Flavorful and filling roasted carrot soup is perfect for a cold day! This hearty soup is cozy and delicious.
Soup and sandwiches are perfect for chilly days, well really all the days. What better combination than a grilled cheese and this earthy Carrot Soup!
Smooth & Delicious!
I love the smooth creamy texture of this delicious roasted carrot soup. I think it might be the perfect soup for fall time, especially because the flavor of this soup is also top notch (right there with our Tomato Basil Soup and Sweet Potato Soup). You’re going to love the taste of the chopped basil and the creaminess from the half n half.
This soup has all the best ingredients – veggies, herbs, and cream! Because the carrots are roasted, it gives it that sweet caramelized flavor that adds a ton of richness to the soup.
This soup makes a lot so it’s perfect for lunch and dinner leftovers all week. But you might not have many leftovers because this soup is just too delicious. It’s guaranteed to get 5-star reviews from everyone who tries it.
How to Roast Carrots
Have you ever roasted carrots? It’s my favorite way to eat them. Roasted carrots go amazingly on the side of so many dinners we enjoy, but they are even better in the soup.
PREP Start by chopping up your carrots into small pieces.
SEASON. Spread them out evenly onto a sheet pan in one layer along with some garlic. Grab your olive oil and drizzle it over all the carrots. Then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Toss them around to coat evenly.
BAKE. Put the sheet pan into the oven and roast the carrots for 45 minutes on 375 degrees. The carrots should be tender and golden brown. Don’t over cook them because then they’ll be too mushy – we want tender carrots. Now they are perfect for making this roasted carrot soup!
Making Carrot SouP
PREP. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
ROAST. Place chopped carrots on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast for 45 minutes, or until tender and golden.
BROTH. Simmer 4 cups of chicken broth in a saucepan.
COMBINE + HEAT. Pop garlic out of the skins and add to the sauce pan, along with the cooked carrots. Simmer for 15 minutes. Then add basil.
BLEND + SERVE. Puree in batches until smooth, adding half n half a little at a time. Serve warm.
Tips, variations + SToring Info
Sometimes soup can turn out a little too chunky, or too mushy, or not pureed enough. I’ve got a few tips that will help you to make this soup perfectly pureed.
Making it creamy: If you’re aiming for a creamy smooth soup, an immersion blender is your best bet. Don’t transfer the soup and get another bowl messy. Just put it into the soup and blend! You can still use a blender or a food processor too.
How to thicken: Simmer the soup longer to help more liquid evaporate. You can also add a cornstarch slurry to thicken it.
- In a separate bowl mix together 1 tbsp cold water and 1 tbsp cornstarch. Mix this into the soup, repeat if necessary.
Veggies: Another tip is to make sure all of your veggies are cooked through. Don’t rush this step or your soup will taste a little gritty. Make sure they are soft but not too soft to be mushy. After the soup has been made, put it through a strainer. This will help catch all of those big chunks and you can re-blend them if you want.
Variations:
- Carrot ginger soup: add freshly grated ginger
- Curried carrot soup: add a couple of tablespoons of Indian curry powder to kick up the spice
- Thai curried carrot soup: add a spoonful of red curry paste and lightened it up with some lime juice
- Carrot cauliflower soup: do ½ carrots and ½ cauliflower
- Add in some lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to lighten it up and add some tanginess
- Add in some maple syrup for sweetness
- Top with bacon bits
Serve this hot or cold: Technically this soup can be served hot or cold, whichever you prefer.
Crockpot: Place all ingredients, except the cream into the crockpot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. This method doesn’t include the amazing roasted carrot flavor unfortunately. But after the time is up use your immersion blender and add in your crema.
Instant pot: place everything in an instant pot on high pressure for 15 minutes. Gradually release the pressure and use an immersion blender to make it nice and smooth. You can add the cream in at this point
Baby carrots: You can use baby carrots as long as you chop them to all be the same size. Typically the full size carrots are cheaper, which is why we use those more often.
Whether you have made this ahead do time or want to STORE leftovers, keep this in the fridge for 3-5 days in an airtight container. Reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave. You may need to add more liquid if it thickens up too much
To FREEZE: Let it cool completely before placing it in a freezer safe container or bag. It will stay good in the freezer for 4-6 months. When you’re ready you can thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat it on the stove.
Tips for Best Grilled Cheese
Ready to take this soup to the next level? Serve it with a GRILLED CHEESE. Grilled cheese and soup are a match made in heaven. Grilled cheese makes my heart so happy. And there are a few things you need to know in order to cook the best grilled cheese out there.
- You have to start with good bread. Make sure it’s not too thick and doesn’t have many holes.
- Don’t skip the butter!! The more butter the better.
- Use the right cheese. One that melts really well. Some options are cheddars, fontina, Gruyere, jack cheeses.
- Cook it on low heat and don’t rush it!
- Press down on the sandwich when it’s cooking so it get’s that perfectly toasted crust.
You really can’t beat grilled cheese with a warm bowl of soup!!
For even more delicious veggie soups, be sure to check out:
- Tomato Basil Soup
- Sweet Potato Soup
- Crock Pot Taco Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Crock Pot Green Chile Enchilada Soup
Carrot Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs carrots washed and chunked
- 4 tsp minced garlic
- 2 TB olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3/4-1 cup Half and Half
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- sour cream, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place chopped carrots on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast for 45 minutes, or until tender and golden.
- Simmer 4 cups of chicken broth in a saucepan.
- Pop garlic out of the skins and add to the sauce pan, along with the cooked carrots. Simmer for 15 minutes. Then add basil.
- Puree in batches until smooth, adding half n half a little at a time. Serve warm.
Perfect with a grilled cheese sandwich on a Cold, wintry day!
Totally!! Great idea! Thank you 🙂
ok….one of my new favorites!!
This looks delicious and healthy too!
Thank you! It was super tasty!!