Pureed Carrot Soup with Parsley Almond Pesto
This creamy-textured carrot soup couldn't be easier to make, and it looks so pretty with a swirl of homemade parsley and almond pesto. It cooks with basic ingredients — carrots, onion, celery, and broth — that are blended to make a thick, smooth texture without using cream or milk.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) butter
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 stalks chopped celery
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 2 pounds (900 g) carrots peeled if preferred, and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 5 cups (1.5 l) vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Parsley Almond Pesto
- ½ cup (125 g) sliced or whole raw almonds toasted and coarsely chopped
- 2 (50 g) green onions (scallions) green tops and white sections, chopped
- ½ cup fresh parsley leaves
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ¼ cup (125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
Instructions
Prepare and cook the carrot soup
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, stir in 1 cup chopped onion2 stalks chopped celery, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and black pepper to tastee. Cover the pot, lower the heat to medium and cook about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are softened. Pro tip: Covering the pot produces steam inside the pot, which softens the veggies faster without the risk of browning them.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon ground coriander and 1 tablespoon honey and cook 30 seconds. Add the carrots and 5 cups vegetable broth Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered, 15-20 minutes, until the carrots are tender. Remove from the heat.
- Puree the soup in a blender (in batches) until completely smooth, or use an immersion blender right in the pot. Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.
Parsley pesto
- Briefly pulse the almonds, green onions, parsley, red pepper, olive oil and a good pinch of salt in a small food processor until the mixture is finely chopped.
Serving
- Serve the soup in bowls, topped with with spoonful or two of the pesto.
Notes
- The soup keeps 3-5 days refrigerated or frozen for 1 month.
- To toast almonds, spread them on a small baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 325F.
Seasoning variations:
- Add 1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger and/or 1-2 teaspoons of curry powder in step 2.
- For an extra-creamy touch, stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream or thick full-fat coconut milk to the soup after it's pureed.
Nutrition
Calories: 293kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 5gFat: 20gSodium: 688mgFiber: 7gSugar: 14g
