Whenever I first made a variation of this soup a few years ago, I knew it would be a hit. The combination of carrot and ginger is classic, but vegetable dishes are normally condemned to the status of “side dish.” Being the veggie-loving girl that I am, I knew those flavors would really pop if I made them the star of the show. And that is exactly what I did in my Roasted Carrot-Potato Ginger Soup.
You might be thinking, “Vegetables can’t really be that special can they?”
Why, yes they can!
Believe it or not, soups are amazing vehicles for flavor. Adding a bay leaf, salt and spices can give a soup character and body. One way that most people don’t think of, however, is roasting the vegetables before they are blended into a soup.
The soup without sweet potato…
Roasted veggies are seriously the best. The baking process can turn an underwhelming, boring vegetable into a sweet, caramelized and tender side dish or main course. You can eat them as is, pile them onto rice, add them to a burrito or even whiz them through a blender and create a silky, creamy soup like I did for today’s recipe!
The method. Rather than boiling the vegetables, I chop them up, season them and roast at 400 F for about an hour, stirring them every 20 to 30 minutes. You want to see slightly browned edges with the color of the vegetable showing through. I describe my technique on roasting vegetables more this post and this post.
This recipe is super easy, and not to mention full of nutrients! This soup is a powerhouse of vitamin A and fiber from the carrots and sweet potatoes as well as anti-inflammatory effects from the garlic and ginger.
Humble beginnings…
One thing that I do that helps develop the flavor profile more is taste testing as I add more spices, salt or vegetables. You can also roast any of your favorite vegetables and make an amazing soup out of it! I love making soups with baked sweet potato (as seen in this recipe), turnips, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, and more!
Flavor aside, one of the best things you can do to make a creamy, lump-free soup is to blend it with a Vitamix! These machines are absolutely amazing. You might have sticker shock when you first see the price, but they have cheaper, refurbished varieties. You won’t believe the difference it makes in creating that silky, smooth finish!
Roasted Carrot-Potato Ginger Soup
5-7 medium carrots, chopped
1 medium sweet potato (you could omit this if desired)
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp smoked paprika
1 clove garlic
2-4 tsp fresh ginger, grated
¼ tsp orange peel, grated
¼ tsp pepper
salt to taste
optional: a few dashes of cayenne powder
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 F
- Chop your carrots and trim the edges of your sweet potato. Be sure to make a few extra holes in the sweet potato for ventilation while it bakes. Place the carrots in a pan, add salt and pepper to taste along with the olive oil. No need to season the sweet potato.
- Roast the carrots and sweet potato for 40 minutes to one hour. Stir the carrots every 30 minutes and flip the sweet potato halfway through the baking process. You will know the carrots are done when you see caramelized edges. The sweet potato is done when you see syrup down the sides and can easily slide a fork into it.
- Allow the vegetables to cool for about 10 minutes and then add the water/veggie broth, spices and veggies to a high speed blender. If you have a lower quality blender, peel the skin off of the sweet potato. Blend on high until silky smooth. Add more spices if necessary.
- Serve warm! I also love this soup with some beans added on top or with toast on the side. You could even drizzle this soup over potatoes, salads, and more!
Soup with chickpeas…
You could even serve it with toast “croutons”…
All photos by Grace Vance
Have you ever tried the carrot ginger flavor combination? Leave a comment below!
