Have a bowl of steaming hot, tangy and spicy carrot-ginger soup on a chilly evening, and you will surely crave for seconds! Use fresh carrots and tomatoes for gorgeous color, a little tang and a hint of sweetness. Add in some coconut milk for richness and Thai-style red chili paste for heat. What else could you possibly want?
Good for the body too
Satisfying as this soup is to the palate, the story doesn’t stop with your happy taste-buds! Tomatoes are loaded with lycopene and carrots with beta-carotene, both of which play vital roles in the body. Beta-carotene is converted into Vitamin A in the body, and both substances act as anti-oxidants, free-radical scavengers, anti-cancer agents, etc.; the list just goes on. Contrary to what one might think, cooking actually increases the bio-availability of beta-carotene and lycopene. The coconut milk does its part too: it is not just for flavor Both lycopene and beta-carotene are fat-soluble, which means that the coconut milk helps the body to absorb these nutrients more efficiently.
Carrots also provide dietary fiber, something that many folks typically don’t get enough of. The fresh ginger comes with its own bag of tricks. Well-known for its immunity-boosting properties as well as its ability to calm the digestive tract, the ginger also adds a delightfully spicy kick to the soup. And the chilli paste… well, their capsaicin certainly leaves a burning sensation of spiciness, but also helps fight pain and inflammation.
a fast-fix
Simple to make, the made from scratch soup can be ready in less than 30 min- with proper planning, of course! Start with putting the carrots in a pot of water, simmering until they get cooked in about 10 min. Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes and microwave for a couple of minutes. Blend with a little water and strain to remove seeds and skin. (Check out the detailed directions for doing this in my Easy Tomato Basil Soup recipe). Now blend the cooked carrots with fresh ginger and mix with the strained tomatoes. Add the seasonings and simmer for a few min to blend flavors. Just before serving this tangy and spicy carrot-ginger soup, add in a a bit of cream. That’s it!
Are you a soup-lover, like me? Perhaps you would like to try some of the other sop recipes I have posted on this blog. Here are a few links:
Moroccan-style Lentil Vegetable Soup,
Tangy and Spicy Carrot-Ginger Soup, etc.
Serve this soup with any meal
Serve this super-simple tomato-basil soup with any meal, any cuisine. I like to have it with a simple grilled cheese sandwich – the cheese provides the protein for my meal, since there isn’t much protein in the soup. Sometimes, I just make a bean and spinach quesadilla or taco to have alongside the soup. You really can’t go wrong – keep it simple and give your full attention to enjoying your soup !
The soup is gluten-free, soy-free and dairy-free. If you are vegan and cannot have coconut milk, replace the coconut milk with soy milk or seed milk of your choice ( pumpkin seed milk works very well. If you are not vegan and like dairy cream, that works too!
Tangy and Spicy Carrot-Ginger Soup
Equipment
- Blender for making puree.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Carrots- baby carrots preferred about 200 g; if baby carrots are not available, use mature carrots, diced for faster cooking.
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp fresh ginger- peeled and chopped if fresh is not available, use 1/4 tsp dried ginger powder; add more later, if you like
- 1 1/2 cups tomatoes – fully ripe, deep red, chopped about 3 -medium Roma tomatoes; fully ripe tomatoes feel slightly soft when gently pressed. These will give the best flavor. Cherry tomatoes are not particularly recommended- too many seeds/too much skin. However, can use if that is most easily available- may need to use 1 3/4 cups. Can also use 2 cups of store-bought tomato juice – but canned tomato puree/paste is NOT recommended.
- 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly ground preferred freshly ground black pepper is more flavorful and has a better aroma
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp cayenne – ground (red chilli powder)
- 1/4 tsp cumin ground
- 2 pieces whole star anise if the whole anise has broken up, that's ok – use the equivalent of 2 whole stars; using powdered star anise is not recommended- it will ruin the color of the soup and has a stronger, more pungent flavor. If not available, omit or use 1/2 tsp fennel powder.. Note that the flavor will be distinctly different, although still very good.
