A Simple Carrot Soup Recipe
You are looking at the simplest carrot soup. One I love, in part, because it's an example of how a beautiful meal can come together with a bit of care, and an impossibly short list of ingredients. Carrots and onion form the base. The base is spiked with dollop of red curry paste, and then pureed into silky oblivion.
You are looking at the simplest carrot soup. One I love, in part, because it's an example of how a beautiful meal can come together with a bit of care, and an impossibly short list of ingredients. Carrots and onion form the base. The base is spiked with dollop of red curry paste, and then pureed into silky oblivion. Once pureed, you can flare it out with whatever you have on hand for the toppings. 
Choose the Best Carrots
Use bushy-topped farmers' market carrots or regular orange carrots, either will work. I personally prefer the heirloom farmers' market varieties, but this soup is delicious with just about any carrot.
Getting that Perfect Silky Texture
Part of what I love about this carrot soup in particular, is the silky mouthfeel. If you take the time to peel your carrots, it smooths things out beautifully. I'm going to argue it's a key component in taking this soup from really good to exceptional. That said, if you don't mind a slightly more rustic version, go for peels on and save yourself a step!
How to Blend Carrot Soup
A quick and easy way to puree this soup is with a simple hand blender. It's how I've made this soup for years. But, if there was ever a time to break out the serious blender, this is it. Recently, I started to use our fancy ultra-powerful juice blender for this soup. Blend for a while, it is completely worth the clean-up effort.
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A Simple Carrot Soup
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or extra-virgin coconut oil
- 1 onion chopped
- scant 1 tablespoon red curry paste, or to taste
- 2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped - 1/2-inch chunks
- 1 14- ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
- 1 1/2 cups / 360 ml of water, or to cover
- 1 lemon or lime
- micro greens / cilantro, chopped, toasted almonds , chile oil
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In a large soup pan over medium-high heat add the butter and onion. Stir until the onions are well-coated, and allow to saute until translucent, a few minutes. Add the curry paste, and then stir in the carrots. Allow to cook another minute or two, and then add the coconut milk, salt, and water, adding more water to cover if needed.
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Simmer until the carrots are tender, 10 - 15 minutes, then puree using a blender or hand blender until the soup is completely silky smooth. The next part is important, you're going to make any needed adjustments. For example, add more water if the consistency needs to be thinned out a bit. Taste for salt, adding more if needed. I also like to season this soup with a great big squeeze or lemon or lime juice. Serve topped with whatever you have on hand. Something crunchy like almonds is nice. Along with a final touch of something green, like micro greens & cilantro.
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Comments
Try subbing 3-4 (or more!) Tablespoons of grated fresh ginger for the curry paste--it's my all-time favorite (and most-requested) soup-
Simple soups are so satisfying. This sounds delightful!
Finally a different kind of carrot soup! Thanks for sharing! I love the microgreens on top. Where do you buy them? Also, did you make your own chili oil or buy it somewhere? One of the hardest parts of cooking these types of recipes if often finding the ingredients...
This soup looks so simple, healthy and easy to prepare, Eager to try. In tooth news, my husbands tooth cost us 10 grand! out of pocket. 10 g's, and we actually have really good insurance. So teeth are serious!!
Thank you, Heidi. I've been sick in bed for over a week and craving soup but lacking energy or even the ability to stand for long. This was just the ticket! I'm enjoying my first mug now, and it's really lovely.
The soup is stunning in its simplicity. I particularly love the toppings you've piled on - cilantro, almonds, micro greens, and what looks like a drizzle of paprika oil? The result is like a painting I could admire for hours.
Heidi: Can I use curry powder instead of curry paste? Thank you for all your wonderful recipes.
HS: You certainly can Phyllis - just add a bit at the beginning, and then more at the end, until the flavor is to your liking - some curry powders are stronger that others, so just keep in mind, you can always add more, but it's harder to take away ;)Thank you - you rescued me from just staring at the computer screen, knowing I needed to get moving, but still not doing it. With lots of carrots from the CSA in the fridge and a quick soup to use them in, none of my excuses could hold up. I made it even quicker by using the pressure cooker so I added the curry and coconut milk afterwards, in the vitamix. Really nice combination of flavors, so once again - Thanks!
This carrot soup is maybe simple, but your topping make it so yummy!
What a beautiful soup. I have a simple carrot and ginger soup which I make regularly this time of year. I love the idea of adding curry paste to soups, it's something I have started doing recently and it really brings out the vibrant flavours and is so warming.
Oh, dear Heidi, I hope you're healing well, and feeling better by the day. Pesky teeth. They're great, when they work! Once again, soup love, as much for its ease as for its language: "flare it out" -- YES!! A phrase, finally, for that special, brilliant last-minute addition of bits and bobs, that turns any smooth, silky soup into something extraordinary and special, and unique every time. We've been doing just this with spinach leek soup, of late (http://www.remedialeating.com/2015/01/hello-green.html), and loving all the different possibilities. Clearly, the only thing to do next is, cue the carrot. Healing thoughts to you, xx, Molly
How lovely! Simple soups are the name of the game in our house currently. Can't wait to make this.
Beautifully smooth and simple. Love the look of those toppings, just gives it that extra bit of fanciness in taste and presentation.
This looks restorative, but very simple. Lovely. Hope the pain of the wisdom tooth extraction has now passed...
Your simple recipes often become my absolute favorites! Thanks for sharing another great one! I hope you're feeling better after the tooth extraction. I wish I could bring you more soup :)
This is utterly divine, Heidi. I'll take it everyday. The tooth extraction, though? How about never? Hope you're feeling better! xo.
Coconut milk and carrots is a marriage made in heaven. I like to add a pinch of turmeric to my carrot soup, it brings a touch of earthiness that I love!
Seems divine! Soups are all the rage right now, and this recipe seems so on point. I can't wait to try it! :)
Yum! I make this with pumpkin puree instead of the carrots, and saute grated fresh ginger and garlic with the onion. Roasted mushrooms make a great topping as well.
this sounds like a heavenly combination! I'm a sucker for coconut milk in soups.