A Deliciously Tasty Carrot and Coriander Soup Recipe
Classic soups like chicken noodle or vegetable are plenty tasty, but if you want a rustic soup that has a touch of decadence, carrot and coriander soup is sure to hit the spot and keep you wanting more. The great news is that you can get a taste of refinement in the comfort of your own home. How can you make this wonderful carrot and coriander soup and what tips will help you make it taste the best? Read on to get the inside scoop.
What Makes Carrot and Coriander Soup So Good
Carrot and coriander soup has been around for decades, and while it isn’t clear the origins of this soup, one of the earliest versions was found in John Tovey’s 1975 “Good Cook’s Guide.” There are many variations of this soup, but the key is pureed carrots, which give the soup a creamy and slightly sweet flavor. The coriander adds a lemony, sweet taste to the soup, which brings out the flavors of the carrots beautifully. The soup is simple in concept but it feels like something you’d get from an expensive restaurant.
The Secret to Irresistible Carrot and Coriander Soup
What makes this soup so good is that before putting them into the soup pot, you roast the carrots in olive oil, coriander, and other seasonings so that the carrots get tender and become intensely flavorful. While having to blend this soup may be a hassle, it pureeing the soup allows the flavors to meld together.
A Rich Carrot and Coriander Soup Recipe
The following recipe will serve 6 people, but it’s easy to double or even triple if you want to serve it for a big group. In total, it will only take a little hour to make. Carrot and coriander soup can become quite complex, but this recipe has been created to make this soup as easy to make as possible while still retaining the deep flavor.
Ingredients
- 12 Carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 sweet onion
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon finely ground coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cloves garlic, minced.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. In a bowl, mix the carrots, coriander seeds, parsley, and salt. Spread the carrots out over a baking sheet. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes until the carrots are tender and browned.
- While the carrots roast, heat the butter over medium-high heat in a soup pot. Brown the butter by letting it come to a boil. When the butter is browned, add the onions. Cook until the onions are translucent, for about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the mined garlic and cook for 3 minutes more. Then, add the lime juice, scraping the bottom of the pan as you do. Add about a cup of the vegetable stock (it does not have to be exact) and turn down the heat to medium. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Add the carrots to the soup pot. Simmer for 30 minutes, covered. Add the rest of the stock. Bring to a simmer once more and then remove the soup from heat. Using a stand blender or an immersion blender, carefully blend the soup into a puree. It will be hot, so watch for splatter.
- After blending, you may want to bring the temperature up again, especially if you had to blend in batches in a stand blender. Once the soup is at the desired temperature, serve it right away.
Coriander vs. Cilantro
Coriander and cilantro come from the same plant, so they are often used to promote similar flavor profiles. However, there are key differences between these two. While the names may be used interchangeably depending on what part of the world you are in, North Americans use “cilantro” to refer to the leaves and stalks of the plant Coriandrum sativum and “coriander” to refer to dried seeds. This soup uses coriander, the dried seeds. In a pinch, you can use cilantro, but cilantro often tastes more soapy, while coriander is less offensive. Cilantro works great as a garnish, but it won’t be as perfect as coriander in your soup.
Can I Make Substitutions?
There aren’t a whole lot of substitutions you can make for this recipe; however, you can play around with the kind of broth you use. Whatever broth you have on hand will do, and some recipes use chicken stock instead of vegetables, anyway, so chicken broth is a good secondary broth option if you don’t have vegetable broth. You can also add meat or other protein to give this soup extra oomph. I suggest adding this after you have pureed the rest of the soup. I’ve used leftover chuck roast in this soup in the past, and it really hit the spot and made the soup able to stand on its own as a meal.
Can I Make This Soup Ahead?
This soup is great to make ahead. All you must do to bring it back to life is reheat it. You may have to add a little bit more stock or broth to thin it out if it gets a little too thick. You can keep it for a few days in the fridge or several months in the freezer.
How to Serve Carrot and Coriander Soup
Being low in calories and not too rich in protein, I usually choose this soup as an appetizer or side rather than the main course. It’s a fantastic accompaniment to beef dishes, but you can have it with just about anything as the flavors don’t tend to clash with other dishes. This soup also is great if you are looking for a light lunch.
What are the Health Benefits of Carrot and Coriander Soup?
If you’re looking to put a healthy meal on the table, carrot and coriander soup can do just the trick. According to Verywell, coriander is full of health benefits, and it has been long used as a homeopathic remedy.
Coriander has several antioxidants. It also has a substance called linalool, which is known as anxiety-reducing and antimicrobial; it even has anticancer effects. Furthermore, because coriander has flavonoids, this spice can be perfect for people who want to prioritize their heart health. Coriander, therefore, has a wide range of health impacts on people.
Carrots have their own long list of positive benefits. WebMD details the wealth of health carrots can bring. These amazing veggies have been grown since around 900 AD, and while they come in several colors, the orange variety that was developed in the 15th and 16th centuries is the one people know best. Carrots are naturally sugary, but the good news is that they also have a lot of vitamins. Carrots are relatively low in calories. They are also incredibly high in Vitamin A, which is most known for helping your vision but also helps in other tasks like immune health and cell growth. Carrots also have vitamin K, potassium, calcium, fiber, and iron. These vegetables are truly powerhouses.
Combining the health benefits of coriander and carrots creates a tasty recipe that you won’t feel guilty about feeding your family. Even picky eaters will love to get their nutrients in with this soup.