After the party and the cakes and cupcakes and cookies … and the traumas of today (Z had her 1 year checkup and injections at the doctor) … it was time for something soothing. It has also been quite rainy these last few days, so I decided to make carrot soup. Well, that, and we had plenty of carrots left over from the party! The preponderant taste of this soup is carrot, but it has the addition of just a bit of butternut for silkiness, and some tomatoes for heartiness.
I do love soups. When youre ill, and you just dont want to eat, soup can tempt you with its scent, its warmth, its comfort factor. When its rainy outside, soup makes everyone feel good. And on hot days, a cold soup is a refreshing option for a quick meal. Speaking of which, this carrot soup is just as good cold as it is hot – and its amazing orange glow immediately raises the spirits!
I served the soup with toast, spread with the last of the artichoke spinach dip. It was such a great contrast – the sweetness of the carrots juxtaposed with the salty creaminess of the dip. Warm garlic bread would also be a nice option here … just think about how to make the sweetness pop by adding a salty element.
This soup serves 4 people, with leftovers. Enjoy, hot or cold 😉
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (for flavour as well as for sauteing the onions)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder or 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- Salt and pepper
- 3 cups carrots, washed and chopped (skin on is fine)
- 1/2 – 1 cup butternut
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes (you can use canned if you have to but fresh is better)
- 2 cups water
- A few tablespoons cream, sour cream, almond or soy milk or coconut milk
In a large pot, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. I specify extra virgin here because it adds a depth of flavour to the soup. If you dont have it, use regular olive oil or vegetable oil.
Saute the onion until it becomes glossy and soft. Add the garlic, and stir well. Season with paprika, oregano and salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
Add the carrots, butternut and tomatoes in batches. Stir after each addition, and allow the vegetables to soften a bit.
Add the water, and bring the mixture to the boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or so, or until all the vegetables have softened. You may find you need to add more water, but do this judiciously. You want quite a thick soup.
Once all the vegetables have softened, puree the soup using an immersion blender, or a stand blender or food processor. Be careful as the soup will be quite hot!
Taste and adjust seasonings. I often find I need to add a touch more salt.
Just before serving stir in the cream or milk. Do not bring to the boil, but heat until simmering.
Serve with toast on the side for a comforting bright meal.
delectable 
This was GREAT! I accidentally had ten thousand carrots from our organic delivery service, so this was the perfect way to make use of them. The soup was delicious – husband loved it and was initially skeptical of carrot soup – and now I have a more respectable, manageable amount of carrots left in the fridge. Thanks!
Nicole, thanks! We loved it! Its also great as a very light sauce for pasta, it freezes well, and is wonderful cold. If you have loads of extra carrots, do a search of the blog, and try the carrot cake – its sooo good, and bakes into awesome muffins! xxx