Roasted Carrot Soup

With a combination of carrots and sweet potatoes that are quickly roasted, the base of a slightly sweet soup is created. When a combination of onions and spices is sautéed, this soup becomes well-rounded and full of comforting flavors. After a quick blend, the soup is ready to serve, either hot or cold, with a bit of heavy cream and some cilantro sprinkled on top.

Why this recipe works.

Carrot soup doesn’t sound like a stand-out meal, but makes this recipe one that is made time and again is the flavor added by roasting the vegetables first. Carrots have natural sugar that, when left raw, just tastes sweet. When carrots are roasted, some of the natural sugar begins to caramelize, and the flavor is deepened. The outside of the carrots begins to brown, signaling rich flavor. Once the carrots and sweet potato are roasted, the soup takes just a few moments to come together. Onion is sautéed with butter and spices that will work with the sweet, rich carrots for a complex flavor. The roasted vegetables and vegetable stock are added, simmered, then blended until smooth. This is not a boring one-flavor soup. Instead, it is a sweet, smokey, and slightly spiced soup that is a perfect meal, both hot and cold.

Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.

• Carrots naturally have a high amount of sugar. To bring out more flavor, roasting them at high heat allows the flavor to break through the sweetness. If using organic carrots, scrub well, but there is no need to peel.
• Sweet potato has a similar sweetness to carrots but adds a silky texture to the soup. The same benefits of roasting are used for cooking the potato.
• Garlic is roasted alongside the vegetables. Instead of minced garlic for a strong flavor, the roasted garlic becomes sweet and melts into the soup.
• Vegetable stock can be store purchased or homemade. To control the level of salt in this recipe, use a low-sodium variety.
• Cumin seeds and coriander seeds add an earthly spice that works as a contrast to the sweetness. Using whole spices and toasting them in the butter adds more flavor, but ground spices can also be used. Use half the amount of ground spices.
• Smoked paprika is a way to add a depth of smokey flavor without any extra work. The smoked paprika becomes a sweet smokey flavor when mixed with the carrots.

Here’s how to make this recipe.

1. Prepare the vegetables. Slice the carrots into 1- to 2-inch long pieces and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roughly chop the sweet potato into 1-inch chunks and add to the sheet pan as well. Drizzle olive oil over the top and toss the vegetables to ensure they are all evenly coated. Then spread them out into an even layer. Sprinkle the salt and black pepper on top and add fresh thyme leaves.

2. Roast the vegetables. Slice off the top ¼ of a head of garlic, leaving the cloves in the husk, and place it in aluminum foil. Drizzle olive oil on top, and wrap the foil around it, creating a sling. Place the garlic packet on the sheet pan alongside the vegetables. Place the baking sheet in the preheated 425°F oven and roast for 30 to 40 minutes. Once baked, remove them from the oven and set aside.

3. Sauté the onion and spices. In a small stockpot over medium heat, add the butter. Chop the onion and add directly to the hot butter along with the salt. Let the onion sauté, then add the coriander seeds, cumin seed, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Stir the spices into the onion and butter to let them bloom. Then, push the roasted garlic cloves into the stockpot from their husks.

4. Add the vegetables. To the sautéed onion and spices, add the roasted vegetables and vegetable stock. Let the mixture simmer for 10 to 12 minutes.

5. Blend the soup. Remove the soup from the stovetop. Using an immersion blender or a countertop blender, blend the soup. A few minutes of blending should create a smooth purée. When serving, drizzle on some heavy cream and freshly chopped cilantro, both of which are optional.

These pro tips will make this recipe a success.

• Since the soup will be blended once it is cooked on the stove, there is no need to peel the carrots and sweet potato, Peeling is an extra step that takes time and will not have a quantifiable difference in flavor once blended. If there are obvious discolorations or bad spots in the peel, those should be removed.
• If possible, make sure to use butter when sautéing the onion and spices. Rather than a neutral oil, which is sometimes used when cooking onion, the butter will impart a deeper, more well-rounded flavor that will work well with the sweetness of the carrots and sweet potato.
• If using a countertop canister blender to blend the soup, you may need to do it in batches. Also, remember to leave an opening for the steam to escape from the canister. Something that is hot could explode if there is no way for the heat to escape.

You’ll love these other soup recipes.

• Easy taco soup
• Ham and potato chowder
• Turkey quinoa chili
• Tomato tortellini soup
• Black bean soup
• Creamy curry lentil soup
• White bean chicken chili
• Dairy-free creamy tomato soup
• Slow cooker chili