Stimulate those soup bowls with creamy, spiced Ginger Carrot Soup. Earthy root vegetables perk right up with a zesty burst of fresh ginger and citrus. Serve it as a stunning first course for a holiday meal or with rustic bread for a hearty fall lunch.
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You know how all summer we just go on and on and on about fresh veggies? Well, now that it’s October, we’re going to go on and on and on about pureed veggies. It happens. Every year. Sorry?
You will find a shocking number of creamy vegetable soup recipes in the archives. We’re not sorry. Soup is feel good food, a cure-all – everything feels better after a soup session.
And as the name suggests, our zesty carrot ginger soup is a guaranteed pick-me-up. Sweet carrots and sharp tangy ginger are the very definition of opposites attracting. You can’t help but sit back, slurp, and relax.
The Secret to the Best Carrot Soup
If you want to make the best carrot soup of your life, you gotta roast the carrots first! Skip steaming, simmering or sautéing and get them nice and brown in a hot oven instead.
Roasting carrots (or any vegetable) is transformative and will improve both the flavor and texture of the finished soup:
- Roasted carrots are sweeter. Those brown spots? That’s caramelization baby – this means that the natural sugars break down and literally start to melt. Caramelization increases sweetness and improves flavor.
- Roasted carrots are tender. For an extra silky soup, roasting is the way to go. Roast the carrots until they can be easily pierced with the tines of a fork. They will meld into a luxurious, velvety smooth puree with the slightest prodding.
Pro-Tip! Almost every pureed vegetable soup will benefit from using caramelized or roasted vegetables. Need to taste the difference? Try our roasted cauliflower soup, roasted tomato soup, roasted butternut squash soup, or caramelized onion and potato soup!
How to Make Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup
Creamy, velvety smooth, and just sweet enough, carrot ginger soup will warm you up from the inside out. Roasted carrots, fresh ginger, and just a hint of orange create the perfect flavor medley. Make sure to serve with plenty of crusty bread for dipping!
- Roast. Slice the carrots into coins, toss with a bit of olive oil, and roast in a 425°F oven until very tender and caramelized around the edges.
- Soften. In a soup pot or dutch oven, sweat onions and leeks over medium heat until soft.
- Spice It Up. Add minced garlic and fresh grated ginger. The recipe calls for a 2″ knob of fresh ginger, which is a good kick. Start with a 1″ knob (about a tablespoon) if you’re only ginger-curious. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer. Add the roasted carrots and pour in the broth. Simmer for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Blend. Pour in the heavy cream, then blend right in the pot using an immersion blender, or in batches using a stand blender.
- Zing. Stir in the orange juice for a bright finish, then taste for seasoning. Adjust the salt, pepper, and/or orange juice until the flavor sings. Serve warm, right away, and enjoy!
Essential Notes and Tips
- Peel the carrots. Carrot skins are tough with a woody, earthy flavor. Peel them first for improved texture and flavor.
- Sweat, don’t saute. This recipe calls for sweating the onions and leeks, not sautéing them. Sweating creates tender vegetables with less browning; browning signifies caramelization, which increases sweetness. Sweat the alliums to release their flavor and aroma without increasing their sweetness.
- Only ginger-curious? This recipe calls for a 2″ knob of fresh ginger, which is about 2 tablespoons of freshly grated ginger. Ginger has a distinct flavor and came come off a “spicy” to certain palates. If you’re not certain you’ll love that sharp edge, start with a 1″ knob of ginger, or use dried ginger. If using dried ginger, use ¼ – ½ teaspoon.
Pureeing Creamy Soups
There are two great options for pureeing vegetable based soups: an immersion (or handheld “stick”) blender, or a traditional stand blender. We typically reach for our immersion blender because it’s so quick and convenient, but will use a traditional stand blender when we want the smoothest finish possible.
- Immersion Blender: this tool is fast, easy to use, and requires less clean-up. On the flip side, it can be more difficult to achieve a super-smooth texture, and you often need to add a bit more liquid. If using an immersion blender, be sure to scrape down the sides a few times throughout the blending process, and don’t be afraid to add a bit more broth to help achieve the desired consistency.
- Stand Blender: a good quality stand blender will create an extremely smooth and creamy soup that often doesn’t need to be thinned. On the flip side, you’ll probably need to puree in batches, and there’s a bit more work on the clean-up end. If using a stand blender, transfer the soup to the blender using a ladle; do make sure you vent the lid to allow steam to escape.
Did you make this carrot ginger soup? We’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below, or share with your friends and fam!
Zesty Carrot Ginger Soup
Description
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds carrots, about 8 large, peeled and sliced into ½" thick coins
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 medium sweet (Vidalia) onion, chopped to ½"
- 1 medium leek, halved and thinly sliced into ½" moons
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2" knob fresh ginger, peeled and grated, see Note 1
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 4 cups low sodium broth, vegetable or chicken
- 2-4 tablespoons orange juice
- ¼ – ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Position a rack in the lower third of the oven, then heat to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Trim the ends from the carrots, then peel. Slice into ½" thick coins, then place into a mixing bowl. Drizzle the carrots with one tablespoon olive oil, then toss until evenly coated on all sides. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet in a single, even layer. Transfer to the oven and roast 20-25 minutes, flipping once halfway though, until the carrots are very tender and the edges are caramelized.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a 6-quart dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and leek, toss to coat in the fat, then sweat; see Note 2. Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and just barely starting to brown, about 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic, ginger and cumin. Cook, stirring frequently, until the ginger is very fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Transfer the roasted carrots from the baking sheet to the pot, season with salt and pepper, then pour in the broth. Increase the heat to high and bring the liquid to a simmer, then reduce to medium low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Pour in ¼ cup heavy cream, then blend until very smooth; see Note 3. Add two tablespoons of orange juice and stir until well-combined. Taste for seasoning and adjust the salt, pepper, or orange juice until the flavor sings. Serve warm, right away, with plenty of bread for dunking!
Recipe Notes
- Note 1. Use a spoon to remove the peel from the ginger – simple scrap the edge of the spoon all the peel and it should fall off easily; grate ginger using a microplane or garlic press; if neither are available, finely chop using a chef’s knife.
- Note 2. Sweating creates tender vegetables with less browning; browning signifies caramelization, which increases sweetness. Sweat the onions and leeks to release their flavor and aroma without increasing their sweetness.
- Note 3. Use an immersion or stand blender to puree the soup. If using an immersion blender, puree the soup right in the pot. Add more heavy cream or broth, a quarter cup at a time, if the soup is too thick. If using a stand blender, puree in batches and leave the lid vent open to allow steam to escape.
- In the Fridge: store leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30 second intervals or in a pot over medium heat until the edges start to bubble.
- Freezer: store in air-tight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat as directed above.
Batman
Thank you for posting this. My attempt is finishing now. Smells fantastic. I went all in on the ginger. YOLO, right? Feeling healthier already!
Kirsten McNeal
Loved!!! I accidentally added the whole can of coconut milk and it was scrumptious!