carrot coconut soup.

February 25, 2014 § 2 Comments

News flash: It’s still winter.

Maybe it was a dream, but this past Saturday I took a long walk with my Mom in near-60 degree sunshine. The strange, glorious warmth was a reminder that Spring is coming. And also that I am really, really pale. It happens.

For now, I’m still meandering around the house moaning about how cold I am (“Toughen up!” says Ty), snuggling up in fleece blankets, sipping the occasional (nightly) glass of wine, and making pot fulls of soup and chili.

Like this Carrot Coconut Soup! Quick soups like this are the best.

For such a simple soup, it packs a lot of flavor and spicy kick. Also, I love a bright, orange soup!

Carrot Coconut Soup

Recipe directly from Shutterbean (with just the teensiest of modifications)

I found this serves 2-3 generously – double if you want leftovers!

What you need:

4 tablespoons butter (unsalted)
1 pound of carrots, peeled & chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups chicken broth (fat-free & low sodium)
1 14 oz. can low-fat coconut milk
1 tablespoon sambal oelek (found in the Thai section of your grocery)
sriracha sauce
fresh cilantro (optional for topping)

What to do:

As always, prep work first! Peel and chop your carrots. Peel and chop your onion. Done!

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt. Once butter has melted, add the chopped carrots and onion. Season with salt and black pepper. Continue to stir until carrots are softened. This will take about 20 minutes. Now, stir in the chicken broth and coconut milk. Also add the tablespoon of sambal oelek, if desired. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 45 minutes. Vegetables should become very soft.

Remove the soup from heat, then puree with an immersion blender. Serve the soup with a dash of sriracha and cilantro.

Note: If you don’t want the soup to be too spicy, but still want some kick, eliminate the sambal oelek. If you want a mild, sweet carrot soup, skip the sambal oelek and sriracha altogether.