Curried Carrot Soup

sweet and spicy - warm up with this fresh carrot soup

Yesterday was one of those chilly, rainy spring days in Cincinnati that required a warm up. I've also not been feeling well due to allergies and the crazy weather we've been having...65 one day and 40 the next! So, nothing sounded better than soup.

My Curried Carrot Soup combines garlic, ginger, onion, carrots, and curry powder into a wonderfully sweet and spicy soup. It's sure to stifle the sniffles and warm you up from the inside out.

Recipe - Serves 4
1T Olive Oil
1/2 Large Yellow Onion (approx. 1C), chopped
2 in. Fresh Ginger, minced/grated
4 Cloves Garlic, minced/pressed
2 lbs. Carrots, peeled & chopped
1T Curry Powder
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
1 Box Veggie Stock (can use Chicken), approx. 4C
Toppings: Sour Cream/Greek Yogurt, Cilantro, & Nuts/Seeds

Directions
Prepare all of the ingredients by peeling, chopping, washing, etc. Once you start building the soup, everything comes together quickly. Chop the carrots into equally sized pieces, approx. half an inch, to ensure even cooking.

Begin by heating a soup pot over med-high heat, add the olive oil and onions. Allow the onions to cook 2-3 minutes or until soft, but not browned. Add in the garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add in the chopped carrots, curry powder, and salt. Stir until coated with the aromatics and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes.

Next add the veggie stock to the pot and turn the heat up to high. Bring the pot to a gentle boil. Boil for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are tender.

Prepare the toppings as you wait for the carrots to cook. Roughly chop the cilantro, toast any seeds or nuts, etc. I used pistachios and they were delicious!

After the carrots have softened, puree the soup with either a blender or an immersion blender. If using a standard blender, work in batches and be careful that the blender doesn't get too hot - vent the top often to allow steam to escape. After the soup is pureed add some water, approx. 1/4-1/2C, to thin out to desired consistency. Return to the heat for 1-2 more minutes to ensure the soup is heated through. If needed, add salt to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls and add any desired toppings. I served this with crusty bread for dipping. Get well, warm up, whatever you need to do to get through these last few cold and rainy days.