Spicy Red Curry Carrot Soup
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Carrots aren’t exactly my favorite vegetable, but there’s something about carrot soup that just hits the spot. And, since it’s a cheap and nutritious vegetable, it’s something that most people keep stocked in their kitchen.
I see a lot of recipes around for Thai-inspired red curry carrot soup, but they all contain coconut milk. Coconut milk is traditionally used to make red curry and…well…most curries in Thailand, but I don’t like pureed soups that are too rich. For some reason, they make me feel nauseated. I also just generally prefer soups with clear broth. Soup with coconut milk is also common in Thailand, but I always ordered clear soups. I just like being slapped in the face with the flavors, I guess?
That’s certainly what this recipe does. Not only is it loaded with red curry paste, but the softened carrots are also pureed with a mixture of roasted tomatoes, garlic, and ginger. There’s an optional topping, too, for those who want an extra punch of heat and flavor: minced and fried garlic, Thai chilis, and kaffir lime leaf.
Despite its intense flavor, this soup is actually pretty light, since it doesn’t contain coconut milk. It makes a great side for dinner, or eaten for lunch with a sandwich. This soup is completely vegan–as long as you check your ingredients!
Notes on the ingredients:
Red curry paste: If you are vegan/vegetarian, make sure your red curry paste does not contain and shrimp or fish ingredients. It’s generally not hard to find a vegan curry paste, but make sure you check before you buy.
Tomato/garlic/ginger mixture: I like roasting tomatoes and garlic together and using it as a base for soups and sauces. Here, I’ve also added ginger.
Oil: I use olive oil, because…well, I always use olive oil. I live in Morocco! You could use any neutral-flavored oil though.
Water: I 100% recommend using water and not vegetable broth here. The red curry paste is already so salty that broth would be overkill.
Salt: Related to the point above: you may not need any extra salt at the end, but taste it anyway to check. Red curry paste is pretty salty, but not all varieties are the same.
Kaffir lime leaf: It’s important that you mince this up as finely as possible and remove any tough, stringy stems. It’ll be easier if you’re using fresh lime leaves. Dry are okay too, but you should soak them in hot water first to soften them. Alternatively, you could skip this ingredient and add some grated lame zest and/or a squeeze of lime juice to the finished soup. You could also use minced ginger in the fried topping instead (it’ll be a different flavor, but it’s still good!).
Recipe:
Spicy Red Curry Carrot Soup
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare vegetables.
- Add tomatoes, garlic, and ginger to a pan and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of oil. Sprinkle with salt and mix the ingredients, either with a spoon or your hands. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until garlic is golden but not burnt and tomatoes are withered.
- Add the rest of the oil to a large pot and heat over medium heat. Add the carrots and cook until they are beginning to brown, about 10-15 minutes.
- Add the curry paste and water. Heat until beginning to boil and turn down to a simmer. Cover and cook until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.
- Add the carrot mixture and tomato mixture to a blender or food processor and blend 1-2 minutes, or until smooth (you may need to do it in batches). Add more water, half a cup at a time, if the consistency is too thick for your liking.
- Return the pureed soup to the pot and bring back to a simmer. Serve immediately with the topping (if desired) or cover and simmer until ready.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add the topping ingredients and fry for 2 minutes, or until garlic is starting to look slightly golden. Immediately spoon evenly over prepared bowls of soup (otherwise the oil may continue cooking the garlic and burn it).
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within a few days. I like to freeze leftovers for easy lunches, too.
Recipes for vegetarian mains:
Based on simple traditional Thai fried rice, this version is vegetarian and is great for a quick, easy weeknight dinner.