- 1 tsp Thai-style red chilli paste I like "Sambal Oelek" chili paste; Sriracha sauce is OK too; Tabasco or other hot sauces are not recommended- they have a very different, somewhat sharper flavor; adjust quantity as per spiciness preference; see Recipe Notes for making fresh chili paste.
- 3 tbsp Coconut milk: divided (2tbsp + 1 tbsp) fresh or canned; do not use low fat coconut milk; can replace with dairy cream, soy milk, or other preferred non-dairy milk
Garnish
- 1/4 cup Fresh Thai Basil leaves – optional about 10-12 leaves – hand-torn to release flavor
- 1/4 cup cup cilantro (fresh coriander) – use if Thai basil is not available OK to use a combination of Thai Basil and Cilantro
- 2 tsp Red chilli oil – optional serve on the side- see Recipe notes for how to make chilli oil.
Instructions
- Cook baby carrots in water on low heat for about 10 min, until soft-cooked. Do not over-cook till mushy, or the color deteriorates. Set aside to cool.Alternatively,,add 1/4 cup water and microwave on hi, for 2 min.
- Meanwhile, prep the ginger and tomatoes
- Chop the tomatoes and microwave on high for 3 min, covered with a vented lid; this allows steam to escape and catches splatters. Alternatively, use 2 cups good quality, store-bought tomato juice. Do NOT use canned tomato puree/paste.
- Blend tomatoes with with 1 cup water; Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Put the skin and seed residue back in the blender, add 1/2 cup water and pulse for 5 seconds; strain again and collect the juice. Makes about 2 cups strained tomato juice; set aside while processing the cooked carrots. Check Recipe notes for the link to my detailed directions for making tomato puree, given in my Easy Tomato Basil Soup recipe.
- Puree the cooked carrots with the cooking liquid and chopped ginger; add more water as needed to blend easily, to a smooth texture. Makes about 2 1/2 cups. puree
- Transfer the pureed tomatoes and carrots to a 2 quart saucepan. Add black pepper, salt, sugar, cayenne, cumin and star anise. Bring to a boil, while stirring, then lower heat and simmer for about 10 min on low heat.
- Add chilli paste and simmer for another min. Turn heat off.
- Just before serving, heat the soup to serving temperature, and stir in 2 tbsp coconut milk
- After serving, drizzle a little coconut milk on the served soup. Serve with chopped cilantro, basil leaves and chili oil on the side.
- Enjoy! Serve alongside sandwiches, quesadillas, tacos, etc.
Notes
- Slit a few fresh red chillis lengthwise; wearing gloves, scoop out the seeds and save them.
- Mince the chillies, then pound them in a mortar and pestle.
- Add a pinch of salt and pound again, being careful not to get any splatter into your eyes; also ,do not touch your face while doing this; the chillies will sting!
- Transfer the pounded chillies to a glass bowl; add the reserved seeds, and a little vinegar – white/red wine vinegar or rice vinegar works very well. Ready to use in about 15-20 min.
- Serve as a spicy condiment to accompany any type of meal.
- In a small glass bowl or jar, add 2 tsp crushed red pepper and 1/2 tsp paprika.
- Add 2 tbsp oil (any oil of your choice – I like to use peanut oil) and stir.Â
- Set aside for a couple of hours to allow the flavors to blend.
- The oil will become brilliant red and spicy.
- Serve as a spicy condiment to accompany any type of meal.
healthy n tasty
It’s nice when food can be both! 🙂
Wonderful in winter and easy to make recipe. That ginger gives that little warmth.
Tried the carrot-ginger soup, Very delicious !!
Thanks Asha. I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Browsing through your Asian segment, I came across this recipe. Simple, ingredients that I already had, and my love for ginger and tomatoes of course! Perfect dinner for a near freezing October evening in Northeast PA. Will try some more in the soup line. Thanks Sushama…still learning from you!🧡
So happy you enjoyed this soup, Jhumri! It’s one of my favorites, too! Thank you for your thoughtful review and star rating! Hope you like the other soups I’ve posted too!