Carrot Ginger Soup

A bright idea.

This vegan carrot ginger soup recipe is a nourishing, simple way to brighten cold-weather days. This easy soup may be only a few ingredients, but it’s absolutely packed with flavor — no chicken broth or dairy needed.

Meet this carrot ginger soup recipe

We may think of fall and winter as somewhat dark times (especially post-daylight savings). But cold weather can be the perfect season for bright, warming food. This carrot soup recipe is one good reason why. Nourishing, vegan, gluten-free, and simple to make at only seven ingredients, you will enjoy this over and over again.

Carrots add color and natural sweetness, while ginger adds just a little natural heat and, along with the fresh lemon juice, a little zing. This makes a big batch of soup, which you can easily halve, but I recommend making the entire batch. Portion leftovers into batches in airtight containers, and store the rest in the freezer.

You can pair this ginger carrot soup with anything from seasonal kale salad to sandwiches, or enjoy all on its own.

Ingredient List

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this ginger carrot soup recipe. I have designed this to be a vegan recipe, but you could substitute butter for olive oil and chicken stock for the water or vegetable stock if you’d like to adjust the recipe to a non-vegan form. You can add a clove or two of peeled fresh garlic if you’d like, but I don’t think it’s necessary.

• Good extra-virgin olive oil to cook the vegetables and add richness
• Yellow onions to build flavor
• Thyme and bay leaf to add roundness from herbs
• Carrots, peeled and sliced as the main ingredient
• Salt and pepper for seasoning
• Fresh ginger or dried ginger to add brightness and natural warmth
• Water or unsalted vegetable broth or stock for liquid
• Juice of half a lemon for brightness and acid to complement the savory and sweet carrot flavors

Garnish simply with a sprig of parsley or chervil, or a sprig of carrot top greens.

Ginger Carrot Soup Directions and Serving Tips

You can make this pot of carrot soup in about 45 minutes, start to finish. You can leave it chunky, but I recommend blending the carrot ginger soup into a purée: It looks gorgeous, and the flavors meld best.

My favorite blender is the Vitamix, but you can also use a food processor (this Cuisinart will last you a lifetime) or a good immersion blender — which I believe every cook should have. Be careful not to splash yourself with hot soup!

Here are the instructions:

1. Chop and cook the onions in the olive oil with the thyme and bay leaf over medium heat until tender.
2. Peel and slice the carrots and stir them into the pot. Season with salt and cook with the onions for about 7 minutes, or until they start to soften.
3. Add the ginger, water or vegetable stock, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the carrots are very soft, about 30 minutes.
4. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and the lemon juice.
5. Blend or purée the carrot soup. The texture should be a little thicker than heavy cream, but still pourable. Add a little extra water as needed. Ladle into bowls, and serve.

To serve, I love a simple leaf or parsley, chervil, or carrot top green, maybe with a drizzle of olive oil.

Pro tip: If you make this vegan soup recipe with fresh carrots that came with the tops still on, you can also make a quick carrot top pesto with olive oil, pumpkin seeds, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Love this carrot ginger soup recipe? Try these other bright carrot and soup dishes.

• Roasted Carrots With Citrus and Avocado
• Spiced Moroccan Carrots
• The Best Carrot Cake
• Homemade Chicken Soup

Fresh Carrot Ginger Soup

Author: Lisa Ruland

This bright, nourishing carrot soup recipe comes with extra warmth from fresh ginger, and is ready in about 45 minutes. So satisfying you'd never know it's a vegan soup.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 131kcal

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Ingredients

• ▢ 2 onions, sliced
• ▢ 1/4 cup good extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 generous sprig fresh thyme
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ 2 1/2 pounds fresh carrots, peeled and chopped
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Kosher salt, or to taste
• ▢ 1 heaping tablespoon fresh-grated ginger, or 2 teaspoons dried, powdered ginger
• ▢ 6 cups water or unsalted vegetable stock
• ▢ 1/2 lemon, to juice
• ▢ Fresh-ground black pepper

Instructions

• Add the sliced onions to a stock pot with the olive oil, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the onions are translucent and softened. If the onions start to brown, lower to medium-low heat.
• Add the peeled, chopped carrots to the pot. Season with 2 teaspoons of salt and cook with the onions for about 7 minutes, until the carrots start to soften.
• Add the ginger, water or vegetable stock, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the carrots are very soft, about 30 to 40 minutes.
• Add the lemon juice and season to taste with the remaining salt and a few twists of black pepper.

  Blend or purée the carrot soup. The texture should be a little thicker than heavy cream, but still pourable; add tablespoons of water as needed. Adjust the seasoning. (I usually need to add an additional 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoons of salt).
• Ladle into bowls, and serve. I love to garnish this soup with a simple leaf or parsley, chervil, or carrot top sprig for color, maybe with a drizzle of olive oil. But serving it plain will be absolutely lovely.

Notes

You can make this pot of carrot soup in about 45 minutes, start to finish. You can leave it chunky, but I recommend blending the carrot ginger soup into a purée: It looks gorgeous, and the flavors meld best.

My favorite blender is the Vitamix, but you can also use a food processor (this Cuisinart will last you a lifetime) or a good immersion blender -- which I believe every cook should have. Be careful not to splash yourself with hot soup!

This recipe makes a big batch, so my recommendation is to store some of the finished carrot ginger soup in an airtight container in the freezer.

Nutrition

Calories: 131kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 971mg | Potassium: 505mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 23689IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1mg

Disclaimer: Nutrition information is provided for courtesy purposes only, and is an estimate not verified by medical or nutrition experts. Read the full nutrition disclaimer.