Transform humble carrots into a velvety smooth soup that will warm you from the inside out.
This recipe unlocks the secret to creating a surprisingly delicious and creamy carrot soup with minimal effort.
Get ready to discover how easy it is to elevate simple ingredients into an elegant and comforting dish!
Ingredients
For this creamy carrot soup, I've assembled a list of ingredients that'll make your taste buds sing! You're gonna need 1 tbsp of olive oil, or butter if you're feeling fancy.
Next, grab 4 slices of streaky bacon—around 120g or 4oz should do it. Trust me, it adds a killer flavor! Dice up 1 onion, mince 2 cloves of garlic – don't be shy!
Now for the stars: 5 big carrots, cut into chunks about 1.5 cm or 3/5" thick. 1 liter or 4 cups of chicken or veggie broth is essential. Just as with broccoli soup, using vegetable broth opens up the option for vegan diners.
To make this soup creamy, you need 1/2 cup or 125 ml of cream plus 3/4 cup or 185 ml of milk, any kind works! Don't forget salt and pepper – a pinch of love!
For serving, fresh thyme or parsley, extra cream for swirling, plus crusty bread are great.
Instructions
Now that we've gathered all our fixings, it's time to get cooking! First, I want you to heat a tablespoon of olive oil – or butter if you're feeling fancy! – in a large pot over medium-high heat. Toss in your bacon, about 4 slices, and cook 'em until they're golden and crispy. Take the bacon out, let it cool, then give it a chop!
Next, toss the chopped onion and minced garlic into the bacon drippings – flavor town! Cook these for a couple of minutes until the onion's see-through.
Add the carrots and stir to coat them in that flavorful oil. Similar to pumpkin soup, this recipe also utilizes vegetable broth to add depth. Pour in a liter of broth, give it a stir, pop a lid on, and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes until the carrots are nice and soft.
Take the lid off, turn the heat off and – using a stick blender – puree until smooth. Stir in the cream and milk, about a half-cup and three-fourths cup respectively, and season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust, and you're done!
Recipe Notes
I've included a couple of handy recipe notes I think you might find useful! If you decide to skip the bacon – and hey, I get it, maybe you're feeling virtuous today! – you'll miss out on some serious flavor.
To compensate, stir in 1 tsp of ground coriander or your favorite spice into the soup. Alternatively, saute 2 tsp of finely chopped ginger with the onion and garlic – it'll add a nice zesty kick.
Nutrition Information
There's also 69mg of cholesterol, 379mg of sodium, and a good boost of potassium at 640mg, which is 18%. Fiber? A modest 2g. Sugar? Just 7g, so it isn't a sugar bomb!
But hey, look at that Vitamin A—a whopping 13360 IU! That's like — 267% of what you need! Vitamin C is a bit shy at 7mg, plus you get 119mg of calcium and a little iron at 0.9mg. Dig in!
Short Recipe Version
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serving size: 6
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb carrots, peeled and chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup cream (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh thyme or parsley (optional)
Instructions:
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add carrots and vegetable broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until carrots are tender.
- Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth.
- Stir in cream (if using) and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with fresh thyme or parsley (optional) and serve with crusty bread.
Nutrition Information (per serving, estimated):
Calories: 150
Protein: 3g
Fat: 8g
Carbohydrates: 18g