There’s no denying the power of a good carrot and ginger soup. It tastes just as warm, sunny and bright as it looks. The soft sweetness of pureed carrots reminds me of something from childhood that I can’t quite put my finger on (…. cough…baby food?), but it fills me with immense comfort. And you know how I feel about ginger. LOVE it!
Don’t get me wrong, this is NOT baby food-esque. It is 100% sophisticated and complex…just like me. But, I wanted to drive home the comforting point cause we could all use a little more comfort in our lives, no?
Carrots are a staple in most kitchens most days, so this creamy carrot ginger soup can be easily whipped up any night of the week without fussing over too many ingredients. Or, make this easy recipe ahead on your batch cooking day and freeze it for easily reheated leftovers whenever you want.
I added my own signature twist to the classic recipe by adding hemp seeds to make it extra creamy and also give it a great protein boost. Hemp seeds are also full of heart-healthy Omega 3 fatty acids and fibre! I always have a stash of these tiny and mighty seeds on hand in my freezer ready to go into my favourite plant-based recipes.
Nutritionally, this soup is a fantastic immune boosting elixir. Carrots are high in beta-carotene for respiratory health and, yes, they’re good for your eyes too (that’s not just a food fable). Ginger is a great antibacterial, antiviral root and since I love using lots of onions and garlic in my recipes – we’re going antimicrobial gangbusters here! And, while we’re at it, why not throw in a dash of turmeric? May as well go big or go home. I like adding this super spice to meals when I can for its potent anti-inflammatory properties. Trust me, it goes great in this soup!
Go ahead and top this golden concoction with a squeeze of fresh lime, and a dollop of cashew cream or yogurt. I like to add nuts and seeds on top too for extra crunch + protein and healthy fats. Pumpkin seeds will give you a nice hit of zinc too, which is also great for boosting immunity. See? I’ve got ALL the bases covered here.
Scott usually turns his nose up at pureed soups (especially carrot ginger) because he doesn’t find them “filling enough” for dinner. But, not so with this hearty, superfood soup. He went right ahead and helped himself to seconds even though he was totally satisfied because his “mouth was still hungry”.
- - 1 tbsp coconut oil.
- - ½ large red onion (approx. 1 cup) diced.
- - 4 cloves garlic, rough chop.
- - 2 tbsp fresh ginger root, diced.
- - 5-6 carrots, sliced.
- - 1 tsp turmeric powder.
- - 4 c filtered water
- - ½ c hemp seeds.
- - ½ tsp each: sea salt + pepper
- In large soup pot, heat coconut oil on med heat.
- Add onions and cook down for 3 minutes (until starting to soften).
- Add ginger + garlic + turmeric, stir and cook another 2 minutes (if sticking to bottom, just add a splash of water).
- Add carrots + water and bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer for 15 minutes until carrots are fork tender.
- Remove from heat, add hemp seeds + salt + pepper and puree with immersion blender until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately.
Garnish with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime + fresh herbs like cilantro. I’ve topped mine with sheep yogurt, but cashew cream or coconut milk would also be an equally amazing. Or, if you want to keep it simple, just a drizzle of olive oil would work wonders!
Adding hemp at the end ensures that their delicate oils don’t get super-heated during the cooking process. On the other hand, turmeric is actually more absorbable once heated and especially when in the presence of pepper. So, there IS a method to my madness. Just thought you would want to know.
KD
