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Creamy Carrot Ginger Soup

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This creamy carrot ginger soup makes for an easy, healthy and heartwarming winter dish or Thanksgiving appetizer – it's creamy with a subtle spicy kick of ginger, gluten free, dairy free, sugar free and perfect for those on a paleo diet. Includes directions for making in an Instant Pot as well as on your stove top. Even better, it will be ready in 30 minutes! Add it to your list of favorite soups.

A bright orange bowl of carrot ginger soup with a plate of crusty bread in the background

Robin said: “FIVE STARS! Everyone loved this soup! Next time I’ll have to make a double batch! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you're here because it's the new year and you're seeking out healthier recipes to detox a bit from the holidays… is anything different now that we're in the future? Does ice cream magically no longer have calories?

Did anyone wake up to a pile of unexpected puppies or a government that's suddenly decided that we can all get along? DID RYAN REYNOLDS FINALLY REALIZE I'M HIS ONE TRUE LOVE?

Pretty sure none of that happened, but let me know if I'm wrong. Especially on that last one. 

Like most people, I like to think of January 1st of each year as a fresh start. You hang a new calendar, you have a new date to write on checks (wait… does anyone actually do that anymore?), and it symbolizes this rejuvenated sense of self.

Maybe you're starting a new diet, or you're going to a new gym, or if you're me you're using a new budgeting and financial planning app that you're pretty jazzed about. 

… I'm really boring. 

I decided I should probably put down the donuts and try eating some veggies. Thankfully, the fridge and pantry were stocked up with them in anticipation of my usual holiday detox, so I put them to work.

I present to you Stress Baking's very first soup recipe: Carrot Ginger Soup. It's creamy, cozy, and has the most calming aroma. There's something about the scent of a carrot and ginger soup that makes me feel like I'm being wrapped with an invisible fuzzy blanket.

Ingredients for carrot ginger soup in different containers atop a cutting board

Ingredients for carrot ginger soup

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
  • 1 red or yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons ginger, chopped (about 1″ knob)
  • 2 teaspoons garlic, minced (about 2 cloves)
  • 5 cups carrots, peeled & chopped (about 7-9 carrots, depending on size)
  • 16 ounces vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground white pepper, optional
  • 1 can coconut milk, 13.6 ounces

7 tips for making carrot ginger soup

  • It's made in the Instant Pot, but can easily be made on the stove top as well. Since all you need is 30 minutes, this is an awesome candidate for an appetizer at Thanksgiving dinner!
  • A big perk to making this in an Instant Pot is that you can utilize the “Keep Warm” setting until people are ready for seconds. And trust me… they'll want seconds.
  • The nice thing about soup, and this one in particular, is that they're so easy to customize. If you want more of a spicy kick, you could add some cayenne pepper, cumin or red pepper flake. If you want a stronger ginger flavor… add more ginger! This is a carrot and ginger soup, and you get to determine how ginger-y it is.
  • If you don't have vegetable broth, you can substitute chicken broth and it won't drastically change the overall flavor.
  • As for garnish, I like to add a small swirl of coconut milk just before serving, and top it with scallion greens and parsley. And make sure your coconut milk is room temperature – if it's chilled, it will be solid and be more difficult to combine.
  • Another winning garnish combo is chopped dill and croutons. Or if you're in New England and want to get crazy, throw in some oyster crackers. Since you're not serving them with chowder, you'd be a total rebel.
  • I'm also a big fan of serving this soup with a side of freshly baked, crusty bread – something that's sturdy enough to hold up to a thicker soup like this one. If you don't have a go-to bread recipe, Lauren's roasted garlic crusty soup bread is a guaranteed hit.

There's got to be someone out there that can relate to this: every single time I serve (or am served) a bowl of soup, I immediately say, “SOUP! SOUP!” under my breath and it's all the Guardians of the Galaxy's fault

Two bowls of carrot ginger soup topped with swirls of coconut milk and freshly chopped parsley

Can you freeze carrot ginger soup?

Sure can! Just make sure you let the soup cool completely, then transfer to a freezer bag(s). Lay the bag flat in your freezer to store. When you're ready to reheat it just let it thaw until liquid again, and then reheat in a saucepan on your stovetop over low heat until warmed through.

Don't have an immersion blender?

We have this immersion blender from Breville and I love it. It has a comfortable grip, and comes with some pretty handy accessories. It does feel a little heavy if you have to use it for a long time, so if you're on the short side and find your arm getting tired when you stir or cook on a countertop, you may want to keep that in mind.

When I'm not using it for soups, it's great for making pureed parsnips, pesto and salad dressings! It's one of my favorite kitchen tools, especially during the winter.

Overhead shot of two bowls of carrot ginger soup topped with swirls of coconut milk, scallions and freshly chopped parsley next to slices of crusty bread

Leaving a comment and star rating is a great (and free) way to support Stress Baking! ❤️ After you've made this recipe, please consider clicking on the stars below and leaving a comment to share your experience!

