A vegetable soup that will surprise you with its incredible flavor, creamy smooth texture and delicious toppings. An easy dairy-free, paleo or even vegetarian soup that doesn’t disappoint.
My husband and I both dislike carrots, however I found that out of all the soups I’ve made for this series… he keeps referring to this one. Who knew a bag of carrots could be transformed into a soup this divine?!
This Roasted Carrot Soup surprisingly doesn’t taste like carrots, rather loads of indescribable flavor. Give it a try and see for yourself!
HOW TO MAKE ROASTED CARROT SOUP
Start with two pounds of carrots, peeled. Cut them into one to two inch pieces. I cut them on a diagonal as this helps them cook faster and retain more nutrients.
Lay them out on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Drizzle heavily with olive oil and sea salt. I then toss them around with my hands. Spread them out evenly and place in a 400 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes. I also mix them up halfway. You want them nice and caramelized, but not burnt. It’s okay if they have dark edges as that’s where the boost of flavor is coming from.
When there is about 15 minutes left to go on the carrots, get out a dutch oven or large pot. Saute up the onions in some olive oil. Once they are translucent, add in the garlic, cumin, chili paste, salt and pepper. Stir around and cook for a minute.
Add in 6 cups of beef broth. You can use chicken, vegetable or bone broth in replacement. Whatever you have on hand! Let this come to a low boil.
Remove carrots from the oven and add to the broth. Cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Then remove from heat.
Gently scoop the soup into a blender. You can wait a few minutes to let it cool down if preferred. Add in the coconut cream. Blend on high for a minute or two. The texture of the soup depends on how long you puree this. I found a couple minutes gives me a smooth and creamy texture.
Pour soup back into the dutch oven and add in the juice of half a lemon and a tablespoon of butter. Taste and add extra salt and pepper if preferred. Set aside.
Heat up a small saucepan on medium. Once hot, melt the butter. Throw in the diced ham and cook until browned and crispy. With small ham chunks it doesn’t take long. Make sure to stir around to avoid sticking. The crispier the better. It will add some texture to the roasted carrot soup.
Ladle soup into a bowl and garnish with crispy ham and fresh chopped cilantro. You can also add additional chili paste or my homemade sourdough croutons.
ROASTED CARROT SOUP ALTERNATIVES
Coconut cream or coconut milk can be replaced with a dairy option like heavy cream or half and half. Whole milk or other milk will result in a thinner soup that doesn’t have the same richness.
Ham can easily be replaced with crispy prosciutto, bacon or even spicy sausage.
FREEZING ROASTED CARROT SOUP
This is a great soup to freeze. Place the roasted carrot soup in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Unthaw and reheat. If soup seems thicker than preferred, you can thin out with water or chicken broth.
