- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 800 g
- 30 g
- 2 cloves
- 2 tbsp
- 1 l
- 200 ml
- 1 tsp
- ½ tsp
- 1 tbsp
Process
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Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally.
Add the sliced fresh ginger and smashed garlic cloves. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly so the garlic does not burn.
Add the carrot chunks, 1 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper. Stir to coat and cook for 2 minutes.
Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until the carrots are completely tender and easily pierced with a knife.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the coconut milk. Let the soup cool for 5 minutes.
Blend the soup until completely smooth using an immersion blender, or transfer in batches to a countertop blender and blend carefully.
Return the blended soup to the pot and warm gently over low heat. Stir in the lemon juice if using, then taste and adjust salt and black pepper. Serve hot.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is undercooking the carrots. They must be fully tender before blending, or the soup will turn out grainy and fibrous. A knife should slide through a carrot chunk with no resistance.
- Do not skip the 5-minute cooling step before blending. Hot liquid in a blender can build pressure and erupt; if using a countertop blender, fill it no more than halfway and vent the lid.
- Fresh ginger is not interchangeable with dried ground ginger here. Use 30 g of fresh root for a clean, bright heat; ground ginger tastes dusty and will make the soup muddy.
- If the finished soup is thicker than you like, thin it with a splash of vegetable broth or water rather than more coconut milk, which can mute the ginger.
- For a deeper roasted flavor, toss the carrots with 1 tbsp olive oil and roast at 200°C for 25 minutes before adding to the pot, then reduce the simmer time to 10 minutes.
Substitutions
- vegetable broth→chicken broth (if not vegetarian) or water plus 1 extra tsp salt
- coconut milk→heavy cream or oat cream for a dairy-free option, or 100 ml whole milk plus 1 tbsp butter
- olive oil→unsalted butter or coconut oil
- lemon juice→1 tsp apple cider vinegar or lime juice
Storage & reheating
Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze, portion into freezer-safe containers, leaving 2 cm headspace, and freeze for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often, or in the microwave in 1-minute bursts until steaming. If the soup separates after thawing, whisk in 1 to 2 tbsp coconut milk or broth to bring it back together.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why is my carrot ginger soup grainy?
Graininess almost always means the carrots were not cooked long enough before blending. Simmer until a knife slides through a carrot chunk with zero resistance, usually 20 minutes. If the soup is already blended and still grainy, return it to the pot, simmer for 10 more minutes, then blend again.
Can I use baby carrots instead of whole carrots?
Yes, baby carrots work fine, but they are often cut from larger carrots and can be less sweet. Use the same 800 g weight, cut any thick ones in half, and taste for salt at the end since baby carrots are sometimes pre-washed but not pre-salted.
How do I make this soup without coconut milk?
Replace the coconut milk with 150 ml heavy cream for a richer version, or 100 ml whole milk plus 1 tbsp butter. For a dairy-free option, use oat cream or simply leave it out and add an extra 100 ml vegetable broth; the soup will be lighter but still good.
Can I make carrot ginger soup ahead of time?
Yes. Make the full recipe, cool it quickly, and refrigerate for up to 4 days. The flavor actually improves overnight as the ginger mellows. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of broth if it has thickened too much.
Why did my soup turn out bitter?
Bitterness usually comes from burnt garlic or ginger. Both burn in seconds over medium heat, so add them after the onions are soft and stir constantly for just 1 minute. If the soup already tastes bitter, stir in 1 tsp honey or a pinch of sugar and a squeeze of lemon to balance it.
Can I freeze carrot ginger soup?
Yes, it freezes well for up to 3 months. Cool completely, portion into containers with 2 cm headspace, and freeze. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on low, whisking in 1 to 2 tbsp coconut milk if it looks separated after thawing.
How do I know when the carrots are done?
Pierce a thick carrot chunk with a paring knife; it should slide in with no resistance and the carrot should mash easily against the side of the pot. If there is any firmness in the center, simmer 5 more minutes. Undercooked carrots are the number one cause of gritty soup.
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