Vegan Carrot Ginger Soup
The emotional and physical healing provided by food is impossible to deny. When I’m eating food with wholesome ingredients prepared by someone with love and care, it fills me up in more ways than just feeling satiated. This recipe has been a go-to for my mother for years and has become a family staple. It’s effortlessly vegan and uses staples that can hang out in the pantry and fridge for weeks before use. I always have some carrots and ginger on hand and throughout the winter this soup always brightens up chilly nights without feeling heavy or too rich.
Lately this soup has taken on even more meaning in my family. The past year has been full of illness and surgery across generations. Finding sources of comfort have felt even more important as we work to support each other and encourage healing. While this recipe used to just be my mom’s go to, Mama Kasi is now convinced this soup has healing powers… Whether you believe that or not, it is definitely great for clogged sinuses and is soothing even when you’re suffering from post-surgery pain.
This soup is warm your heart creamy and the bright carrot and ginger are just perfect in this classic pairing. It’s easy to whip up on a weeknight but also feels luxurious on a weekend afternoon! I’ve been eating it since I was a child, and while it’s gotten a little heavier on the ginger spice since then, this recipe is still an effortless go-to and I hope you’ll like it!
Ingredients
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds carrots (approximately 6 large carrots), peeled and sliced thin
1 teaspoon minced/finely chopped fresh ginger (or from a jar)
¼ teaspoon powdered ginger
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste (I often use white pepper very sparingly)
½ cup coconut or soy milk
1 tablespoon blue agave or maple syrup (can also use brown sugar or orange juice)
Note: This is one of those recipes that can be easily flexed according to the ingredients on hand. The fresh minced ginger really makes a difference.
Preparation
Wash and cut carrots, onions and ginger. Compost or save the scraps for veggie scrap broth!
In a large pot, saute onion with ginger (fresh and powder) in olive oil. As onion turns translucent, add the carrots. Saute for five more minutes.
Add broth and water. The liquid should just cover the carrots. Add salt and pepper and let simmer until carrots are soft but not mushy (you can break slice with the gentle pressure of a wooden spoon).
Remove from heat and begin pureeing with immersion blender (or pour into a stand up blender). Taste.
Add milk, syrup or sugar if needed, and salt or pepper as needed and continue to blend.
Serve warm!
Best Practices:
As always:
Avoid packaged produce, or really anything packaged for that matter. This is not to say that you’ll always have the option, but when you do, go for it! For example, carrots are often sold in big pound bags, but can also be found loose in grocery stores. Try to bring your own produce bags or simply throw those onions in your cart and head to checkout!
Bring your own bags and store your food in reusable containers. Research how to best store vegetables and food safely so it’ll last longer and less will do to waste. Onions and potatoes don’t need to be refrigerated but should be stored in dark, cool areas, and separately from one another. If you store on the counter, they’ll sprout! Leeks should be stored in the fridge, but can last a long time in there!
Things like spices and oil can often be found in bulk sections of grocery stores if you have one in your area. This can sometimes help you save money as well as reducing packaging!
The scraps from this recipe would be wonderful additions to a veggie scrap broth, an easy practice that we can all use to make more of our food. They can also be composted if you have access to municipal compost or in your backyard! If you have the time and means, both practices are great ways to give your food scraps another life.
If you’re buying broth from the store, we encourage you to choose concentrated broth options. Our article about dry beans showcases some of concepts as to why dry goods help reduce impacts of shipment and packaging. Read about it here if you’re curious!
These ingredients have been chosen with seasonality in mind:
Most of these ingredients are household staples that are relatively inexpensive and last a long time. Ginger and carrots store well and are available year-round. Because of this, it’s likely they’ll be sourced domestically rather than other produce that might be out of season in a grocery store in the winter. Read about the importance of seasonality and locality in one of our foundational articles here.
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