Laura's Healthy Carrot Soup

My cousin Laura is famous for her rich-tasting but still low-calorie soup that uses a combination of potatoes and slow cooking to coax out a cream-like quality without a single drop of cream. It's comfort food during the cold months with possible medicinal qualities – no promises but some do say!

Healthy Carrot Soup ♥ KitchenParade.com, my cousin's famous carrot soup recipe, creamy even though it's made with skim milk, not cream. Weight Watchers Friendly. Budget Friendly. Low Carb. Rave Reviews!

Real Food, Fresh & Flexible. Budget-Friendly. Beautiful Color! Weight Watchers Friendly. Naturally Gluten Free. Vegetarian. Great for Meal Prep. Freezes Well. Rave Reviews!

COMPLIMENTS!
  • "... the best-smellin', best-tastin' soup I've made in a long time!" ~ Beth
  • "I've made this soup twice in the last couple of weeks and love it!" ~ CMN
  • "... so impressed2 weeks ago, that I'm just about to make a double batch to take to church tonight!" ~ Beth
  • "... if the other [Weight Watchers] recipes are as delicious as this, I'm all set!" ~ Katrina
  • "... absolutely yummy! " ~ Vinaya
  • "... my so very non-vegetarian hubby loved it." ~ Sonali
  • "... total hit at our house, even with our 6 year old son. VERY tasty ..." ~ Katrina
BEST RECIPES!

A Family Favorite: Canada & the US

The "Laura" in this healthy carrot soup is one of my Canadian cousins, mom to four energetic kids and a long-time vegetarian. She cooks meat for her family but often slips in meatless soups, stews and main dishes.

This smooth, flavorful carrot soup is a family favorite, hers and mine both. Some swear by its medicinal facilities too. In my book, it tastes as good as chicken soup when you’re down with a cold or the flu. On a damp or chilly day, add a small sandwich for a light, healthful lunch.

Healthy Carrot Soup ♥ KitchenParade.com, my cousin's famous carrot soup recipe, creamy even though it's made with skim milk, not cream. Weight Watchers Friendly. Budget Friendly. Low Carb. Rave Reviews!



LAURA’S HEALTHY CARROT SOUP

Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Time to table: 30 – 40 minutes
Makes 9 cups
  • 4 cups stock, vegetable (for vegetarian) or chicken
  • 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
  • 1 rib celery, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 large potato, skin on, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground dill
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Hot Stock
  • 1-1/2 cups skim milk

HEAT THE STOCK Heat the stock in the microwave until hot. This is an optional step but if timing is important, it does speed up the overall cooking time.

In a large, heavy pot, heat the butter or oil on medium heat until shimmery. Add the onions, celery and garlic as they're prepped, stirring to coat with fat and then occasionally, letting real color develop in the onions and celery.

Stir in the carrots, potato, thyme, dill, salt, pepper and Hot Stock.

STOVETOP OPTION Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to maintain a slow simmer. Let simmer until the carrots are tender, 30 – 40 minutes.

SLOW COOKER OPTION Transfer the ingredients to a slow cooker and let cook on High until the carrots are tender, about 3 hours.

ONCE COOKED Purée in small batches in a blender or food processor. (An immersion blender works too, use it right in the Dutch oven or slow cooker. Do know, the soup's texture is slightly less smooth.) Return the soup to the cooking pan.

ADD MILK Add milk and bring back just to a boil, without allowing to boil. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve immediately or let cool, refrigerate and serve later.

ALANNA's TIPS
  • STOCK This recipe was first written with 4 cups of water mixed with 4 teaspoons instant bouillon or a bouillon cube. That totally works! But these days, I always have a big supply of No-Big-Deal Homemade Chicken Stock usually frozen in canning jars. That totally works too! I thought the salt might need some adjustment but it doesn't.
  • ONIONS Don't just "sweat" the onions, in kitchen lingo that means to gently cook the onions without letting them turn golden. Instead, let some color develop, the extra time enhances the overall flavor. I learned this lesson with the big favorite How to Make Homemade Vegetable Soup.
  • CARROTS The soup will turn out a bit creamier and sweeter if you peel and chop whole carrots. However, the grocery-store bags of peeled carrots are so convenient, don’t hesitate to use them in a rush. I do NOT recommend using those bags of multi-colored orange, purple, yellow and white carrots from Trader Joe's. All good looks, no taste!
  • A LITTLE RICHER? For a richer soup, use 2% or even whole milk. But even with skim milk, this soup already tastes much richer than it is, almost too rich if you're looking for a light soup. Some times I drop back to just one tablespoon of butter or use a smaller potato, since both contribute to the creaminess.
  • ORANGE COLOR Yes, the color really is that orange! Halloween, anyone?
  • MORE CARROT SOUPS? In summer, I love this Chilled Carrot Soup with Honey. For a vegan paleo carrot soup with coconut milk, try Paleo Carrot Soup.
NUTRITION INFORMATION Per Cup: 90 Calories; 3g Tot Fat; 2g Sat Fat; 7mg Cholesterol; 330mg Sodium; 15g Carb; 3g Fiber; 5g Sugar; 2g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS Old Points 1 & PointsPlus 2 & SmartPoints 4 & Freestyle 1 & myWW green 1 & blue 1 & purple 1 CALORIE COUNTERS 100-calorie serving = slightly generous 1 cup (2g protein).

