Creamy Carrot Ginger Soup (No Cream)

This bright orange soup gets its velvety texture from blended carrots and a single potato, not from cream. Fresh ginger gives it warmth, and a squeeze of orange or lemon at the end keeps it lively.

It is inexpensive, uses ingredients that keep for weeks, and freezes well. Make a pot on Sunday and you have lunches for most of the week.

Creamy Carrot Ginger Soup (No Cream)

This bright orange soup gets its velvety texture from blended carrots and a single potato, not from cream. Fresh ginger gives it warmth, and a squeeze of orange or lemon at the end keeps it lively.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger peeled and grated
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 2 lb (900 g) carrots peeled and sliced
• 1 medium potato peeled and diced
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp fine sea salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin optional
• 2 tbsp orange or lemon juice
• plain yogurt and chopped herbs to serve

Method

 

1. Warm the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion with a pinch of salt for 6–7 minutes until soft.
2. Add the ginger, garlic and cumin and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. Add the carrots, potato, broth and salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover partially and simmer for 20–25 minutes until the carrots are very tender.
4. Blend until smooth with a stick blender, or in batches in a countertop blender with the lid vented and covered with a towel.
5. Stir in the citrus juice, taste and adjust the salt. Thin with a little broth or water if needed. Serve with a swirl of yogurt and herbs.

Notes

• Carrots must be completely soft before blending, or the soup will be grainy.
• Never fill a countertop blender more than half full with hot soup; steam can force the lid off.

Why a potato?

A single potato adds starch, which gives the blended soup a creamy body without dairy. It also softens the sweetness of the carrots. Any all-purpose or floury potato works.

If you prefer, use 1/2 cup of red lentils instead. They cook in the same time and make the soup slightly thicker.

Topping ideas

• A spoonful of plain yogurt and a pinch of chili flakes.
• Toasted pumpkin seeds or chopped roasted almonds.
• A drizzle of coconut milk and fresh cilantro.
• Crisp croutons made from day-old bread.

Choosing and storing carrots

Look for firm, smooth carrots without cracks or soft spots. Bunched carrots with their tops on are often fresher, but twist off the greens when you get home, since they draw moisture out of the roots. Stored loose in a bag in the vegetable drawer, carrots keep for several weeks.

Older, larger carrots are fine for soup; their sweetness concentrates as they cook. Save the youngest, sweetest carrots for eating raw.

If you have a slightly soft bag of carrots at the back of the refrigerator, this soup is a good way to use them up.

Variations and swaps

• Replace a third of the carrots with sweet potato or butternut squash.
• Use coconut milk in place of 1 cup of broth for a richer soup.
• Swap the ginger for 1 teaspoon of curry powder.

Storing and reheating

Keep the soup in sealed containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It freezes well for up to 3 months; leave a little space at the top of containers for expansion. Reheat gently and add a splash of water, as it thickens on standing.

Questions readers ask

Do I need to peel the carrots?

Organic carrots can just be scrubbed well; peeling gives a slightly smoother, brighter soup.

Is it vegan?

Yes, if you use olive oil and vegetable broth and serve it with a plant-based yogurt or none at all.

Can I make it in a slow cooker?

Cook the onion and ginger on the stove first, then cook everything on low for 6 hours and blend.

This recipe is for general cooking information only and is not medical or nutrition advice. See our Disclaimer and Image Credits.