Carrot Ginger Soup (Instant Pot or Stove Top)

4.84 from 43 votes
This carrot ginger soup makes for an easy, healthy and heartwarming winter dish! It's creamy with a subtle spicy kick of ginger, gluten free, dairy free, sugar free and perfect for those on a paleo diet. Even better, it will be ready in 30 minutes!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
 

Instructions

Instant Pot instructions:

  • Turn on your Instant Pot and press the “Sauté” button. Add oil and let it heat up for a minute.
    1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
  • Add onion and stir frequently for 5-6 minutes, or until onions have softened.
    1 red or yellow onion
  • Add ginger and garlic, and stir frequently for another 2 minutes. Turn off the sauté function.
    2 tablespoons ginger
    2 teaspoons garlic
  • Add carrots, broth, turmeric, salt, pepper, and white pepper and give it a quick stir.
    5 cups (640 g) carrot
    16 ounces (453 ⅗ g) vegetable broth
    1 teaspoon ground turmeric
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon (½ teaspoon) ground black pepper
    1/2 teaspoon (½ teaspoon) ground white pepper
  • Put the lid on the pot, make sure the vent is on “Sealed” and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
  • Using an oven mitt or towel, carefully move the valve to the “Vent” setting and let it release all the pressure that's built up. It will be a loud whistling sound, and may take a few minutes before it stops.
  • Remove the lid and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth – it may still look a little bumpy and that's okay, just make sure you've removed all the big lumps.
  • Stir in coconut milk, serve and enjoy!
    Optional: Garnish each bowl with a small swirl of coconut milk, scallion greens and parsley. You could also instead top it with some chopped dill, or croutons.
    1 can coconut milk

Stove Top instructions:

  • In a large high-sided sauté pan over medium heat, heat up oil.
    1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
  • Add onion and stir frequently for 5-6 minutes, or until onions have softened.
    1 red or yellow onion
  • Add ginger and garlic, and stir frequently for another 2 minutes.
    2 tablespoons ginger
    2 teaspoons garlic
  • Add carrots, broth, turmeric, salt, pepper, and white pepper and give it a quick stir.
    5 cups (640 g) carrot
    16 ounces (453 ⅗ g) vegetable broth
    1 teaspoon ground turmeric
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon (½ teaspoon) ground black pepper
    1/2 teaspoon (½ teaspoon) ground white pepper
  • Lower heat, cover, and let simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. It will be ready once the carrots and soft.
  • Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth – it may still look a little bumpy and that's okay, just make sure you've removed all the big lumps.
  • Stir in coconut milk, serve and enjoy!
    1 can coconut milk
  • Optional: Garnish each bowl with a small swirl of coconut milk, scallion greens and parsley. You could also instead top it with some chopped dill, or croutons.

Video

Notes

  • An immersion blender is a must for this recipe.
  • This is easy to tweak to your personal tastes. If you want more of a spicy kick, you could add some cayenne pepper, cumin or red pepper flake. If you want a stronger ginger flavor, add more ginger!
  • For garnish, I like to add a small swirl of coconut milk just before serving, and topping it with scallion greens and parsley. You could also try dill and croutons, or oyster crackers.
  • To freeze leftovers, make sure you let the soup cool completely, then transfer to a freezer bag(s). Lay the bag flat in your freezer to store. When you're ready to reheat it just let it thaw until liquid again, and then reheat in a saucepan on your stovetop over low heat until warmed through.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1162mg | Potassium: 852mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 26973IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

The provided nutrition information is generated by an automatic API and does not take variations across specific brands into account. This information is provided as a general guideline and should not be treated as official calculations. Learn more here.

Recipe created by Leslie Kiszka

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Recipe Rating




60 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is now the 3rd time I’m making this delicious soup. Recipe is perfect as is but I tend to use reduced fat coconut milk which is still delicious. The perfect soup to make for those dealing with sicknesses that involve inflammation.

  2. amazing! exceeded expectations. overjoyed to know it freezes well. also took your advice to garnish with fresh dill and croutons…YUM. thank you!!

    1. 5 stars
      Omg this was soo good! I ended up doubling the broth (I used a 32oz box of chicken broth) and I added half the coconut milk. Best soup ever, buttery but without all of the calories. Hubby liked it too. :-)

  3. This turned out to be a wonderful recipe. I added a couple splashes of some curry sauce I am trying to use up. I didn’t have coconut milk so I substituted a can of evaporated milk and added some coconut oil.

  4. This was so tasty, and easy and fast to make! I added a bit of crumbled bacon on top for some added protein. The smoky flavour complimented the soup quite well!

  5. 5 stars
    Loved this recipe. Easy and delicious. The first time we made it we added in white pepper and the pepper took over the taste of the entire soup. The next time we made it we cut out the white pepper and cut the half a teaspoon of pepper to a quarter teaspoon of pepper and you could still taste the pepper. We added another half a cup of vegetable stock to make it a little thinner Topped with a homemade Gruyere crouton was delicious.

  6. 5 stars
    Amazing flavour, I used chicken broth and coconut milk, and added some grated apples! Wow!!

