Roasted Carrot Soup

‘Tis the season for soup!  This recipe for a velvety and zingy soup came about somewhat serendipitously.  I usually use carrots for crudités and to add flavor other dishes, but rarely make them the star.  However, after inadvertently ordering 10 pounds of organic carrots online, I realized that carrots were going to need celebrity status for a while!  Roasting the carrots mellows the flavor, and using a bit of low-fat coconut milk and spice lends just a hint of Southeast Asian flair.

The recipe makes 8 generous servings so you can either make it for a crowd or else freeze half the soup for a cold winter’s night.

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into thick 2″ segments
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 teaspoons salt
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 pat (teaspoon) butter
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 3 cups water
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 1 15-ounce can of reduced-fat or light coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric powder (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
  2. Toss carrots with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of salt.
  3. Roast carrots in oven for approximately 20-25 minutes or until tender and starting to brown.
  4. In a large soup pot, melt butter with two tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat.
  5. Sauté diced onions in the butter/olive oil until translucent.
  6. Add roasted carrots to the onions and toss together in the pot.
  7. Add 4 cups of vegetable broth and 3 cups of water.
  8. Bring mixture to a boil, and then simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.
  9. Remove soup from heat.  With an immerseable blender, purée the soup.  If you do not have an immerseable blender, cool for 10 minutes and then purée in a blender (using extreme caution by placing only small portions of the soup into the blender so hot soup does not splatter!).
  10. Add to the soup the remaining salt along with cayenne pepper, coconut milk, tamarind paste, and turmeric.  Also, add water as needed if you prefer a thinner consistency. Stir well and bring to a simmer.  Simmer for five minutes and then remove from heat.
  11. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of cilantro (of course)!