Curried Carrot and Red Pepper Soup

This is a nut-free, delicious, creamy, vegan soup that is easy to prepare and packed with nutrients. This curried soup is perfect for a weeknight meal with a salad and a garlic toast.

Nowadays it is cold and I am yearning for a steaming bowl of soup for dinner. Especially when it involves very less prep work. This recipe uses frozen carrots and roasted red peppers. Whenever I find time, or when I have surplus veggies, I chop the veggies and freeze them for days when time is a big factor to bring a comfy homemade meal to the table. During summer, I roast red peppers and freeze them too. This adds to the color and flavor in this soup. Store bought roasted red peppers also work great in this recipe.

Now coming to the creamy part…… this is a vegan soup and there is no cream added. It doesn’t have coconut milk or nuts to give the creamy texture. The secret is ….. it is very simple. A little garbanzo beans give the creamy consistency in this soup. The garbanzo beans add to the flavor as well as nutrition in this soup. Now who wouldn’t love this simple and tasty soup.

If you have time and plan well ahead, soak the garbanzo beans for 8 hours, pressure cook them and use in this recipe. Canned garbanzos work great. For flavor variation, try using cannellini beans or northern beans. In fact, sky's the limit, play around with different beans as they give different flavors and nutrition profile. Just keep in mind, little goes a long way to give the creamy texture. 

This soup is a great idea to make when you want to make a quick meal, or when you want to empty your freezer or fridge. Juli is hosting an event this month in our #soupsaturdayswappers group with the theme of using frozen veggies or fruits. We share soup recipes on every third Saturday of the month. For this month’s theme, this creamy soup is my share.

Here are some great recipes using carrots

Spicy Vegan Carrot dip

Carrot slaw

Carrot Ginger Soup

Carrot Halwa Icecream

Carrot Halwa

Carrot Fries

If you are looking for some comforting sups, here are a few from the blog.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Vichyssoise 

Vegan Curried Cabbage Soup

Kale and Pasta Minestrone 

Simple Tomato Soup

I am also linking this to Happiness is Homemade, Thursday Favorite Things, Full Plate Thursday, and What’s For Dinner.

Ingredients 

Serves 4-6

Onion - ½ cup, finely chopped

Garlic - 1 tbsp, chopped

Celery - ½ cup, chopped

Carrots - 3 cups, frozen

Roasted red peppers- 1 cup, frozen or jar

Garbanzo beans - 1/2 cup

Salt - 1.5 tsp

Curry powder - 2 tsp

Whole black pepper - ½ tsp

Water - 3 cups

Cilantro - ¼ cup, finely chopped

Oil - 1 tsp

Lime juice - 1 tbsp

Lime wedges to serve

Method

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pot. Add the onions, garlic, and celery. Sauté for 4 minutes. 

When the onions turn translucent, add the curry powder and sauté for a minute.

Add the whole black pepper, salt, and frozen carrots, followed by a cup of water. Bring it to a boil, simmer for 3-4 minutes.

Add the garbanzo beans and roasted red peppers. Cook for 2 minutes.

Transfer to the blender and blend to a smooth purée. 

Transfer to the pot and rinse the blender with 2 to 2.5 cups of water. Adjust the salt and pepper as per taste. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Switch off the flame.

Stir in the lime juice. Garnish with cilantro and serve with toast or croutons.