There’s no way to go wrong with carrot ginger soup, whether you serve it hot during the winter or cold during the summer. It can be readily adapted to a vegan diet and is gluten-free and paleo-friendly to boot.
Ina Garten’s recipe for carrot ginger soup can be prepared in two different ways. In the first approach, the carrots are roasted in the oven, while in the second approach, each of the vegetables is cooked separately on the stovetop. This recipe for carrot and ginger soup is not only simple to prepare but also contains a variety of ingredients that are beneficial to one’s health. In addition to that, it has a luscious texture and is good for you.
Is Carrot Ginger Soup healthy?
Carrot-Ginger Soup is healthy, you bet! This recipe for carrot soup is not only delicious, but it’s also full of healthy nutrients like antioxidants and anti-inflammatory herbs. Vitamins (like A and K) and minerals (like calcium and potassium) are plentiful in carrots (like calcium and iron). Ginger, on the other hand, has many uses and benefits, including as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant thanks to gingerol. It can also help you lose weight and control your blood sugar.
Why Should You Make This Recipe?
- This easy carrot soup is full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, and it only requires a few basic ingredients like carrots, onions, ginger, and fresh garlic.
- I’ll show you how to make it both ways: by roasting carrots in the oven and by cooking them on the stove. It’s ideal for meal prepping because it can be prepared in advance and the leftovers can be frozen for later use.
- This is a versatile soup that can be served hot or cold; I typically prepare it during the chillier months of fall and winter.
What Goes Well With Carrot Ginger Soup?
- Pumpkin Bread
- Focaccia Bread
- Ciabatta Bread
Recipe Variations
The original version of this carrot ginger soup is delicious, but if you want to spice things up, you could try this:
- Cold or Chilled Carrot Ginger Soup: This dish can also be served cold during the summer months. If you are serving it cold, I highly recommend using a high-speed blender to make it extra creamy.
- Carrot Apple Ginger Soup: Add an apple to the soup to make it sweeter. I normally use Granny Smith apples, but you can use whatever you have on hand. Simply cut it into cubes and place it at the same time when you add the carrots into the pot.
Ina Garten Carrot Ginger Soup Ingredients
For The Carrots:
- 1 ½ lbs carrots peeled or scrubbed and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil Only to be used for the roasted version of this soup
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt Only to be used for the roasted version of this soup
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper Only to be used for the roasted version of this soup
For The Soup:
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic grated
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated
- 2 cups of vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 2 cups of water
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
As Garnish:
- Chives
- Dollop of creme fraiche
How To Make Ina Garten Carrot Ginger Soup?
For The Oven:
- Start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees F, meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- In the meantime, place carrots on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/2 a teaspoon of black pepper. Toss to coat. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes.
- Next, you want to add one tablespoon of oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute for about 5 minutes or until translucent. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook for another minute or two.
- Now, Place 2 cups of vegetable broth, 2 cups of water, a teaspoon of kosher salt, and a half-teaspoon of black pepper into a pot. Put the lid on and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes or so.
- After the carrots have fully roasted (and are safe to handle) add them to the pot, stir, and let them simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Puree the vegetables in an immersion blender after taking them off the heat until they’re smooth. Put them back on the stove, add in the apple cider vinegar, and bring it to a boil one last time.
- Serve and Enjoy!
For The StoveTop:
- Place a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and carrots and saute for about 5-6 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook for about 1 minute.
- Next, pour in 2 cups of vegetable broth, 2 cups of water, a teaspoon of kosher salt, and half a teaspoon of ground black pepper. Give it a good stir then place the lid on, allow it to cook while keeping an eye for about 30 minutes or until a knife inserted into one of the carrots comes in and out easily.
- Puree the ingredients using an immersion blender. Give it a taste and add more seasoning if necessary. Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to brighten up the flavors.
- When it is time to serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top it with creme fraiche and chives.
How To Make Carrot Ginger Soup In an Instant Pot?
- Saute vegetables: In your Instant Pot, select the “saute” function. Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add in onion, carrots, fresh ginger, and garlic, and saute for one minute, stirring frequently.
