This carrot and coriander soup, elevates a simple vegetable and transforms it into a velvety spiced bowl of warming goodness. Whether you have freshly dug carrots from the garden, or are looking to use up some slightly unloved ones in the bottom of the fridge, in just over 30 mins, with the addition of the citrusy notes of ground coriander and a final swirl of creaminess, you’ll put a healthy lunch on the table and a smile on the face of all lucky enough to get a bowlful.
Carrots
Prized for their sweet flavour, especially when roasted, and versatility, it’s no surprise that carrots are a constant in most peoples shopping basket. Carrots can be used in a multitude of ways, raw as a crudité, in an Asian stir fry, or even used in sweet dishes such as the famous carrot cake.
And not only is the humble carrot a loved ingredient in kitchens across the world, but they are packed with beta-carotene, converting to vitamin A, they are also excellent for eye health and immunity. So there may be some truth that they help you see in the dark…
Other carrot recipes
With countless flavour options, the carrot lends itself to being a brilliant partner in the kitchen to so many ingredients. Whether the humble carrot is the star, or simply the support act, here are some ideas of how else to use this well loved root vegetable:
Growing carrots
Soil is everything! Carrots need loose, well-draining soil which is free of stones. Be sure to work compost into the ground at the start of the season. Carrots work particularly well in raised beds or containers. Carrots hate being transplanted, so they are best sown when they’ll grow at around 1cm deep. Seeds should germinate in about 2-3 weeks. When seedlings are around 4-5cm in height, you need to be ruthless and thin them out. If you don’t like throwing them away, simply add into salads. Be sure to water your carrots regularly and you should be rewarded in a month or so.
Best varieties include: Nantes varieties such as ‘Early Nantes’, ‘Autumn King’, and then there are some wonderful heritage ones that come in all colours which are fun to grow.
The method of making this soup totally works replacing carrots with parsnip and the ground coriander with a mild curry powder – for a curried parsnip soup.
Carrot and Coriander Soup
Equipment
- 1 large pan with a lid
Ingredients
- 400 g carrot
- 1 large onion
- 1 stick celery
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 litre hot vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 tbsp crème fraiche
- fresh coriander leaves to serve optional
- 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds optional
Instructions
- Finely dice the carrots, onion and celery, add the oil to a deep sided pan, along with ½ tsp sea salt, and gently fry the vegetables until the onion is softened and turning slightly brown, stirring occasionally. Add in the garlic and ground coriander and continue to cook for a couple of minutes.
- Pour in your hot stock to cover the vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and put the lid on the dish and continue to simmer for 25 minutes.
- Either place the soup carefully into a blender and process until smooth and return to the pan for a couple of minutes to warm back through. Or take a stick blender and use in the pan to blend the soup.
- When the soup is ready, spoon into bowls and swirl in a tablespoon of crème fraiche into each bowl along with a sprinkling of fresh coriander and pumpkin seeds (if using). Serve immediately with some fresh crusty sourdough bread.
Notes
- Another variation of this soup would be to substitute the carrot for parsnip and the ground coriander for medium curry powder.
- I like to add a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds to the top of the soup
Delicious soup that’s simple to make and budget-friendly. I didn’t have crème fraîche at home, so threw in some cannellini beans instead. Will definitely make again!