Carrot soup is one that often times gets passed up with the flavors of butternut squash and pumpkin this time of year. This soup is affordable to make and boasts robust flavors of carrot and tomato. I wanted to make sure this soup had layers of flavor, with sweet and savory pairings, and a smooth finish. Using balsamic vinegar, herbed oil, and a bit of fresh ground black pepper as finishing touches, this soup will become a standby in our kitchen this season. (With organic carrots at 78 cents a pound from Trader Joe’s, you’ll have plenty of leftovers for lunches and stretch your dollar.)
Keep reading for the full recipe after the jump!
Carrot Soup with Balsamic Vinegar and Herbed Oil
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients:
- 2 T organic extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb organic carrots, cleaned and sliced
- 1 red onion, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 5 organic tomatoes, deseeded and diced
- 1 can organic coconut milk
- 1 t organic turmeric
- 1 t organic cloves
- 1 t cumin
- 1 T thyme
- salt and pepper
For herbed oil:
- 5 T organic extra virgin olive oil
- 1 T thyme
- 1 T parsley
Directions:
In a large sauce pan, add olive oil over medium high heat. Once oil has been brought to temperature, add onion and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent, stirring occasionally. Add carrots and tomatoes, turmeric, cloves, cumin and time. Cook over medium high heat until spices are toasted and carrots are coated. Add water to the pot to cover the vegetables. Simmer vegetables for 20 minutes or until carrots are fork tender. Using an immersion blender puree the soup until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste. Return pot over heat and add in coconut milk and warm through. Using a graduated cylinder, add olive oil and herbs. With the immersion blender, puree until herbs are finely chopped and oil is somewhat green in color. To serve the soup, ladle into bowl. Top with a splash of balsamic vinegar, a few dollops of herbed oil, and fresh ground pepper. Enjoy!