or as a snack. It also makes for a festive and perfect starter at your Thanksgiving Day dinner! So, let me show you how it's done. Grab a spoon and come and cook with me!
For more delicious and flavourful soup ideas, check out my White Bean and Kale Soup, Butternut Squash Soup and Classic Borscht recipes!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
2 lbs carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch slices (See Notes below)
2 medium yellow onions, peeled and quartered
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled (See Notes below)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
6 fresh thyme sprigs
1/2 Tbsp ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
1 (400mL) can unsweetened coconut milk
A drizzle of coconut milk, as garnish (See Notes below)
Toasted pumpkin seeds, as garnish (See Notes below)
A handful of fresh cilantro leaves, as garnish
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 425F and line a 11” x 17” baking sheet with parchment paper.
To the baking sheet, add the carrots, onions and garlic. Drizzle them with olive oil and season with salt. Using your hands, give the vegetables a light toss or mix, ensuring that they are well-coated in oil and seasoning. Then, nestle the thyme sprigs amongst the vegetables.
Roast the vegetable mixture for 30 minutes or until softened and fork tender. Set aside and let it cool slightly. Discard the thyme sprigs.
Peel the garlic and add it to the blender along with the ginger, roasted vegetables and broth. Blend on high speed for 30 seconds or until silky and smooth. Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to do this in 2 batches.
Transfer the blended soup to a large stockpot set over medium heat, add the coconut milk and whisk or stir until fully incorporated.
Bring the soup to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to low and simmer for an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Portion out the servings and garnish the soup with a drizzle of coconut milk, toasted pumpkin seeds and fresh cilantro leaves. Serve and enjoy!
Notes:
How Many Carrots Are There in 2 lbs?: This recipe calls for 2lbs of carrots, which translates to approximately 8 - 10 medium carrots.
Roasting the Garlic: Avoid peeling the garlic when roasting, as this allows the garlic to safely caramelize, without the risk of burning.
The Finishing Touch: You eat with your eyes first, so why not make this soup look as delicious as it tastes! Reserve 3 Tbsp of coconut milk to use as garnish. Simply drizzle it over top your final product and you've got yourself a culinary masterpiece.
Pumpkin Seeds: You can simply use raw pumpkin seeds as a garnish for this soup. But, if you have a few extra minutes, toasting the pumpkin seeds adds a ton of flavour and a nuttier profile to this dish. To a small skillet set over medium heat, add the pumpkin seeds and cook them for 2 - 3 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently throughout. To halt the cooking process, immediately transfer the pumpkin seeds to a small bowl and set aside to cool.