Creamy Chipotle Carrot Soup

It kind of feels like we’ve only been talking about Thanksgiving dishes for about a month (not really, but it feels that way). And while I love a flavorful meatball recipe, a decadent pie (or two), and cheesy casseroles, I think my body has been craving a good dose of vegetables. And that’s one reason to love this soup—it’s a hearty and warm meal packed with lots of vegetables, including a good amount of carrots. Hello, vitamin A!

I think there’s sometimes a misconception out there that completely plant-based soups (vegan/no dairy) can’t be creamy. Not true! This is a great example a soup made almost entirely of vegetables (there’s a little olive oil, non-dairy milk, and some spices) and it’s super comforting and creamy. Plus, it strikes a delicious balance between the sweetness of the carrots and the spice from the chipotle pepper. Yum! Maybe tuck this one away for when you need a break from decadent holiday food for a minute.

Chipotle Carrot Soup, makes 2-3 servings

1 lb. carrots
1 russet potato
5 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1-2 tablespoon olive oil
2 bay leaves
2 cups vegetable stock
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1 cup almond or cashew milk
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onions

Peel the carrots and potato and give them a rough chop. In a large pot, add the olive oil and saute the onions and garlic for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, until soft. Then add the carrots and potatoes and cook for another minute. Season with a little salt and pepper.

Turn the heat down to low and add the vegetable stock and bay leaves. Cover and allow that to simmer for an hour, until the potatoes and carrots are very soft. Remove the bay leaves, add the chipotle pepper, and puree the soup. You can do this in a blender or with an immersion blender right in the pot.

Add the almond or cashew milk and stir to combine. Continue cooking over low heat until everything has warmed through. Taste and add additional salt and pepper to your liking.

Add the chives or green onions just before serving. Any soup you don’t consume the day you make this just store in an airtight container and rewarm when you want to eat it. As the soup cools, it will thicken, but when you rewarm it, it will thin back out. If it seems too thick upon rewarming it, you can thin it out some with vegetable stock, almond/cashew milk, or water. Enjoy! xo. Emma

Notes: You can swap out the russet potato for a sweet potato if you want a little more sweetness and even more vitamins/nutrients.

Any non-dairy milk can work here. I’ve suggested almond or cashew but soy would also be good. I recently discovered Ripple milk and I think the original, unsweetened version is great in soups!

If you are enjoying this as part of the Weekday Weekend challenge, be sure to find a brand of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce that doesn’t contain added sugars. If you’re unable to, you can swap that out for some cayenne or red pepper flakes. I’d start with 1/4 teaspoon stirred into the final soup and add more as you prefer.

Credits // Author and Photography: Emma Chapman. Photos edited with ACS for Desktop.

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Chipotle Carrot Soup

Ingredients

• 1 lb. carrots
• 1 russet potato
• 5 cloves of garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 1-2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
• 1 cup almond or cashew milk
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onions

Instructions

1. Peel the carrots and potato and give them a rough chop. In a large pot, add the olive oil and saute the onions and garlic for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, until soft. Then add the carrots and potatoes and cook for another minute. Season with a little salt and pepper.

2. Turn the heat down to low and add the vegetable stock and bay leaves. Cover and allow that to simmer for an hour, until the potatoes and carrots are very soft. Remove the bay leaves, add the chipotle pepper, and puree the soup. You can do this in a blender or with an immersion blender right in the pot.
3. Add the almond or cashew milk and stir to combine. Continue cooking over low heat until everything has warmed through. Taste and add additional salt and pepper to your liking.

4. Add the chives or green onions just before serving. Any soup you don’t consume the day you make this, just store in an airtight container and rewarm when you want to eat it. As the soup cools, it will thicken, but when you rewarm it it will thin back out. If it seems too thick upon rewarming it, you can thin it out some with vegetable stock, almond/cashew milk, or water.

Recipe Notes

You can swap out the russet potato for a sweet potato if you want a little more sweetness and even more vitamins/nutrients. Any non-dairy milk can work here. I’ve suggested almond or cashew but soy would also be good. I recently discovered Ripple milk and I think the original, unsweetened version is great in soups! If you are enjoying this as part of the Weekday Weekend challenge, be sure to find a brand of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce that doesn’t contain added sugars. If you’re unable to, you can swap that out for some cayenne or red pepper flakes. I’d start with 1/4 teaspoon stirred into the final soup and add more as you prefer.