FREEZING LAURA'S HEALTHY CARROT SOUP For a godsend some future busy day, make a double batch, some for now, some for the freezer. So easy. That's my kinda freezer food!

The trick is to freeze the mixture before adding the milk. Two reasons. First, it saves freezer room. Second, milk doesn't freeze well, the carrot and milk will separate, not nice.

Another trick! Without the milk, a double batch fits perfectly into three one-quart containers. I label each container, "Carrot Soup Base. To serve, add 1 cup milk." That means for every quart container, you've got five cups of soup to serve.


More Vegetable Soup Recipes

(hover with a mouse for a description; otherwise click a photo to view the recipe)

Easy-to-Elegant Asparagus Soup Quick Cauliflower (or Broccoli) Soup Very Very Green Green-Pea Soup
How to Make Homemade Vegetable Soup Low Fat Vegetable Soup Sausage & Kale Split Pea Soup
~ more soup recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade

~ Paleo Carrot Soup ~
~ Cream of Broccoli & Carrot Soup ~
~ Chilled Carrot Soup with Honey ~
~ more soup recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture, my food blog about vegetables

Shop Your Pantry First

(helping home cooks save money on groceries)

~ carrots ~
~ potatoes ~

~ All Recipes, By Ingredient ~
~ How to Save Money on Groceries ~

Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. If you make this recipe, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below.

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Alanna Kellogg
Alanna Kellogg

A Veggie Venture is home of "veggie evangelist" Alanna Kellogg and the famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.

Comments

  1. Made this recipe this week and it turned out to be the best-smellin', best-tastin' soup I've made in a long time!

    http://twolittlevikings.blogspot.com/2008/10/two-new-recipes.html

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  2. Anonymous11/09/2008

    I used my faithful pressure cooker and it cut down the cooking time by far:-)

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  3. Was so impressed2 weeks ago, that I'm just about to make a double batch to take to church tonight! Wish me luck! *wink*

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  4. I've made this soup twice in the last couple of weeks and love it! Found it a bit salty the first time, so left out the salt the next.

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  5. MMMMMmmmm. I thought this weight watchers diet would be hard, but if the other recipes are as delicious as this, I'm all set! I don't even usually like cooked carrots- or soup for that matter!- and I found this recipe amazing!!

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  6. Heyy Alanna, I tried this soup tonight..it was absolutely yummy! will definitely make it again :)

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  7. Made this soup last night and my so very non-vegetarian hubby loved it.

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  8. I made this tonight and it was a total hit at our house, even with our 6 year old son. VERY tasty, and I don't even usually like cooked carrots! My only note is that my batch only made 8 cups which brought the WW PointsPlus # to 3 for 1 cup. Still....totally worth it!

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  9. Looks like a great low carb soup. I wonder if I can switch out the potato for a sweet potato. Hey why not? Do you think I can make this without the slow cooker? How long would you think I'd need to cook it?

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  10. Sunny -- Oh! It's "either the stovetop OR the slow cooker" - not both. I need to figure out how to make that more clear.

    As for a sweet potato, sure, go for it. Or maybe turnip or how about this, cauliflower for its extra creaminess?

    Let me know what you do!

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  11. Anonymous1/28/2012

    I don't have any bullion cubes as I cook from scratch. Would you recommend 4 cups of chicken broth or beef broth?

    I can't wait to make this.

    GIna

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  12. Gina ~ Chicken stock would work beautifully, let me know how it goes.

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  13. Anonymous8/10/2012

    I absolutely love love Love this blog... Every recipe I have tried is delicious. Next I am trying the corn cucumber and blueberry recipe. KUDDOS TO YOU LAURA. HERE IS TO NEXT 10 LBS. I LOSE WITH YOUR HELP......Jill

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  14. Has anyone tried this with almond or another non-dairy milk?

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    Replies
    1. Great question! I’ve only made it with regular milk but think that almond milk would be lovely, also soy and oat. If you give it a shot, let me know how it goes! PS I’ve been hankering this soup for a few days now. So good!

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Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. But I also love hearing your reactions, your curiosity, even your concerns! When you've made a recipe, I especially love to know how it turned out, what variations you made, what you'll do differently the next time. ~ Alanna