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Roasted Carrot and Ginger Soup

This soup has helped me to turn a new leaf on my childhood dislike of cooked carrots. When carrots are roasted, with a little olive oil, they become tender with a beautiful caramel color. This soup is flavored with shallots, celery, and fresh ginger. A dash of white wine and fresh orange juice gives the soup a new layer of flavor and brightness.
You can use either chicken stock or vegetable stock to create a healthy, creamy and hearty soup. If you don't tell your dinner guests what the soup is, they'll have a hard time guessing! The soup tastes like a cross between sweet potato and a sweet flavor, you can't quite put your finger on. It's delicious!
Course Appetizer, main, Soup
Keyword Carrot Soup, Roasted Carrot and Ginger Soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 141kcal
Author Debby - www.AFeastfortheEyes.net

Ingredients

  • 1 pound whole organic carrots
  • 1-2 stalks fresh celery minced
  • 1 tsp grated fresh ginger (use more if desired,
  • 1-2 shallots minced (or 1/2 yellow onion, minced)
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 2 tsp coarse salt to taste
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 quart quality organic chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine I use Sauvignon Blanc
  • 1/8 cup fresh orange juice to taste

Garnish:

  • Fresh chives or chervil
  • coconut milk or heavy cream for a richer flavor
  • use cilantro instead of chives for a Thai twist

Instructions

  • Wash the carrots and cut off the bottom root end.
  • Place the whole carrots (or you can cut them lengthwise) on a baking sheet, and drizzle with olive oil.
  • Roast at 375 until tender and caramelized (shake the pan about halfway through to evenly roast); about 45 minutes.
  • Set aside.
  • In a Dutch Oven, heat about 1 Tbsp olive oil and the butter.
  • Cook the shallots (or onion) until tender--about 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the celery, ginger and fresh garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.
  • Season with about 2 tsp. coarse salt and white pepper (black is okay, but white pepper keeps the orange color "cleaner)".
  • Cut the roasted carrots into chunks, about 3". Add the carrots to the Dutch Oven.
  • Add about half of the chicken or vegetable stock and bring the soup to a boil, then down to a simmer. Simmer for about 15 minutes.
  • If you have an immersion blender, you can easily puree the carrots. The soup will be very thick.
  • Add the white wine (if using) and then the orange juice. Taste, and adjust seasonings to your liking.
  • OPTIONAL: You could jazz up this soup in a few ways. You could add coconut milk, some red pepper flakes and use lime juice, instead of orange juice.
  • Or, you could add heavy cream or half & half if you want a creamier and richer soup.
  • Continue to add the rest of the chicken or vegetable stock, until the soup is the consistency you like. One quart of stock created a hearty and creamy soup.
  • Garnish with fresh chives or chervil, if desired. For a pretty presentation, you could add drizzled of flavored oil and/or creme fraiche.

Notes

Be warned that the ginger can be a dominant flavor and can also taste very hot and spicy)
If you don't have an immersion blender, buy one! Otherwise, use a blender, but puree in batches and be sure to put a towel securely on the blender lid. The last thing you need is hot soup, sprayed on you and your kitchen!
We eat it without the oil and creme fraiche for less guilt, though.
Me, not being much of a carrot fan loves this soup. It has a beautiful color and great flavor.