Sweet, roasted carrots, bacon, ginger, and cream make this soup rich and velvety. This recipe for roasted carrot soup is the perfect way to spotlight your garden’s beautiful carrots this summer.
About the ingredients-
Since the soup itself is rich, with a bit of sweetness from roasting the carrots, the balance of flavors and textures is what really makes this soup shine. Any carrots will work well. I find that the best flavor comes from carrots that are small to medium in size, not the giant ones that are sold in bulk that seem better suited to feeding horses. The ginger lends a peppery layer of flavor that pops really well with the sweetness. Bacon lends a smoky saltiness that really complements the other ingredients well. The basil adds another layer of fresh, slightly peppery flavor. We’ve also got garlic and balsamic, which really pair well with the carrots. Topped with the crumbled bacon and croutons for an added crunch, there’s a perfect variety of textures to really round things out.
How to make Roasted Carrot Soup with Bacon and Ginger-
- Roast the carrots until very tender and deeply browned and almost blackened. Be careful not to burn them of course, but the more color they have, the more flavor they’ll bring to your soup.
- Brown the bacon. We’re going to be using the bacon crumbles to top the finished soup, so set the bacon aside when it’s nice and crispy. Be sure to save a couple of tablespoons of the bacon drippings in the pot though for cooking the onion and garlic.
- Prepare the soup base while the carrots are roasting. Onions, garlic, and chicken broth are the base for the soup that will allow the carrots to really shine. Since we will be blending the soup, don’t worry about chopping the onion and garlic super fine. It’ll all get pureed together and end up perfectly smooth.
- Layer in the flavor. Grated fresh ginger, balsamic, and fresh basil really help to highlight and balance out the sweetness of the roasted carrots.
- Blend until smooth. You may need to work in 2 batches, depending on the capacity of your blender, but it’s worth taking the time to do so. Adding the cream afterward will give you a chance to adjust the consistency to suit your tastes. I like mine somewhat thick, so I only add ½ cup of cream, but feel free to add more to your liking.
- Add some crunch. Crumbled bacon and chopped croutons sprinkled on top of perfectly velvety, rich roasted carrot soup are absolutely an essential step to finishing this soup properly.
- Enjoy! Since this soup is fairly rich, it can serve about 4 people as a main course, or 6 as a side to accompany a salad or sandwich if you like.
Roasted Carrot Soup with Bacon and Ginger
Sweet, roasted carrots, bacon, ginger, and cream make this soup rich and velvety. The perfect way to spotlight your garden’s beautiful carrots this summer. Topped with bacon, croutons, and fresh basil, this soup is sure to be a new family favorite!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
- Category: Soup
Ingredients
3 pounds whole carrots, peeled*
3 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, about 1-inch piece
½-1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil, plus more for garnish
1 cup garlic croutons, roughly chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Arrange peeled carrots on a large rimmed baking sheet and coat well with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast on center oven rack for 45 minutes, until very tender, turning halfway through to promote even browning.
Meanwhile, in a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the bacon until crispy. Remove bacon from pot with slotted spoon and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the pot. Add onion and garlic to the pot and sauté until onions are translucent and tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add chicken stock to the pot and bring to a simmer.
Transfer roasted carrots to the pot. Add the ginger and season with salt and pepper.
Working in batches if needed, transfer the soup to a blender and pulse until very smooth. Return to the pot and reduce heat to low.
Stir in ½ cup of cream, balsamic, and basil. Cook another minute or two until hot but do not boil. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add remaining cream as needed to reach your desired consistency.
Serve immediately, topped with bacon, basil, croutons, and black pepper if desired.
Notes
*Any carrots will work well. I find that the best flavor comes from carrots that are small to medium in size, not the giant ones that are sold in bulk that seem better suited to feeding horses.
Keywords: roasted carrot soup, carrot ginger soup
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