Carrot Soup is a quick and easy weeknight dinner! Just a few pantry ingredients come together to make a dinner worthy of company! Bonus: you can mix and match toppings to suit everyone’s tastes!
It is officially fall! David had his first day of school today (what?!?) so I’m finally ready to admit that summer is over. Also, David had his first day of school today and is zonked out on the couch so I get to write a new post! I’m liking this school thing!
Carrot Soup
So since it is fall I want to share a fall recipe with you! I guess carrots are technically a spring vegetable, but they are eaten year round in most parts so we’ll call this a fall recipe! This carrot soup recipe is adapted from a recipe that my mom makes (she actually made it for Irving and I on the first night we came home from the hospital when David was born!). I think she told me it was from the Junior League Cookbook? Not positive though! I’ve veganized and adapted based on my preferences. And can I just say? I LOVE THIS SOUP! It really is a full meal on it’s own, and could be paired with a quick salad to make a dinner worthy of entertaining. There are lots of toppings to add which makes it fun for each person—completely customizable.
Quick Weeknight Dinner
The best part—the whole thing can be made really easily, and fairly quickly. A few weeks ago I made this soup with the peeled baby carrots that David had begged me for and promised that he loved…and then wouldn’t eat. Why did I fall for that? But it made the soup so easy—just dumped the bag right in! While the soup is simmering you can prep your toppings!
All about the Toppings!
The thing that really makes this carrot soup shine is the toppings! A bowl of soup gets piled high with crispy fried shallots, sweet apple chunks, pepitas, a package microwave rice, and parsley. Maybe the most unusual topping I use is Field Roast sausages. I know that sounds crazy, but they are so good, and the perfect flavor for this soup. I like the maple breakfast links or the apple sage sausages. Then again, I use italian sausage in my Barley Minestrone Soup, so maybe it’s not so strange after all! So good!
More Soups you will love!
Restaurant Style Vegan Lentil Soup
Edamame Miso Soup from Awesome Vegan Soups
Barley Minestrone Soup for Christmas Eve
Let’s get cooking!
I hope you enjoy this Carrot Soup recipe as much as my family does! It’s such an easy dinner to throw together, and customize to each person’s preferences! Give it a try, and leave me a note in the comments telling me how you like it!
Carrot Soup
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 2 Tablespoon olive oil plus extra for shallots
- 2 bunches of scallions green onions, OR 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped (whatever is in season works!)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 pound carrots roughly chopped (no need to peel if they are organic and cleaned well)
- 1 teaspoon curry powder (go for 2 if you like it a little spicy!)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups non dairy milk unsweetened (I like using almond or soy)
For the Toppings:
- Brown rice/quinoa/wheatberries—I like using precooked brown rice like Trader Joe’s or Seeds of Change—enough servings for each person you are serving prepared
- 2 shallots sliced thin
- ½ cups pepitas (pumpkin seeds—I get salted and roasted)
- 1 large crisp apple diced
- 1 package of veggie sausages, diced (I like Field Roast maple breakfast links or apple sage sausages)
- parsley
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the scallions and cook until softened and slightly brown. Add garlic and cook lightly. Add carrots, curry powder, and salt. Mix well.
- Add water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce to low heat. Cook until carrots are very tender. Once tender, remove from heat. Blend thoroughly with an immersion blender until completely smooth. Alternately, carefully transfer to your blender and blend. While whisking, pour in milk and stir completely.
- While the soup is cooking you can prep your topping. In a frying pan, heat a drizzle of oil and add the shallots. Cook over medium heat until they are browned and slightly crispy. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain oil. Place the veggie sausages in the pan and cook to heat them through and crisp them up a bit. Remove from heat.
- To serve, I like to place all of the toppings in little bowls. Fill each soup bowl with a few ladles of soup and then top as desired. I start with a pile of brown rice in the center and then add the pepitas, apples, sausages, shallots, and parsley. Enjoy!
