Carrot-Ginger Zinger Soup Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Make Ahead

by: Kallee Lins

January5,2015

4

2 Ratings

  • Serves 6

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

I first discovered Szechuan pepper in Bon Appetit’s recipe for Spicy Pork and Mustard Greens Soup. With its warm, peppery flavor that slowly builds, it’s usually used in fatty dishes -- but I thought its citrus overtones would be perfect for this light, yet seasonal soup with carrots and butternut squash. Hypothesis confirmed!

I drizzled some nutty lemon-tahini dressing on top. If you don't want a whole batch, just mix a little bit of tahini with lemon juice and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. —Kallee Lins

Test Kitchen Notes

Carrot-ginger soup is a staple, and this one is no different. There are lots of ingredients going on: butternut squash, apple, and cumin. I love the addition of cumin because it gives a depth of flavor that is needed. Otherwise, the carrots and ginger shine through as the dominant flavors in the dish. The author doesn't state what kind of apple to use, but I had Granny Smith on hand -- I wonder if a sweeter apple might add a bit more sugar to the recipe to balance the flavors even more. —DeannaMarie

  • Test Kitchen-Approved
Ingredients
  • 4 cupsdiced carrots
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed
  • 1 apple, peeled and diced
  • 2 cupsbutternut squash, diced
  • 2 tablespoonscoconut oil
  • 4 cupsvegetable broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoonred pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoonSzechuan peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoonfreshly grated ginger
  • 1 teaspooncumin seeds
  • salt and pepper to taste
Directions
  1. Heat the coconut oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and garlic.
  2. When onions are translucent, add in the carrots, Szechuan pepper, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, and cumin, and grate in the ginger. Cook for a minute or two until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the broth and bring to a simmer. As the carrots begin to soften, add in the butternut squash. Cover the pot.
  4. When both carrots and squash are tender, add in the diced apple. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
  5. Remove the bay leaves. Season with a few large pinches of coarse salt.
  6. Remove the pot from the heat and blend with immersion blender. Alternatively, ladle soup into a standing mixer, blend until smooth, and return to the pot.

Tags:

  • Soup
  • Vegetable
  • Butternut Squash
  • Carrot
  • Cumin
  • Ginger
  • Make Ahead
  • One-Pot Wonders
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Thanksgiving
  • Gluten-Free
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  • Your Best Restorative Recipes

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  • Deborah Lowry

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10 Reviews

megdujour October 6, 2020

The flavor of this was delicious! The whole house kept commenting on how nice this smelled simmering on the stove. The only thing I would note is that the Szechwan peppercorns should be ground. I used whole, thinking that the immersion blender would take care of it, but there were little "shells" throughout the soup. This is on me, but just something for everyone to be aware of! I also didn't bother dicing everything small. Just did a rough chop on the veg as well as the garlic and ginger. I finished with (non-vegan) butter and a swirl of Greek yogurt.

Ayano S. October 10, 2018

Very good too much pepper (heavy hand) but supper yum. More apple next time!

Deborah L. September 7, 2018

Delicious soup! Definitely reduce pepper flakes IMO. I used 1/2 t. And that made for a pretty fiery soup. Fortunately, I like that.

FrugalCat December 28, 2017

I loved this soup. However, I took it away from vegan by using sour cream instead of tahini.

Koinohana February 14, 2015

Totally overlooked the Apple in the recipe and used the only fruit I had left in the house, a Bartlett pear. It's sweetness blended quite smoothly with the carrot and squash. I also garnished the soup with pieces of applewood bacon. Divine!

krystine February 5, 2015

this soup was amazing! especially with the addition of the lemony tahini dressing . the only thing i would do differently next time is cut the red pepper flakes down to a half teaspoon. the spice was a little overwhelming. but other than that it was perfect.

Mariana B. February 3, 2015

Great, healthy and easy. I cooked it and it was awesome.

Kallee L. February 2, 2015

Thanks for the review, DeannaMarie! I definitely used a gala apple. It wasn't a conscious choice to go with a sweeter apple to balance out the flavours, but I think that's exactly what happened. So glad you thought about that!

em-i-lis January 19, 2015

What a lovely soup! I had a beautiful bag of fresh baby carrots from our farmers market so made this soup for dinner tonight. I was certain I had coconut oil but found that I didn't, so subbed canola oil and feel that worked well. Likewise, I only had ground szechuan pepper so used about a 1/4 teaspoon of that and then halved the amount of red pepper flakes, in part because I know how fresh and piquant mine are.
This was a good decision because the full heat may have overwhelmed the more delicate flavors of the veggies.
All that to be said that I really enjoyed this soup. It's a beautiful color of orange and feels much more decadent, calorically, than it is. It's fresh, carroty and each bite made me want another. I stirred in some creme fraiche to tame some of the spice, and found that it not only did so beautifully but also lent a lovely sweet creaminess that enhanced that provided by the pureed carrots, squash and apple.
The cumin is a nice touch!
Thanks!

Kallee L. January 19, 2015

So glad you enjoyed it! And I'm happy to hear the spices balanced nicely for you. I think my red pepper flakes are due to be replaced... they never perk things up as much as I expect them too.
I'll have to try adding a dollop of crème fraîche next time. Thanks for the tip :)

Carrot-Ginger Zinger Soup Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What is carrot ginger soup made of? ›

All you need are carrots, onions, butter, a little ginger, a few strips of orange peel, some stock, water, and salt. The soup comes together in less than an hour, prep included.

Why is my carrot soup bland? ›

Try adding salt. For my taste buds, the majority of the flavor in broth comes from the salt and the roasted bones/veggies. If it is bland it may need salt.

What does carrot and ginger do to the body? ›

Ginger root is known for its antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties whilst carrots are high in beta-carotene, which may assist in promoting vision, reducing the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

Why is my carrot ginger soup bitter? ›

Sometimes the inner core of the carrots also taste a bit bitter, so you can remove them if you like. However, fixing the bitterness in your ginger and carrot soup isn't difficult. Simply counteract the bitterness with more sweetness (honey or agave), acidity (orange juice), and/or salt till it tastes the way you like!

Is carrot soup a laxative? ›

The significant amount of fibre in carrots help ensure bowel regularity, as fibre makes the stool bulky and helps it pass smoothly through the digestive tract - this further keeps constipation at bay. A healthy digestive system is known to be linked with healthy weight loss as well.

Should I saute carrots before adding to soup? ›

While certain vegetables can work just fine added directly to simmering soups and stews (say, carrots and celery), other vegetables (onions, garlic, and the like) will almost always need at least a brief sweat in a fat-based liquid before adding the remaining ingredients.

How to add depth of flavor to soup? ›

"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says. The choice of ingredient depends on the recipe, though.

Why is ginger soup good for you? ›

Ginger is loaded with antioxidants, compounds that prevent stress and damage to your body's DNA. They may help your body fight off chronic diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, and diseases of the lungs, plus promote healthy aging.

What are carrot and ginger examples of? ›

Herbs are those plants whose stems are soft green and perishable. They have a very short life span of one or two seasons. Herbs are Wheat, Paddy (Rice), Cabbage, Tomato, Mustard, Radish, Sunflower, Carrot, Ginger, and Turnip.

Why is carrot soup good for you? ›

At the heart of this soup are carrots, packed with beta-carotene. Upon cooking, the carrots release carotenoids that convert to Vitamin A, a crucial nutrient that supports vision and eye health. Vitamin A also regenerates damaged collagen, keeping your skin looking youthful and fresh.

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