The Winter Solstice Approaches

Creamy Carrot Ginger Soup

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Credit: Laura Rege

Carrot Ginger Soup

A bright and cozy bowl of carrot ginger soup might just be the perfect dinner to warm up from the inside out. One of the keys to simple recipes like this is knowing how to build flavor with the ingredients you have, creating an end result more delicious than the sum of its parts. A soup with a simple ingredient list is truly the backdrop for good technique, so we start by making sure to cook it right, then finish with a lemony coconut drizzle that lifts up all the flavors.

To start, it’s important to cook the carrot and onions first rather than just boiling them in broth. This crucial step helps develop nutty and caramelized notes that ultimately enrich the broth. Make sure to cook both the garlic and ginger until golden and toast the spices adequately to bring out their aromatics as well. You’ll know when they are done by the light golden color, but also by the lovely aroma that’ll start to fill your kitchen. Carrots and ginger — the star ingredients in this soup — are accented with cumin and coriander, both of which accentuate the earthy, yet sweet flavor of star vegetable and tone down the spicy ginger without dominating the flavor.

Stock is another opportunity to add flavor. Our preference is chicken broth , but we also recognize this soup is the perfect base for a meatless dinner, so we made sure it tastes just as good with vegetable stock . One thing to note for vegetable stocks is to first taste the broth and make sure you like the flavor; every brand varies so greatly and some have other spices in it. Second, pick one that is light in color so you do not throw off the beautiful bright orange color of the soup.

Credit: Laura Rege

Carrot Ginger Soup

How to Select the Best Carrots

Look for firm, bright orange carrots with healthy peels that don’t seem dry. The stem end should also not look dry. Avoid any with small roots or cracks and ones that feel limp.

Tips for Making the Smoothest and Creamiest Soup

With help from these tips, we think you’ll find the texture of this soup is super creamy as is:

• Tender carrots are key for a creamy soup . When checking to see if the carrots are done, make sure that a fork or knife can easily be inserted and pulled right out.
• Don’t be afraid to turn the blender on high and leave it on for a good minute to ensure all the carrot is fully pureed.
• If you want to go super creamy and rich, blend a little coconut cream or heavy cream right into the soup.

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What to Serve With Carrot Ginger Soup

Carrot ginger soup is great as the main and if you want to doctor it up, go big with more toppings (some ideas below!) or serve bread alongside it. If you’re looking to serve it as an app, any main dish you like should go well after it.

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Carrot Ginger Soup

Yield Serves 4 , Makes 6 cups

Prep time 10 minutes

Cook time 45 minutes

• tree-nut-free
• fish-free
• peanut-free
• shellfish-free
• pork-free
• pescatarian
• gluten-free
• wheat-free
• high-fiber
• soy-free
• egg-free
• red-meat-free
• alcohol-free

Per serving, based on 4 servings. (% daily value)

• Calories 347
• Fat 24.1 g (37.1%)
• Saturated 7.6 g (37.8%)
• Carbs 30.4 g (10.1%)
• Fiber 9.1 g (36.4%)
• Sugars 12.3 g
• Protein 8.4 g (16.9%)
• Sodium 1257.7 mg (52.4%)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds

  carrots (about 12 medium)

• 1

  small yellow onion

• 3 tablespoons

  olive oil

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 (2-inch) piece

  fresh ginger

• 3 cloves

  garlic

• 1

  medium lemon

• 4 cups

  low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

• 1/4 teaspoon

  ground cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon

  ground coriander

• 1

  small bunch fresh chives

• 1/4 cup

  coconut cream

• 1 tablespoon

  water, plus more as needed

• 1/2 cup

  roasted shelled pumpkin seeds

Instructions

1. Peel, trim, and dice 2 pounds carrots (about 5 cups). Dice 1 small yellow onion (about 1 cup).

2. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the carrots and onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are crisp tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, peel a 2-inch piece ginger, then finely chop (about 2 tablespoons). Finely chop 3 garlic cloves (about 1 tablespoon). Juice 1 medium lemon until you have 2 tablespoons juice.

3. Add the ginger, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander to the saucepan. Continue, stirring often, until ginger and onion are fragrant and light golden-brown, about 2 minutes.

4. Add 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are tender, about 10 minutes more. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Meanwhile, finely chop 1 small bunch frehs chives (about 1/4 cup). Place 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, 1/4 cup coconut cream, and 1 tablespoon water in a medium bowl, and whisk to combine. Whisk in more water a few drips at a time as needed until the consistency is good for drizzling.

5. Working in batches if needed, carefully transfer the soup to a blender and blend until completely smooth. (Alternatively, blend directly in the saucepan with an immersion blender.) Transfer the hot soup to a clean pot. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, season with kosher salt and black pepper, and stir to combine. Reheat over medium heat if needed.

6. Ladle the warm soup into bowls. Drizzle the coconut cream mixture over each bowl and sprinkle with the chives and 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds. Sprinkle with more black pepper if desired.

Recipe Notes

Storage: The soup can be made ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat over medium heat, stirring frequently. Garnish before serving.

Source : food