This Wholesome Carrot Soup Recipe will Warm You Up on a Cold Day

On chilly days, do you know what I crave? Creamy, comforting carrot soup.

To be honest, at first glance, this soup is the kind of recipe I would normally pass on. Its primary ingredient is a vegetable. Carrots, no less.

I mean, you know that I like carrots in a French slaw, but in soup?

The method of soup-making often tends to concentrate flavors, strengthening their pungency. This might not be something that you think you want to happen to carrots, especially if they aren’t your favorite vegetable.

But this soup is good. Like, insanely good.

It is creamy and sweet, comforting on your throat and your stomach. You’ll recognize the earthy taste of carrot, but along with it are hints of spicy clove and punches of sauteed onions and garlic.

I ate two bowls of this soup, right away. It’s wonderful with swirls of cream and bits of chopped fresh parsley on top, and each fragrant, colorful bite dissolves on your tongue and sends warmth through your body.

It’s healthy, but more importantly, it’s delicious. Trying something new, even if you think you might not like it, sometimes proves to be supremely satisfying. And I love that.

Wholesome Carrot Soup

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• Author: Shanna Mallon
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Description

Chase the chill away with a wholesome carrot soup recipe. This simple bowl of healthy goodness is what you need to warm up and feel full.

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Ingredients

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• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 whole cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Pinch of sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/8 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

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Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, and cloves, and sauté until onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant.
2. Add 3 cups broth. Cover and simmer until carrots are very soft, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes.
3. Remove cloves from broth and discard. Puree soup in batches in a blender (or use a stick blender in the pan). Return soup to the same saucepan.
4. Stir in the lemon juice and sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Thin to desired consistency with more broth, if desired.
5. Place soup back over medium heat until heated through. Ladle into bowls. Drizzle with cream and top with parsley. Serve immediately.

Notes

Adapted from Bon Appetit, May 1996.

Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate until ready to reheat, garnish, and serve.

For a vegetarian version, sub vegetable stock or water for the chicken broth.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Vegetarian

Keywords: carrot, soup, healthy recipes, clean eating, comfort food, winter recipes

Cooking by the Numbers…

Step 1 – Prepare Vegetables, Chop Parsley, and Measure Remaining Ingredients

Using your trusty vegetable peeler, a sturdy cutting board, and a chef’s knife, peel and slice the carrots into rounds.

Peel and finely chop half of a large onion.

Peel garlic cloves and roughly chop them, or mince with your garlic press.

Remove the stems and chop the fresh parsley leaves until you have about 1 tablespoon total.

Measure all remaining ingredients as they are listed in the ingredients list, so they’ll be ready to go when you need them. Keep the cream in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve, so it will be cold when you’re ready to whip it.

Step 2 – Cook Vegetables

Add the oil to a large, heavy saucepan and place over medium heat.

Once the oil is hot, add the prepped carrots and onion, and the whole cloves to the pan. Saute until the onion is translucent and soft, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, and cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, until it’s fragrant.

Step 3 – Make Soup

Stir in 3 cups broth. Cover the pot and let simmer until the carrots are soft, stirring occasionally. This will take about 30 minutes.

Remove the cloves and discard them. Using an immersion blender, or working in batches in the blender, puree the soup until smooth.

Return the soup back to the saucepan if you removed it to blend, and stir in the lemon juice and sugar. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. If it is too thick, you can thin out the consistency with more broth.

Whisk the cream in a medium bowl, until slightly thickened. This will take about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Place the saucepan back on the stove over medium heat, and stir occasionally until reheated all the way through.

Serve in bowls with a drizzle of cream and a sprinkle of parsley.

Can I Make It Spicy?

If you like added heat in your meals, you can certainly amp up the spice in this soup. Simply stir in about an eighth of a teaspoon (aka a “pinch”) of cayenne pepper, and taste to see how you like it.

You can add more spice as you like, using an additional pinch at a time to increase the heat as desired. Proceed with caution so you don’t make it too spicy! (Don’t panic: here’s what to do if you’re a bit heavy-handed.) If you enjoy a mix of spices, you can also garnish with a homemade dukkah spice blend, which is what we use for our other carrot soup recipe, featuring roasted vegetables!

About Shanna Mallon

Shanna Mallon is a freelance writer who holds an MA in writing from DePaul University. Her work has been featured in a variety of media outlets, including The Kitchn, Better Homes & Gardens, Taste of Home, Houzz.com, Foodista, Entrepreneur, and Ragan PR. In 2014, she co-authored The Einkorn Cookbook with her husband, Tim. Today, you can find her digging into food topics and celebrating the everyday grace of eating on her blog, Go Eat Your Bread with Joy. Shanna lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with Tim and their two small kids.

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