This carrot ginger soup is full of bold flavors. It is creamy (yet dairy-free and vegan), satisfying, and so delicious! I'll share with you the secret that makes this carrot ginger soup stand out from the rest. And there is no need to give up your healthy eating ways; this carrot ginger soup is gluten-free, paleo, and whole 30 compliant.
I enjoy exploring new recipes and techniques, and occasionally, feel like a mad scientist in the kitchen. Sometimes these cooking experiments turn into a bust. Other times, it's exhilarating watching the magic happen, and the flavors blending into tasty and mouthwatering dishes. This vegan carrot ginger soup was one of those instant winners—spoonful after spoonful of delicious layers.
How to make carrot ginger soup taste better
As the title suggests, the star of this recipe is the carrots. What sets this recipe apart and elevates it to the next level is ROASTING the carrots. When roasting, the carrots become caramelized and give a particular sweetness to the soup. In addition, the warm spiciness of ginger adds a balancing touch. Lastly, it all comes together with mellow and creamy coconut milk, making the soup naturally vegan and dairy-free.
How to make vegan carrot ginger soup
Step 1 - Roast The Veggies For Max Flavor
Begin by preheating the oven to 425 F.
Scrub the carrots and parsnips (if using) and peel the garlic. Cut the carrots and parsnips to your liking; just keep them the same size so they cook evenly. I prefer to cut them diagonally into 1.5-inch pieces so they can roast quicker. In a bowl, mix the carrots and parsnips with a drizzle of avocado oil and spices like coriander, cinnamon, and Aleppo pepper (feel free to swap with paprika).
Transfer everything in the bowl to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast until caramelized, about 30 minutes.
Step 2 - Create a broth and aromatics
In a Dutch oven or a soup pot, saute leeks (you can swap with shallot or small onion) and celery in olive oil. Mix with a spatula and cook until the vegetables have softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add grated fresh ginger. Along with this, I like to add this fantastic Vadouvan seasoning from La Boite. As a side note, Lior from La Boite makes impressive spice blends, and Vadouvan is one of my favorites. It's delicate and has this incredible aroma, a nice intro to Indian spices. Vadouvan is a sweet and savory Indian curry spice blend with French influences. It often contains fenugreek, cumin, onion, and garlic. So it's easy to recreate the spice notes if you don't have it on hand and/or hard to find at the store.
Step 3 - Putting it all together
Once the carrots, parsnips, and garlic have roasted and cooled, add them to the Dutch oven (soup pot) and combine with the other ingredients. Add a few sprigs of thyme (also optional), coconut milk, and water (you can also use vegetable stock).
Just a note on the liquids: You should have 4 cups of liquid in total. One of my preferred brands of coconut milk is Aroy-D. It contains 100% coconut milk, no guar gums or additives, and it comes in a carton rather than a can. However, the carton is smaller (8.5 ounces) compared to the regular can of coconut milk (at 13.5 ounces) and difficult to source or find at a local store. As a result, I usually order it online.
Another great option and easier to find is the Trader Joe's Organic Coconut Milk (13.5 Fl Oz) can. That said, depending on what coconut milk you are using, adjust the water or vegetable stock so that in total, there are 4 cups (coconut milk + water). Also, if you prefer a thinner consistency, use more liquid/water. I prefer mine to have a thicker consistency.
Add kefir lime leaves and carrot tops for extra flavor if you have them on hand. But don't fret if you don't; simply omit. Over low to medium heat, bring to a gentle boil and season with salt. Cook for about 7 to 10 minutes so all the flavors are blended.
Finally, once it is ready, remove the carrot tops and kefir lime leaves before pureeing the soup. Use a hand blender to puree to desired consistency.
Serving Suggestions
This roasted and creamy soup is great served with:
- Pumpkin seeds
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Fresh herbs (dill, cilantro, parsley)
- Sourdough croutons (simply cut sourdough bread into square chunks, and pan sear in some butter)
- A drizzle of olive oil
More Dairy Free Recipes:
Lastly, if you try this recipe, I would love to hear about it! Be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! And if you snapped some photos, tag and share them with me on Instagram.
Carrot Ginger Soup (Vegan, Dairy Free, Paleo)
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs carrots, scrubbed, cleaned, and cut on a diagonal into 1.5 in pieces
- 1 parsnip, (optional, cut the same way as the carrots)
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper (can swap with paprika), (optional)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 leek (can sub with shallot or small onion), diced
- 2 celery, sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon Vadouvan seasoning, (optional)
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, (optional)
- 1 coconut milk (8.5 oz carton or 13.5 oz can)
- 2.5 - 3 cups water or veggie stock
- 1 Kefir lime leaf, (optional)
- Carrot tops, (optional)
- 2 teaspoon Salt, (or to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Slice carrots and parsnip on a diagonal, into large pieces - about 1.5 inch thick.
- In a large bowl, toss carrots, parsnip, and garlic with avocado oil, and spices (coriander, cinnamon, and Aleppo pepper), mix until lightly coated. Transfer the coated vegetables onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for about 30 minutes or until the carrots are caramelized.
- In a dutch oven (or a pot), over medium heat, heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add leeks and celery. Mix and cook until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add grated ginger and Vadouvan seasoning (if using), mix until combined.
- Add oven-roasted carrots, garlic, and parsnip to the dutch oven, and combine with a spatula. Add a few sprigs of thyme. Add coconut milk and 2.5 to 3 cups of water or vegetable stock (See Note for more details on the liquid). Add kefir lime leaves and carrot tops, for extra flavor. Bring to a gentle boil, season with salt to your liking (about 2 tsp).
- Reduce the heat to med/low and cook for about 7-10 mintues to incorproate all the flavors.
- Remove carrot tops, kefir lime leaves. Use a hand blender to puree the soup. Ready to serve. See notes for serving suggestions.
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