Carrot Soup Recipe with Ginger and Brown Sugar

Carrot soup with ginger and brown sugar is a delicious way to eat your veggies and enjoy them! This perfect side dish doesn’t take too long to make and is the precursor to the best meal. You wont need to roast your carrots, which saves you a ton of time, and the apples and ginger pair perfectly.

Carrot Ginger Soup

• 2 lbs raw carrots
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 large apple, peeled, cored and sliced into small pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup half & half
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Health benefits of carrots

As a kid, I kept coming back to the veggie tray at home when my mom told me carrots would help my eyesight.  I was determined to be able to see in the dark (still waiting on that, I guess).  However, as an adult, I’ve learned that the benefits of carrots go far beyond your vision.  Because of these body rewards, I try to offer carrots at least once a week to the entire family.

To start, beyond the Vitamin A benefits that nourish your eyes, carrots are a rich source of nearly an entire alphabet of vitamins and minerals – Vitamins C, K, B8 and pantothenic acid, folate, potassium, iron, copper, and manganese.  Whew.

They are also a powerful source of beta-carotene and fiber.

The antioxidants in carrots work to boost your immune system, fight free radical damage that can lead to cancer and heart disease, and support the health of your skin and eyes, just like my mom said.  Research studies have also shown carrots to cut cholesterol levels and help the body process fat.

And, after you try the carrot ginger soup, you will literally glow from head to toe.

How to make Carrot Soup

I love soups for lots of reason – they’re easy to throw together, they scale up easily for feeding a crowd, and they warm me to my toes in chilly weather.  But, when I eat only soup, a couple hours later I find I am starving.  No matter what I pack in there, it just isn’t enough to keep me going.

Instead, soup takes a side role in most my menus, giving me the best of both worlds.

When I’m looking for the perfect soup/side option, I love a spiced carrot ginger soup.  It pairs well with all kinds of main dishes or sandwiches, is absolutely stunning to look at, and makes fantastic leftovers.

See how this soup is made and then scroll down for a printable recipe of our delicious, creamy and sweet carrot and ginger soup- the perfect side dish.

Immersion Blenders for Soups

If you’re a soup maker (or becoming one) there is one kitchen tool you must have.  An immersion blender.

This compact little stick will help you create a velvety smooth and creamy soup, no matter what the soup base is made from.

While mashers and blenders are other options to help you create a smooth soup, each has key drawbacks.  The potato masher in general, won’t let your soup get anywhere near as smooth as you’d like.

And pouring boiling soup into a blender jar is a surefire way to end up with some major burns (just ask me how I know).

So, enter the immersion blender.

To use it in your soup preparation, simply turn off the heat and stick your blender into the pot.  Make sure you keep the bottom of the blender under the surface of the soup, or you’ll splatter boiling soup everywhere (ask me how I know).

Using short pulses, blitz your soup till it runs smoothly through the blender and all the lumps are gone.

Perfect!

The perfect mains for Carrot Ginger Soup

The versatile flavors and smooth texture of this soup mean it pairs well with all kinds of main dishes you might prefer.

Personally, you just can’t go wrong with a simple grilled cheese or grilled ham and cheese panini.  But then, I’m a sucker for dunking.

I also love this soup paired with a slow cooked beef roast.  Add a crunchy green salad with a tangy dressing for a counterbalance of texture and flavor and your entire family will be demanding seconds (thirds?).

Another pairing option is a thick cut pork chop.  I like to carry over the flavors of the soup to the pork by brushing with a bit of the ground ginger mixed with water or oil.

Brussel sprouts sautéed with a spritz of lemon and some chopped walnuts are the perfect compliment to the soup and pork.

Another option is to pour the soup over a baked potato – I love this for a quick soup side lunch.

Carrots and low carb diets

Carrots often get a bad rap from low carb diets – unlike green vegetables that contain virtually no sugars, carrots get their sweetness from some natural sugars.

However, this doesn’t mean there isn’t a place for carrots in your diet, even if you prefer low carb options.

First, it’s important to know the actual carb and calories in carrots

• In ½ cup of raw carrot, you’ll get 4 grams of net carbs, 2 grams of fiber, and 26 calories.  Raw carrot earns a 35 on the glycemic index.
• In ½ cup of cooked carrot, you’ll get 4 grams of net carbs, 2 grams of fiber and 27 calories, with a 39 on the glycemic index.

Like other root vegetables, carrots are considerably lower in carbs than low sugar fruits, and the health benefits they offer are remarkable.

They’re categorized as a low GI food, and in moderation, they deserve a place in any diet plan.

With the velvety texture, the versatile meal options, the fun gadgets to experiment with and the numerous health benefits, I ask, is your soup on the stove yet?

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Print

Carrot Ginger Soup

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Total Time

1 hr 5 mins

 

Carrot soup with ginger and brown sugar is a delicious way to eat your veggies and enjoy them! This perfect side dish doesn’t take too long to make and is the precursor to the best meal. You wont need to roast your carrots, which saves you a ton of time, and the apples and ginger pair perfectly.

Course: Side Dish, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: carrots, soup

Author: Salty Side Dish

Ingredients

• 2 lbs raw carrots
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 large apple peeled, cored and sliced into small pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup half & half
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

1. In a large stock pot, add carrots, chicken broth and garlic. Mix well.
2. Stir in spices.
3. Cover stock pot and over medium high heat, bring mixture to a boil.
4. Add apple and reduce heat to low and cook for 50-60 minutes or until carrots are soft when pierced with a knife.
5. Remove from heat.
6. Use a potato masher to mash the carrots and apples.
7. Carefully use an immersion blender until mixture is pureed.
8. Stir in cream and mix together with blender.
9. Serve with chopped parsley if desired.

Recipe Notes

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One image with link back may be used in round ups. 

The best way to keep this recipe for later is to Pin it on Pinterest or follow my Side Dish boards where you can enjoy side dishes year round for every meal and every holiday.