I wasn’t really sure what to call this soup. It’s mostly carrots, but just carrot soup sounds boring. I thought about calling it Spicy-Ginger-Onion-Garlic-Carrot-Soup, but I thought that was too long.
Anyway, I made soup! The boyfriend is sick and since I’m vegetarian, I went hunting for a chicken soup alternative. I’ve heard (but I have no idea if it’s true) that ginger, garlic, and onions are all supposed to be good for you if you’re sick. Add a big helping of Vitamin C from the carrots, and I think this soup qualifies as an immune-booster soup. The bonus is that it tastes about 50 million times better than cherry cough syrup. This soup is delicious and will feel great on a sore throat. Also, I just realized this recipe is vegan. It’s so yummy that I didn’t even realize it.
Another bonus is that I got to whip out my immersion blender that I got from my mom this weekend. One of the best parts of moving out is that you get so much stuff when you go to visit. I returned with a Gamecube (Super Smash Bros., anyone?), a pasta roller (I’ll let you guess what my next recipe will be), an immersion blender, and a bunch of other random hand-me-downs. Thanks, Mom!
If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can still make this recipe. Just pour the soup into a regular blender and puree it until it’s smooth. You’ll get the same results except you’ll lose whatever you spill. I know I’d probably spill about half of it. I hope you all are more coordinated than I am.
Recipe:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
about 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
2 to 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/2 tbsp chives
1/2 tbsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tbsp thyme
1/4 tsp paprika
1 lbs carrots, pealed and chopped into 1″ pieces
4 cups (2 cans) vegetable stock
Active time: 10 minutes
Inactive time: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Serving Size: 4 portions
Cooking Instructions:
Soup is pretty easy to make. Heat the olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onions, red pepper, garlic, ginger, chives, crushed red pepper, thyme, and paprika (what a list!). Saute until the onions turn a light brown color (about 5 to 10 minutes).
Add the vegetable stock and carrots and bring to a bowl. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for about 20 minutes or until the carrots are soft and easily pierced with a fork.
If you have an immersion blender, use it now to blend the soup. I left some chunks just because I like a little texture in my soup. If you don’t have an immersion blender, pour the soup into a blender or food processor and blend until it’s your desired chunkiness.
Garnish with crackers and/or extra chives. Serve after it’s cooled so you don’t burn your tongue like I did. As always, don’t be afraid to go for second helpings!
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