This carrot ginger soup is thick and creamy but it’s made without any cream or dairy. It’s a hearty, vegan soup that has a delicious balance of sweet carrots and spicy ginger.

carrot ginger bisque soup in a bowl
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The inspiration for this soup came from a cooking class I took in Northern Virginia for a team event when I still worked in corporate America. I got lucky that our team building event was a cooking challenge, which was right up my alley! We had to create a recipe featuring ginger and we made a carrot ginger soup. I didn’t remember the specifics of what we put in the soup, but I think I got pretty close with this version I remade at home!

carrots, onion, vegetable broth and ginger on a countertop

Carrot Ginger Soup Ingredients

  • Carrots– Obviously, carrots are a must! I recommend using whole carrots and not baby carrots, which have much less flavor. If you can find the carrots with the tops attached, those are likely to be the freshest kind, so pick those up if you can!
  • Ginger– Fresh ginger adds a spicy flavor that balances out the sweetness of the carrots. Don’t substitute ground ginger which has less flavor.
  • Onion– This adds an additional layer of savory flavor to this soup.
  • Garlic– This adds another hint of savory flavor to the soup.
  • Vegetable Broth– I used a “chicken-style” vegetable broth, which has a lot of flavor. Feel free to use any broth you like.
  • Olive oil– This is necessary to soften the onion, garlic, and ginger and enhance the flavor.
  • Baking soda– Adding baking soda helps break down the carrots so they blend into a perfectly smooth soup.

How to Prepare the Ginger

If you have a large piece of ginger, you can use a knife to cut away the outer skin of the ginger. But if you’re working with a small piece of ginger, it can be easier to use a spoon to peel off the outer layer. You’ll need a piece of ginger a little larger than a dice. Then you can finely mince it with a knife or use a rasp style grater to finely grate the ginger.

grated ginger with a microplane

How to Make Carrot Ginger Soup

Start by sauteeing the onion, garlic, and ginger in a large dutch oven or pot.

onion in a pot

Add the carrots, vegetable broth, baking soda, and a few sprigs of fresh thyme.

vegetables in a dutch oven

Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the carrots are soft. The carrots should fall apart when pressed with a spoon.

softened vegetables in a pot

Carefully transfer the soup to a blender. Do not fill the blender more than half full. Remove the plastic vent in the lid of the blender, then cover with a kitchen towel. This will allow steam to escape. Blend until the soup is perfectly smooth.

soup in a blender

Pour into a bowl and add salt and pepper to taste. Top with croutons, if desired.

carrot ginger soup in a bowl

Tips for Perfect Carrot Ginger Soup

You can add additional ginger if you want a spicier flavor. I kept this fairly mild, so our toddler could enjoy it, too! This makes about 3 cups of soup. You can easily double the recipe if you want to make a larger batch. Hit the 2x button above the recipe instructions to get the updated quantities.

Carrot Ginger Soup Topping Ideas

With blended soups like this one I like to add toppings to give the dish more texture and interest. Here are a few of my favorite topping ideas:

  • Whole Wheat Croutons– These homemade croutons are a delicious, crunchy soup topping!
  • Polenta Croutons– For a unique twist on croutons, try making them with polenta! These are crispy and tasty, and they’re also gluten-free.
  • Pumpkin Seeds- Try topping your bowl of soup with a handful of roasted pumpkin seeds for a salted crunchy topping!
  • Sour Cream- If you want to cut the sweetness of the soup, try adding a dollop of sour cream.
  • Chives- Chopped chives or chopped green onion can be a beautiful way to top your soup!

How to Blend Hot Soup

  • Be careful when transferring hot soup! Let the soup cool slightly before trying to transfer it to a blender. Use a measuring cup to transfer the soup. Don’t attempt to pour boiling soup since it could splash and burn you!
  • Let the steam escape. After you’ve safely transferred it to a traditional blender, be sure to use the vent in the lid of the blender to allow steam to escape while blending. Cover with a towel to prevent soup from escaping the blender.
  • Do NOT try to blend hot soup in a bullet style blender. These blenders must be airtight before blending and hot soup can literally explode. If you want to use a bullet blender to blend soup, it must be cold or room temperature.
  • Another option is to use an immersion blender for this soup, although the end result may not be as smooth.

How to Store Leftover Soup

This soup reheats well and can even be frozen for up to 1 month. Store it in the fridge or freezer in an airtight container. To reheat, warm at 50% power in the microwave or transfer to a pot and reheat on the stove until warm. If freezing, consider dividing into single serving portions so you can have a quick bowl of soup whenever you want it!

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carrot ginger bisque

Carrot Ginger Soup

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Liz Thomson
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 3 cups 1x
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This carrot ginger soup is thick and creamy but it’s made without any cream or dairy. It’s a hearty, vegan soup that has a delicious balance of sweet carrots and spicy ginger.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 1” piece of ginger, minced
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 lb carrots, peeled and chopped into 1″ pieces
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • Croutons for topping (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a large pot or dutch oven, add the olive oil, onion, ginger, and garlic and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  2. Add the carrots, vegetable broth, baking soda, and thyme and bring to a boil.
  3. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the carrots are soft.
  4. Remove the thyme sprigs and transfer the soup to a blender.
  5. Do not fill the blender more than half full. Remove the plastic vent in the lid of the blender, then cover with a kitchen towel. This will allow steam to escape. Blend until the soup is perfectly smooth.
  6. Pour into bowls and add salt and pepper to taste. Top with croutons, if desired.

More Ways to Use Carrots

Looking for more ways to use carrots? Here are some of my other favorite carrot recipes!

This post was originally published in August 2013. Updated October 2021.