Sometimes the most nourishing, comforting and delicious recipes are the most simple to make. That's definitely the case with this Caribbean Carrot Ginger Soup. Sweet carrots and onion, spicy ginger and coconut milk come together to create an incredibly smooth and creamy soup that's perfect for cooler days.
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A little backstory on this recipe...
This recipe holds a very special place in my heart as I created it during a time in my life when circumstance led me to really step it up in the kitchen. For five years, I lived and worked in the small beach town of Cabarete in the Dominican Republic. It was there that I co-founded The Mariposa DR Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to educating and empowering girls. While living in a remote area, mind you also on a tight budget, I had to get really creative with the ingredients that were affordable and available. Carrots grow like crazy in the Dominican Republic and they are so sweet and delicious. I would make a big batch of this soup on cooler, rainy days for me and all of my friends. My friend Julia's toddler, Wyatt, was a huge fan of this soup and it was always his number one request.
This Caribbean Carrot Ginger soup is nutritious, filling, comforting, simple and flavorful. The fresh ginger adds such a warmth to the sweet carrot and the coconut milk makes it creamy and silky. It tastes like way more ingredients that it is, making it a great soup course to impress your dinner party guests or as a holiday appetizer. It also keeps incredibly well in the freezer. I love to make a big batch of soup and then freeze it in individual portions for when I need a bowl of pure comfort stat.
For this recipe, I prefer to use butter and olive oil for richness, but if you wish to keep it vegan, just stick with a few tablespoons of olive oil.
Can this be done in the Instant Pot?
Yes! I go back and forth between using my instant pot and cooking on the stove. There's just something incredibly comforting about simmering on the stove, but sometimes we just need our food fast and that's where the instant pot comes in. To prepare this soup in the instant pot, just use the sauté function to soften the vegetables and then add broth and set to 15 minutes manually. Puree and then return to the pot on keep warm. Easy!
Caribbean Carrot Ginger Soup
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs carrot peeled and cut into small chunks
- 1 large sweet onion roughly chopped
- 2 inches fresh ginger about 3 tablespoons roughly chopped
- 3-3½ cups vegetable broth
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup full fat coconut milk
- salt & white pepper to taste
- Garnishes –microgreens chives, sliced almonds or even chia seeds.
Instructions
- Heat butter and olive oil over medium heat in a dutch oven. Add in onions and cook for 5-6 minutes till translucent.
- Add in ginger and carrots and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in 3 cups of the vegetable broth and add a pinch or two of salt. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until carrots are very tender.
- Use an immersion blender to puree or remove from heat, let cool and transfer to regular blender. Puree until smooth and creamy.
- Return to heat and add any additional broth for consistency if needed. It should be pretty thick. Check for seasoning and add salt & pepper to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and swirl 2-3 tablespoons of coconut milk into bowls. Garnish and serve.
Pam Goen
So easy, and so delicious! This soup transported me to the Caribbean with its sweet, tangy and refreshing hint of ginger spice! Will add it to my list of go to soups!