I’m sure I’m not the only one who grew up being told that if I eat carrots, nearly as much as Bugs Bunny, my eyes will one day thank me. Well, I still got to wear glasses almost my whole life, but I do enjoy eating carrots. Fresh, baked, in soups, pressed and juiced – I’m all in. And since becoming a full-grown adult with internet access, I discovered cream soups – in my family, we weren’t big on cream soups (a.k.a. never tasted one until said adulthood conditions were met).
Carrot cream soup was actually my first one of its genre. I would say Ildi really nailed this new Food for Soul edition with a Carrot-Ginger Soup with Curry and Coconut Milk recipe, and personally, I’m totally hooked. Carrots AND ginger? Whoa whoa whoa. Guys, we’re in for a treat today.
First off, roasted carrots. Holy mama, that changes the game (raise your hand if you’ve been boiling the life out of vegetables like me). Their sweet, baked aroma – flirting with the spiciness of ginger and the whole condiment power team, seduced by the creaminess of coconut milk – offers not only a rich and nutrient-packed meal but also a super-flavory experience. Secondly, the topping. “Go nuts”, says Ildi.
Huh, you thought it was “just lunch”? Good greatness, this is how love stories begin!
So, my friend, if you’re looking for a little bit more sunshine in your days, a bowl of this carrot ginger soup is exactly what you should be going for. Smooth and comforting like the sound of a classic soul tune, spiced up just enough to liven up your senses, this cream soup is as delicious as it is very easy and quick to make. A healthy choice, loaded with nutritional benefits, all vegan.
Finally, it might be a quick recipe to make, but do take your time delighting your tastes with every spoonful of joy it brings. Bon appetit!
Carrot-Ginger Soup with Curry and Coconut Milk
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 800 g carrots
- 2 small onions finely diced
- 4-5 celery stalks
- 1 knob of ginger peeled and minced to yield 2 tablespoons
- 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp curry powder such as Madras (mild curry)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp salt
- freshly grinded black pepper
Instructions
- Start by peeling and washing the carrots. Roughly chop them, toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and roast for 25 minutes, until caramelized and the colour turns golden brown. *If you're in a hurry, you can skip this step and cook the carrots together with the other ingredients, but the results won't have the sweet caramel taste from the roasting. Don't worry, skipping this step won't make you a bad person.
- Continue with chopping the onions and the celery and grating the ginger.In a large pot, pour the 2 tablespoons of olive oil over high heat and add the onions, the celery and the ginger.
- As soon as you hear a sizzle, turn the heat down to low, season with a pinch of salt, stir, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.Stir often to be sure the vegetables aren’t sticking or browning — the goal here is to get the vegetables soft, not to brown them. Be gentle.
- Once the onions, celery, and ginger have cooked, add the grounded coriander, curry powder, and turmeric. Stir to combine.
- Add the roasted carrots and the can of coconut milk. Fill up the empty can with water and add it to the pot. Do this once more. Add the remaining teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring to a simmer.
- Use an immersion blender or a smoothie blender to purée until smooth.
- The final touch is always yours: taste, adjust, taste. Simmer to thicken, if necessary; add more water if too thick. You could also add some other spices, in case you feel inspired.
- This is an optional step, but if you're into textures like me and you find creamy soups boring, make a crunchy topping. You can roast in a small pan some chopped nuts and seeds, toss them afterward with flaky sea salt and a bit of olive oil. Or even add some freshly chopped parsley to the mixture. Go nuts!