Is this soup based on my favorite ginger-turmeric carrot-orange juice from my local juice bar? Maybe—and I have no regrets about it. I use very small amounts of spices in this recipe to add depth without overpowering any of the sweet carrot or bright orange notes. Depending on how sweet your carrots are, you may need to add a touch of maple syrup at the end to bring out their sweetness, so make sure to taste and adjust to your liking. I always have whole milk on hand, so it’s what I use here to round out the flavor, but you can make it even richer with heavy cream. Or make it vegan by swapping in canned coconut milk, which will alter the flavor but still be delicious!
This recipe was excerpted from 'Every Season Is Soup Season' by Shelly Westerhausen Worcel. Buy the full book on Amazon.
What you’ll need
Ground Cumin
$8 $7 At Amazon
Turmeric
$9 At Spicewalla
5.5 Quart Dutch Oven
$455 $434 At Amazon
Immersion Blender
$70 $49 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
2
1½
1
2
5
2
1
½
¼
¼
⅛
4
1
½
¼
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
In a Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the carrots, onion, and celery and sauté until softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, salt, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne and sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds.
Step 2
Add the vegetable broth and bay leaf and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, turn down the heat to low, and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.
Step 3
Remove from the heat, remove the bay leaf, and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Whisk in the orange zest, orange juice, maple syrup (if using), and milk. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Step 4
Divide among four bowls and drizzle with a little oil. Sprinkle with pepitas and/or cilantro, if desired. Serve warm.