  7. 5 stars
    My partner and I prep meals for other family members, and after we made your soup and tried it, we could no longer give it all away!! Loved loved loved this recipe. Thanks so much for sharing, so I guess I will share it too….
    ;-D

    TG

  8. I did this recipe with 6 cups of carrots, 2 cups vegetable broth, leftover of chopped ginger and about a cup of chicken broth and added about 12 ounces of cream to taste instead of coconut milk. The rest of the recipe I did the same. I found it was a little bit too salty but with the cream it was so smooth and tasted just right. Thank you!

    1. That’s an incredibly surprising result as this is a long standing favorite of mine and readers, and I have no idea what would have caused such a flavor in your end product – sorry to hear that.

      1. 5 stars
        Loved this recipe! I made it over the stove and topped it with some lemon olive oil, hemp seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Absolutely delicious! Thanks so much for the recipe.

    2. @Barb, You sound like an idiot and also a real a-hole. Look at the ingredient list. These are all really common ingredients and none of them taste like soap, individually or combined. Maybe you spilled some Dawn in it while cooking. Not the writer’s problem.

    3. @Barb, did you use cilantro? Some people have a genetic predisposition that causes cilantro to taste like soap.

    4. @Tasha, it seems that @Barb was just sharing her honest (if blunt) review — no ad hominem attacks needed. As for “soap” taste, the soup does have a distinct coconut flavor, and many soaps and shampoos have a coconut fragrance. I loved the soup as is (I made it exactly as written) but for a different flavor profile, half and half or cream could be substituted, as another reviewer noted.

  9. 5 stars
    I tried this recipe because I just happened to have most of the ingredients after getting home from a trip. I realized about halfway through I didn’t have coconut milk but I used banana milk instead and it turned out fantastic! Garnished with green onions and rosemary crackers – lovely way to detox after not being home for the holidays!

  10. 5 stars
    I substituted curry powder for the tumeric. We used chopped roasted peanuts & lime juice for garnishes. Everyone liked, even my niece who is not a fan of ginger (yet)!

  11. Looks delicious and making for thanksgiving! Do you recommend full fat coconut milk? Thank you

  12. 5 stars
    I’m not a fan of coconut milk but I tried it anyway because my family likes it, and I actually really liked it. I didnt add the swirl of coconut at the end but I topped everyones bowl with parmesan croutons and it was great.

  13. So… I’m in the middle of making this soup, and there are no directions about when to add the coconut milk! Since it’s not a dairy product I’m thinking it could go in early in the game? Just checking. Since you probably won’t see this and be able to respond in the next 20 minutes when it’s time to finish up the soup, I’ll play it safe and add the milk at the end and warm through. Thanks!

  14. 5 stars
    I LOVE instant pot and it’s so convenient to cook in it. Soups are definitely warm and comforting, but this carrot – ginger soup has all the warm flavors to warm you up from head to toe. Your photos are simply gorgeous!

  15. 5 stars
    Love when I find paleo-friendly recipes that I have all of the ingredients for (and an Instant Pot). I’ve been on the hunt for new IP recipes! So glad I found this one! Thanks for sharing!

  16. 5 stars
    Just ordered my instant pot and I’m so pumped! This sounds perfect to be my very first recipe—can’t wait to try!

  17. 5 stars
    I bet this soup tastes as good as it looks! I’ve only had carrot soup once and remember it being delicious! I think I will try making it soon!

  18. 5 stars
    As many soups as I’ve made throughout the years I’ve never made carrot soup. We love carrots and I know they are so good for us. You’ve really inspired me to just do it. I don’t have an Instant Pot but we do have a slow cooker and a trusty Dutch Oven. I’m making your recipe this coming week.

  19. 5 stars
    Your carrot ginger soup looks so amazing!! Beautiful pictures!! I love that you listed out all those other soups as it is soup season and I’m ALL OVER some soups right now! I’ll be adding this one to our weekly menu!

  20. Daaaaaang girl. This soup is so legit! Perfect for gross winter days like today too. These photos are so beautiful, I want to (aka did) lick the screen!

  21. 5 stars
    It’s been so cold, raw, and rainy the last few weeks and this soup looks so darn delicious! Perfect for warming us up on a weeknight. And so simple in an Instant Pot.

  22. 5 stars
    I just got an instant pot and I used it for the first time today! It was my Christmas Gift to myself. I made green split pea soup which was awesome. Next, I’m going to try this one because I love ginger. Loving all the new instant pot inspiration.

  23. I have wanted to get an Instant Pot for quite some time and this is just the reason to do it :) Thanks for sharing this recipe – I am definitely in a soup mood lately (with winter weather and all).

  24. 5 stars
    I don’t have an Instant Pot, but I do have a pressure cooker. I know I can adapt this to work for sure. Love the flavour combination. Perfect for comfort food season too.

    1. 5 stars
      I made this on a rainy, dreary fall day. It was delicious! I made a few additions and one substitution. (Used chicken broth rather than vegetable broth since I had some with an upcoming best by date. Added about a 1/4 C of hot water after the coconut milk was blended in since it was a bit thick for our liking. Added 1/4 tsp cummin.) Garnished with fresh grated parmesan, a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, and sunflower seeds. Husband and our toddler daughter both loved it too!