Curried Carrot Soup Recipe

Prep vegetables

Peel and chop carrots into roughly 1–2 cm pieces so they cook evenly. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and grate the ginger. Measure out spices and other ingredients so they are ready.

Sauté aromatics

In a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and butter. When the butter melts and the fat is shimmering, add the diced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.

Bloom spices

Add the curry powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, and smoked paprika to the pot. Stir constantly for 30–45 seconds to toast the spices and bring out their aroma, taking care not to let them burn.

Add carrots and liquids

Add the chopped carrots and stir to coat them in the spiced oil/onion mixture. Pour in the vegetable stock and the water. Scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Increase heat to bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the carrots are very tender when pierced with a fork, about 20–25 minutes.

Season and purée

Once the carrots are tender, remove the pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup directly in the pot until very smooth. Alternatively, work in batches in a blender—fill the blender no more than half full, vent the lid, and purée until smooth, then return to the pot.

Adjust texture and flavor

Stir in the coconut milk and honey or maple syrup (if using). Warm gently over low heat—do not boil—to combine. Taste and add salt and black pepper as needed. Stir in the lime juice to brighten the flavors. If the soup is too thick, thin with up to 100–250 ml of additional water or stock until desired consistency is reached.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Swirl a spoonful of plain yogurt or sour cream into each bowl if using. Drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil on top, scatter chopped cilantro and toasted pumpkin seeds, and finish with a crack of black pepper. Serve hot with crusty bread or naan.