Carrot Soup with Ginger and Lemon

September 24, 2009

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Now that I have had this blog for about a year and a half, it feels kind of weird to be telling you about a favorite recipe just now.  If it’s such a favorite recipe, why haven’t I already talked about it?  When you subscribe to four food magazines, have four large notebooks filled with recipes from almost 20 years of those magazines, plus well over 100 cookbooks…you can perhaps forgive me if some of my favorites slip through the cracks.

Carrot soup may not seem like something to get all excited about.  It’s not Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake after all.  But this is one of those magic of cooking recipes.  It’s ingredients are simple, the method is easy, the end result is spectacular.  I know, carrot soup – spectacular?  You have to trust me on this one.  Fresh ginger and lots of lemon take this recipe from “what am I going to do with all of these carrots?” to “I’d like to make this every single week”.  As we were eating it Sunday night, Randy told me that it just might be his favorite soup ever.

Along with about 700 carrots, we also got the last of the summer’s corn in our CSA box last week.  I decided to use it as a garnish on the soup and we both loved the crunch and sweetness it brought.  If you don’t have fresh summer corn though, don’t bother.  I made this already light soup a little lighter by cutting down on the amount of butter used to sauté and by using plain yogurt as a garnish instead of sour cream.

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One Year Ago:  Beet Salad with Candied Marcona Almonds


Carrot Soup with Ginger and Lemon
Adapted from Bon Appétit
4 First course servings

If you want a super smooth velvety soup, use a stand blender to purée it.  I like a little texture here so I just used an immersion blender.  If you want to eat this as more of a main course, or if you want to have leftovers, I would double this recipe.

2 tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh ginger
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 1/4 pounds carrots, peeled, chopped
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
Zest of 1 large lemon, divided
3 cups (or more) vegetable stock
Juice of 1 lemon
4 tbsp. plain yogurt
Corn kernels from 1 ear of corn (optional)

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.  Add onion; sauté 4 minutes.  Add ginger and garlic; sauté 2 minutes.  Add chopped carrots, tomatoes and half the lemon peel; sauté 1 minute.  Add 3 cups of stock and bring to boil.  Reduce heat, cover partially and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 20 minutes.  Cool slightly.

Either use an immersion blender directly in soup pot or blend in small batches in a stand blender.  With soup in pot, stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.  (Can be made 1 day ahead.  Cover and chill.)

Bring soup to simmer, thinning with more stock if necessary.  Ladle into bowls.  Top with plain yogurt, a sprinkle of reserved lemon zest, and corn if using.



24 Comments »

  1. I love carrot soup and I always do excited for it, my husband not so much (which is why I haven’t made any in ages). I think it’s time to remedy that. I love that you added a corn garnish!

    Comment by kickpleat — September 24, 2009 @ 5:18 pm

  2. Your soup looks beautiful! I love how you sprinkled corn on top. I make carrot soup with carrots cooked in stock+milk and pureed with some fresh mint :)

    Comment by veggiebelly — September 24, 2009 @ 5:47 pm

  3. I’ve never had carrot soup, but you’ve got me intrigued.

    Comment by Michelle — September 24, 2009 @ 5:52 pm

  4. I’m making this as soon as the temperature dips below 70!

    Comment by Kathy — September 24, 2009 @ 8:13 pm

  5. Dana, that looks positively scrumptious. I have a lemon/ginger/carrot soup recipe, too, but never thought about pumping up the acid (not to mention color) with tomatoes. On my to-do list :)

    Comment by Chef Gwen — September 25, 2009 @ 4:05 am

  6. Thank you for sharing this. I think its perfect for the beginning of fall. Maybe its the deep orange that makes me think of leaves…

    Comment by 24carrot — September 25, 2009 @ 4:22 pm

  7. I was just talking about soup making with a friend – I’ll have to point her in the direction of this one. A beautiful soup, m’dear, thank you so much for sharing it. The corn sounds a fab addition.

    Comment by tara — September 25, 2009 @ 5:32 pm

  8. the corn is the perfect touch! Isnt it just the greatest when people you love tell you that your food is their favorite? One of the best feelings.

    Comment by Sprouted Kitchen — September 25, 2009 @ 6:53 pm

  9. I didn’t know you had been blogging that long. I wish I had started reading sooner. You have a wonderful blog!

    This soup looks delicious. I can definitely it seeing it being my favorite also.

    Comment by Emily — September 25, 2009 @ 8:46 pm

  10. Yum! I love carrot soup, too. Somehow I often end up with a crisper drawer full of carrots, and they usually become some form of this. Mine tends to be more fattening, though (coconut milk, cream, etc.). It wouldn’t kill me to try this instead.

    Comment by The Leftoverist — September 25, 2009 @ 10:16 pm

  11. I have to admit that I love carrot soup too. It’s so good and you can always do a different one every time. I like to add different veggies once in a while.

    Comment by Hélène — September 26, 2009 @ 6:50 am

  12. I love carrot soup. So comforting. I love the corn on top of it as well.

    Comment by peabody — September 27, 2009 @ 12:20 am

  13. Soup looks lovely! very inviting!

    Comment by Parita — September 27, 2009 @ 1:13 pm

  14. It’s cold and rainy.
    I am ready for soups!

    Comment by Stacey Snacks — September 27, 2009 @ 1:44 pm

  15. Dana, it was so great to meet you this weekend! Let’s keep in touch and I’ll be reading your gorgeous blog regularly! Hope you had as much as I did and a safe trip home!

    Comment by maris — September 27, 2009 @ 3:38 pm

  16. Oooo. Ginger and carrot sound wonderful together!

    Comment by Beatrice — September 27, 2009 @ 5:51 pm

  17. These looks so easy and the combination, although something I’ve never thought of, now seems so obvious.

    P.S.
    It was so nice to meet you this weekend. Look forward to reading more of your recipes and tasting them too!

    Comment by Amy J — September 28, 2009 @ 1:20 am

  18. All I’ve had today was hotel and airport food. This looks like a little bowl of heaven to me!

    Comment by Katie @ goodLife {eats} — September 28, 2009 @ 2:18 am

  19. Not only does it sound fabulous it also recalls me something I ate when I lived in Vienna! I’m going to do it right now!
    Chiara (Florence, Italy)

    Comment by Chiara — September 28, 2009 @ 12:19 pm

  20. I have favourite recipes that I forget about too because I’m always trying out new things. I’ve tried to start keeping a list of favourites though I’m not doing a great job of updating it! I love creamy carrot soup. This looks delicious.

    Comment by Ashley — September 28, 2009 @ 2:41 pm

  21. HI! First, this is such a luciouslovelygorgeous blog. I will be visiting you here often! And second, it was such a pleasure to meet you this weekend! I hope you had a safe trip home and keep in touch!

    Comment by Rebecca — September 28, 2009 @ 4:11 pm

  22. Wish I had this last month when I had 2 bags of CSA carrots and little inspiration! I will be saving this one for next year. If I can hold out that long!

    Comment by fresh365 — September 30, 2009 @ 7:41 pm

  23. I made a spectacular (roasted) carrot & ginger recipe last week, but Dana’s looks even more promising. I can’t wait to try it tomorrow night. I like the idea of flavour ‘juxtaposition’ of the corn and carrots…Dana, well done!

    Comment by Jason — October 2, 2009 @ 5:48 am

  24. I have just made your lovely soup (unfortunately, minus corn which I didn’t have to hand…. but will include next time). Oh yes, there will definitely be numerous “next times”. Many thanks – it was so enjoyable on this wet, windy Scottish afternoon.

    Comment by Maureen — October 3, 2009 @ 1:42 pm



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