Carrot-Ginger Soup (with a Parsnip Variation)

Carrot-ginger soup is made easier by using baby carrots, eliminating the need for a lot of peeling and chopping. Naturally plant-based, this delicious pureed vegetable soup recipe can be enjoyed in the fall, winter, and spring. 

Many pureed vegetable soups are a concentrated source of nourishment and a perfect comfort delivery system.

A carrot-y shortcut: Let’s face it—peeling and chopping two pounds of carrots is a bit of a project. I was pleased with the brainstorm of tossing two bags of organic baby carrots (which are usually very sweet) into a soup pot, and even happier with how well the idea translates into this classic carrot-ginger soup.

Make sure to use the carrots while still fresh. Once they start drying out, the results won’t be as good. Using an immersion blender makes the preparation a breeze, but I prefer the extra step of transferring the soup to a blender (which needs to be done in a couple batches, depending on the size of the container).

Super smooth or chunky, as you prefer: I like this particular soup to be super-smooth, whereas I don’t mind when other pureed soups stay a bit chunky. That’s totally up to you.

Try the parsnip variation: The last time I made this soup, I happened to have a bag of parsnips in the fridge that were calling out to be used.

Carrots and parsnips are compatible cousins, but I worried that the latter would somehow compromise the color and sweetness of the soup. Neither happened, in fact, I found that they intensified the flavor.

And the color? See for yourself. Of course, peeling and chopping the 8 or so parsnips made a bit more work and mess, but that was balanced out by the ease of using the pre-prepped baby carrots.

If you enjoy parsnips, see this roundup of easy plant-based parsnip recipes. And if you like the carrot-parsnip combo, you’ll enjoy Garlic-Roasted Parsnips and Carrots.

A soothing soup when you’re under the weather: Whether a straight-up carrot soup or a carrot parsnip soup, this vitamin-packed bowlful is a fantastic choice when you or someone you love has a cold, but you need not be under the weather to appreciate it.

It also makes a wonderfully light first course for a winter or early spring company meal. And if you’re trying to get your kids to appreciate soup, this is an excellent one to start with!

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Yield: 6 to 8

Carrot-Ginger Soup (with a Parsnip Variation)

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Using a couple of bags of baby carrots makes it easy to enjoy this classic carrot-ginger soup. Make sure to consider the parsnip variation.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Two 1-pound bags baby carrots (or see parsnip variation)
• 15-ounce can diced tomatoes (try fire-roasted)
• 2 to 3 teaspoons finely chopped fresh or squeeze-bottle ginger
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups plant-based milk, or as needed
• Juice and zest of 1 orange
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish, optional

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over low heat until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until both are golden. 
2. Add the carrots or carrots and parsnips along with the tomatoes and ginger. Add enough water to not quite cover the vegetables.
3. Bring to a slow boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer gently until the carrots (or carrots and parsnips) are tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat.
4. With a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked vegetables, along with a little of the cooking liquid, to a blender. Process in batches to a smooth consistency and return the puree to the soup pot. You can also use an immersion blender, but a regular blender does better to get this soup super-smooth.
5. Stir in enough nondairy milk to give the soup a medium-thick consistency. 
6. Return to low heat. Add the orange juice and zest, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Cook just until piping hot. Serve at once. Pass around chopped fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish.

Notes

Parsnip variation: Use one 1-pound bag baby carrots plus one 1-pound bag fresh parsnips.

There's a debate as to whether parsnips need to be peeled. If they're small and look very fresh, you can get away with just scrubbing — especially if you'll be pureeing this in a blender rather than using an immersion blender.

If the parsnips are larger, older, and the skin looks thick and tough, go that extra step and peel them.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 173Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 208mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 5gSugar: 13gProtein: 5g

Nutrition data is always an estimate depending on program used to calculate and exact products used.

If you like carrot soups, you might also enjoy …

Coconut Curry Carrot Chickpea Soup

Looking for more parsnip soups?

Creamy Vegan Parsnip Vegetable Soup

See lots more delectable soups & stews.