- Add in the liquid & seasoning: Stir in the vegetable stock and water. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pressure cook: Set the lid on and make sure that the pressure release valve is in the “Sealing” position. Press “Manual” and set it to cook at high pressure for 8 minutes. It will take about 10-12 minutes to come to full pressure. Let it naturally release for 10 minutes. Rotate the pressure valve to “Venting” and let the remaining pressure go.
- Puree: Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth and creamy. Add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (or a squeeze of lemon juice) for extra brightness.
- Serve: Put a dollop of creme fraiche on top and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Seasoning for Carrot Ginger Soup: You can see I used only salt and pepper in the recipe below, but if you are a fan, you can add spices such as cumin, turmeric, or coriander.
- Garnishing: When I serve this Ina Garten Carrot Ginger Soup during the cooler months, I usually garnish it with pumpkin seeds. If I serve it during the summer months, I usually garnish it with fresh herbs like cilantro, chives, parsley, or thyme sprigs.
- Don’t own a dutch oven?: Use a medium saucepan with a lid.
- What if I don’t have an immersion blender? If you don’t have an immersion blender (aka hand blender), you can use a high-powered upright blender (like a Vitamix) or a regular blender, or a food processor to puree your carrot ginger soup. When pureeing the soup, work in small batches and transfer it from and to the soup pot carefully as it can be very hot.
- Want it to be ultra-creamy? To make a smooth and creamy Carrot Ginger Soup, use a high-powered blender and bring it to a boil before serving.
FAQ Section
According to Healthline, carrots (and recipes using fresh carrots like carrot ginger soup) can be part of the keto diet, but because they contain moderate amounts of carbs, portion sizes should be restricted.
Yes, You can make this carrot ginger soup a day (or two) in advance, bring it to room temperature, and store it in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve.
When you cook carrots on the stovetop, it takes about 20-25 minutes for them to soften. When you roast carrots in the oven (to use them in a soup later), it takes about 30-35 minutes for them to roast.
Properly stored, your Carrot Ginger Soup can last for up to 4 days in the fridge. Make sure to store your Carrot Ginger Soup in an airtight container.
Yes! The Carrot Ginger Soup can be frozen for up to six months if stored in freezer-safe ziptop bags.
Just replace the heavy cream with canned coconut milk. Personally, I prefer the coconut milk version. You can use either full-fat or lite coconut milk.
Ina Garten Carrot Ginger Soup
Ingredients
For The Carrots:
- 1 ½ pounds carrots peeled or scrubbed and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil only to be used for the roasted version of this soup
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt only to be used for the roasted version of this soup
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper only to be used for the roasted version of this soup
For The Soup:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic grated
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated
- 2 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
As Garnish:
- Chives
- Dollop of creme fraiche
Instructions
For The Oven Version:
- Start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees F, meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- In the meantime, place carrots on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/2 a teaspoon of black pepper. Toss to coat. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes.
- Next, you want to add one tablespoon of oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute for about 5 minutes or until translucent. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook for another minute or two.
- Now, Place 2 cups of vegetable broth, 2 cups of water, a teaspoon of kosher salt, and a half-teaspoon of black pepper into a pot. Put the lid on and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes or so.
- After the carrots have fully roasted (and are safe to handle) add them to the pot, stir, and let them simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Puree the vegetables in an immersion blender after taking them off the heat until they’re smooth. Put them back on the stove, add in the apple cider vinegar, and bring it to a boil one last time.
- Serve and Enjoy!
For The StoveTop Version:
- Place a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and carrots and saute for about 5-6 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook for about 1 minute.
- Next, pour in 2 cups of vegetable broth, 2 cups of water, a teaspoon of kosher salt, and half a teaspoon of ground black pepper. Give it a good stir then place the lid on, allow it to cook while keeping an eye for about 30 minutes or until a knife inserted into one of the carrots comes in and out easily.
- Puree the ingredients using an immersion blender. Give it a taste and add more seasoning if necessary. Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to brighten up the flavors.
- When it is time to serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top it with creme fraiche and chives.