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A very simple but amazingly full-flavored, warming and satisfying Carrot and Cilantro Soup, guaranteed to make you want to make this every single day!
Ingredients you probably already have, a very quick cooking time (under 30 minutes!), you’ll find this creamy carrot soup a lifesaver during the cooler months.
Carrot Soup Recipe
I love having soup, any time of the year, but especially in the cooler months. I think that soup can BE the main meal if it is substantial enough, and you have some crusty bread on the side.
If you are looking for more vegetarian soups, you will love my Vegetable Barley Soup or my White Bean Soup.
This particular carrot soup recipe is one of my all-time favorites. Super simple, and very budget-friendly, it has a fabulous depth of flavor. Velvety smooth and creamy (without even adding cream/sour cream unless you want).
We love it, and it freezes really well. Perfect for pulling out of the freezer for a quick lunch, or for making your dinner stretch a little further!
I love having a big batch of this in the freezer in case we have unexpected guests for lunch or dinner. A soup to start can help stretch the main meal, with very little effort! Carrots, onions and cilantro are things we ALWAYS have, so I can make this from scratch pretty easily too!
I hope you love this recipe as much as I do!
Don’t forget to use the cilantro stems, they are just as tasty as the leaves, and are essential to this soup.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Simple. Easy to find ingredients. No need to hunt anything down at 3 different stores.
- Budget Friendly. Nothing to break the bank over here
- Freezer Friendly. Make a double or triple batch and freeze!
- Diet Friendly. This recipe can be vegan and vegetarian. Be sure to use vegetable stock. It can be dairy free (omit the garnish) and is naturally gluten free.
Ingredient Notes
The full list of ingredients and quantities is found in the printable recipe card below.
- Garlic. Ramp it up or dial it back, depending on your tastes.
- Onion. Dice this up finely so that it blends well at the end.
- Cilantro. This is key, here. We want the cilantro stems as well as the leaves. There is so much flavor in the stems, and they are essential to the deep flavor of the soup.
- Carrots. They do not have to be pretty carrots. A half eaten bag of baby carrots, or some tired looking carrots in the bottom of your fridge will be great. Peeling is optional. Just chunk them up and throw into the pot.
- Vegetable Stock/Vegetable Broth. Make your own vegetable stock, or use store-bought. Chicken stock/chicken broth is also totally acceptable if you don’t care about this being vegetarian.
How to make this recipe
Scroll for Recipe
The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Get prepped
Prepare the ingredients. Chop the carrots, dice the onions, mince the garlic and chop the roots and half the leaves of the cilantro bunch.
Make the soup base
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large soup pot or Dutch oven.
Cook onion, garlic and cilantro roots and leaves in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
Add carrots and turn heat up and allow to cook for a couple of minutes. Let it get really hot, and the carrots begin to brown.
Season with salt and pepper.
Deglaze and add stock
Deglaze the saucepan with a little stock.
Add enough stock (about 3 cups) to cover the ingredients in the pan, bring to a boil then reduce to medium heat, and cook until the carrots are tender, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes.
Puree
Once the carrots are soft, puree the soup in a blender (or use an immersion blender or food processor) so that it is nice and smooth. Add more stock if needed for desired consistency.
Check seasoning and adjust if needed.
Garnish with sour cream, and a fresh cilantro.
Devour.
Kylee’s Notes
Be sure to use ALL of the cilantro, including the stems.
The yogurt dolloped at the end is definitely a good addition, you may also use sour cream if you wish, or heavy cream if you have it.
I recommend low sodium vegetable stock for making this. You control the salt content, and it remains vegetarian for those of you who are into that!
Freezing instructions
This recipe can be frozen after cooking. Ladle into freezer safe containers, leaving plenty of room at the top for when it expands. Seal, label and freeze up to 6 months. Thaw, reheat and enjoy.
More Soup Recipes
Here are some of my favorites:
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup – perfect for feeding the family, and your soul! Enjoy this delicious, rich and flavorful version of a classic.
- Lentil Soup – great as a starter to a main, or as a main itself, this nutritious soup sticks to your ribs and satisfies!
- Butternut Squash Soup (with apple) – my all-time favorite soup, it’s healthy AND low-fat!
- Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup – hearty and warming with just the right amount of spice, blended with cheese, topped off with jalapenos, cilantro, and crispy tortilla strips.
- ALL SOUP RECIPES
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Carrot Cilantro Soup
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 bunch cilantro (including stems, finely chopped)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 5 large carrots (chopped roughly)
- 3 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
To Serve
- 4 Tbs sour cream
- extra cilantro leaves
Directions
- Prepare the ingredients. Chop the carrots, dice the onions, mince the garlic and chop the roots and half the leaves of the cilantro bunch.
- Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large saucepan or dutch oven .
- Cook onion, garlic and cilantro roots and leaves in a large saucepan or dutch oven.
- Add carrots and turn heat up and allow to cook for a couple of minutes. Let it get really hot, and the carrots begin to brown.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Deglaze the saucepan with a little stock.
- Add enough stock (about 3 cups) to cover the ingredients in the pan and cook until the carrots are tender – about 15 minutes.
- Once the carrots are soft, puree in a blender (or use an immersion/stick blender) so that it is nice and smooth. Add more stock if needed for desired consistency.
- Check seasoning and adjust if needed.
- Garnish with sour cream, and a fresh cilantro.
- Devour.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Update: This was originally posted in 2014, and has been updated to improve reader experience.
LVH says
Absolutely delicious soup!! It’s easy to make and it’s ready in a matter of minutes. Sometimes I cook and add quinoa for protein. Great recipe!!
Cassandra says
This was so yummy, such flavor! We got a ton of cilantro in our veggie box this week and I came across this recipe trying to find a soup to use some of it in. I have to admit I was a bit skeptical, but it was delicious, I’d definitely make again and I’ve added it to my favorite recipes. My husband said it was great, he thinks I’m a good cook, but rarely uses such strong adjectives 😂 so take that as a huge compliment!
Eva says
I have this dilemma at home that I love cilantro beyond imagination, and my husband complains that if I put too much he gets the soapy taste. He tolerates a little, but if only I could I would totally use more than he can have. Buut since he is not a big carrot person either, this sounds like the perfect recipe I can enjoy when he’s eating with friends watching football and I’m alone at home. Plus, it would be a healthy one!
Cheryl Medintz says
How many cups will this make? I am serving 6 people so do I have to double
the recipe?
Kylee says
It makes about 1.5 quarts, but will depend on the size of your carrots, how much stock you use and how thick you like it.
Double it anyway, because believe me when I say… you won’t regret having leftovers of this if you actually have any!
Cheryl says
Thanks.
Melanie, MS, RD (@nutritiouseats) says
Cilantro makes everything better. 😉 I am so ready for fall soup like this! Yum!