I created this roasted carrot ginger soup recipe years ago, and it’s still on constant rotation around here. It’s so simple yet rich and utterly full of flavor.

a bowl of roasted carrot ginger soup with a drizzle of coconut cream and parsley garnish.

Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup is the ideal recipe for when you’re wondering what to do with a lot of carrots, which happens to me often around here – I’m not entirely sure why, but I always have a giant bag of baby carrots or most of a 2-pound bag laying around in the fridge. Perfect!

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The Secret to Carrot Soup That’s FULL of Flavor

The secret? ROAST THOSE CARROTS! Roasting your carrots caramelizes all of those glorious sugars and concentrates its flavors, creating a wonderfully nuanced soup considering how simple the list of ingredients is (for those counting, it’s only 5 ingredients! Well, 8 if you include the olive oil, salt, and pepper).

I’ve tested this theory in my kitchen, because roasting does dirty up an extra pan and is an additional step. I created two carrot soup recipes, side by side, keeping everything exactly the same. Except in one batch, I roasted the carrots, and in the other, I simmered them in the soup itself to cook them.

I’ll be honest – I thought they would taste very similar to one another, maybe the roasted carrot version would be marginally better. But nope. The non-roasted carrot version was good, sure. But the roasted carrot version was SO MUCH BETTER. Deeper, richer flavor, and more of that “I need another spoonful NOW” goodness.

Roasting the carrots really does make a huge difference.

The Story Behind the Recipe

This recipe is, in fact, a direct result of my overbuying baby carrots for a kid’s birthday party. Can you imagine? The kids didn’t go for the carrots. Shock!

Anyway, we had a ton left over, so I put ’em to work in this super-simple, slightly sweet, wonderfully creamy roasted carrot soup. The first time I made it, I had a hunch that roasted carrot soup wouldn’t need much other than the simplest ingredients: onions, vegetable stock, ginger, cream (or coconut milk), and, of course, carrots.

Happily, my hunch paid off in the form of this richly hued, zingy little soup that I truly think would hold its own among those with twice the ingredients, or more.

Readers say …
“I think I found my favorite carrot soup recipe. I’ve been searching for years!”

– Alanna
Ingredients for roasted carrot ginger soup

Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup Ingredients

The list of ingredients for this carrot ginger soup recipe is so, so simple!

We’ve got:

  • Carrots (shocker, I know!)
  • Onion
  • Ginger
  • Vegetable broth
  • Heavy whipping cream or coconut milk
  • Salt, pepper, & olive oil

How To Make Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup

It’s so, super easy! First, you toss the carrots in olive oil, salt, and pepper, and you roast them in the oven until gloriously golden.

A pan of roasted carrots

Meanwhile, sauté the onions and add the ginger and broth. Sautéing the onions just to the point of browning; simmering the ginger – each step helps to maximize the flavor of each ingredient.

Roasted carrots in broth for roasted carrot ginger soup

Let it cool for a bit, because the next step could create a bit of splash-over – pureeing! Add the roasted carrots to the soup and blend. You can puree your roasted carrot soup in your high-speed blender or right in your pan with an immersion blender. Running the soup in the high-speed blender for some extra time will give you the creamiest consistency, if you’re looking for that.

Roasted carrot ginger soup in blender

Next, return the soup to the pot and add cream for the vegetarian version, or coconut milk for the vegan version. Swirl it on in! Then taste, add some more salt and pepper if you like, and devour.

I like to top my roasted carrot soup with an extra drizzle of coconut cream and maybe a little snippet of parsley.

Dish of roasted carrot ginger soup

And don’t forget the bread!

Garlic bread dunked into roasted carrot ginger soup.

Love carrot soup? Check out this Instant Pot curried carrot soup with red lentils for some added protein oomph! Or this hearty version piled with quinoa.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is carrot soup good for you?

This is always a tough question to answer because “good for you” and “healthy” can be translated in so many different ways. For me, nutrient-rich = good for you. And with loads of beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A (source), this roasted carrot soup is definitely nutrient-rich! It’s also a great source of fiber.

Can you freeze Carrot Ginger Soup?

Yes! This soup is perfect for the freezer. Simply cool to room temperature and scoop into a freezer bag or freezer-friendly container with a lid. If you’re using a bag, be sure to squeeze out excess air. Label and freeze!

What goes with carrot soup?

I love a good kale salad alongside this one, plus some crusty artisan bread. Yum!

How can I make this carrot soup vegan?

Easy! Simply swap the heavy cream for canned coconut milk. To be honest, I prefer the coconut milk version! You can use full-fat coconut milk or lite; both are delicious.

More Homemade Soup Recipes

5 from 6 votes

Creamy Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Author: Kare
Yield: 4
Only 5 ingredients! Roasting the carrots brings out their magical nuances; ginger adds a nice little kick. A quick puree in the blender and a finish of cream or coconut milk seals the deal.

Ingredients

  • 6 cups baby carrots or approx. 6 large or 12 small-medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 1-1/2 pounds of carrots)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
  • 1 medium yellow onion (diced (about 2 cups)
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more to taste
  • 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger (peeled and minced (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (or, for a vegan version, use full-fat canned coconut milk)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Place carrots in a large bowl and drizzle one tablespoon of the olive oil over the top. Toss to coat and add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss again. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed cookie sheet and bake, stirring/flipping every 15 minutes or so, until tender and browned in spots, about 40 minutes total. Remove from oven and let cool a bit.
  • While the carrots are cooking, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook until just beginning to brown, about 8 – 10 minutes. Add the ginger and the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for five minutes until ginger is tender. Remove from heat.
  • When both the roasted carrots and the broth have cooled somewhat, add the carrots to the broth. Working with a blender in batches, puree the soup and return it to the pot; or use an immersion blender directly in the pot. Please make sure your soup has cooled enough to safely puree!
  • Place pureed soup over medium heat and return to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and stir in the heavy whipping cream or coconut milk. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve.

Notes

Vegan option:

Use canned coconut milk in place of the heavy whipping cream (I actually like it better this way!)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1/4 of recipe; about 1 1/2 cups, Calories: 270kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 41mg, Sodium: 436mg, Potassium: 677mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 32513IU, Vitamin C: 13mg, Calcium: 89mg, Iron: 1mg
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