Carrot, Ginger and Orange Soup – Easy Vegan Recipe

Carrot soup can sometimes be a little bit boring, but adding fresh ginger and orange completely changes it. The carrots bring the sweetness, the ginger gives it some warmth and the orange adds a fresh flavour without making the whole thing taste ridiculously fruity.

I love carrot, ginger and orange soup, particularly during the colder months when I want something warm for lunch but don’t necessarily want a really heavy meal. It’s smooth, simple to make and uses ingredients that are generally quite easy to get hold of.

This recipe makes four portions and takes around 25 minutes. It’s also naturally easy to make vegan because there’s no cream or other dairy needed to give it its smooth texture.

Ingredients for carrot, ginger and orange soup

You’ll need:

• Low-calorie cooking spray
• 4 small onions, roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• A 3-inch piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
• Zest and juice of 2 oranges
• 8–10 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• A large pinch of cayenne pepper, optional
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

It’s quite a forgiving soup when it comes to the carrots. They don’t need to look beautiful or be perfectly uniform because you’re going to blend everything at the end anyway.

If you see bags of wonky carrots reduced or cheaper than the perfectly shaped ones, this is exactly the sort of recipe I’d use them for.

How to make carrot, ginger and orange soup

Spray a large saucepan with low-calorie cooking spray and gently cook the onions until they’ve softened.

Add the garlic, grated ginger and orange zest and cook for another minute.

Pour in the vegetable stock, then add the carrots and cayenne pepper if you’re using it.

Simmer everything until the carrots are tender.

Blend the soup with a hand blender until it’s completely smooth, then stir in the orange juice.

Taste and add salt and black pepper as needed. If blending and adding the orange juice have cooled the soup too much, gently reheat it before serving.

Why add orange to carrot soup?

Carrot and orange work surprisingly well together because they both have a natural sweetness, while the acidity from the orange stops the soup tasting too sweet.

The fresh ginger then gives it another layer of flavour and a little warmth.

I add the orange zest while the soup is cooking but add the juice after blending. That way you’re still getting plenty of fresh orange flavour in the finished soup.

If you’re unsure about fruit in savoury recipes, I wouldn’t compare this to drinking a bowl of orange juice! The orange complements the carrot rather than completely taking over.

How spicy is the ginger?

Three inches of fresh ginger sounds quite a lot, but remember that it’s going into four portions of soup along with 8–10 carrots and a litre of stock.

The ginger is noticeable, which is rather the point of carrot and ginger soup, but the finished flavour also has the sweetness of the carrots and orange.

There’s an optional pinch of cayenne pepper if you want a little more heat. If you’re making it for someone who isn’t keen on spicy food, simply leave that out.

Is carrot, ginger and orange soup vegan?

Yes, it can be.

The main ingredients are vegetables, orange, ginger and vegetable stock, so there is no need for dairy or meat ingredients.

Just check that the vegetable stock and cooking spray you’re using are suitable for vegans if that’s important to you.

You could serve it with a spoonful of vegan crème fraîche or coconut yoghurt if you want something creamy on top, but it doesn’t need either of them.

For more meat-free meal ideas, have a look through my vegetarian and vegan recipes.

Is this suitable for Slimming World?

If you’ve arrived here looking for a Slimming World carrot and ginger soup, the ingredients are fairly straightforward, but I wouldn’t rely on an old Syn value for any recipe.

Plans change and individual branded ingredients can differ, so check your vegetable stock and cooking spray against the current Slimming World information if you’re following the plan.

You can also find lots more ideas in my Slimming World soup recipes collection.

Can I make carrot and ginger soup without the orange?

You can, although obviously you’ll end up with carrot and ginger soup rather than carrot, ginger and orange soup!

If you’re simply missing an orange and need to make lunch, there’s no reason the soup won’t work without it. You may want to taste it after blending and adjust the seasoning because removing both the zest and juice will change the balance of flavours.

I wouldn’t replace the orange juice with bottled orange squash or another sweetened orange drink.

Can I use ground ginger instead of fresh ginger?

Fresh ginger is an important part of the flavour here, so that’s what I’d use when possible.

Ground ginger tastes different and isn’t a straight swap for a three-inch piece of fresh ginger. If you want to experiment with it because that’s all you have, start cautiously rather than replacing it in equal quantities.

For the recipe as written, though, stick with fresh ginger.

Can I make this carrot soup in a soup maker?

The ingredients lend themselves well to soup-maker cooking, but capacities and programmes vary considerably between machines.

In particular, one litre of stock plus all the vegetables may exceed the maximum fill line of some soup makers.

If you want to adapt it, prepare the ingredients and make sure the total amount is within the minimum and maximum levels for your particular machine. Use the smooth soup programme recommended by the manufacturer.

I’d add the orange juice after the cooking programme has finished rather than at the beginning, following the same principle as the hob recipe.

If you use your soup maker regularly, I’ve got plenty more soup maker recipes to try.

What can I serve with carrot, ginger and orange soup?

I’m quite happy with soup and bread, although apparently there are people in the world who consider that insufficient for lunch!

Crusty bread, toast or a bread roll are all easy options. If you want something more substantial, you could have a sandwich alongside it.

You could also top the soup with a little chopped coriander, vegan crème fraîche or coconut yoghurt.

What you add really depends on whether you’re having a small bowl as a starter or relying on it to keep you going until dinner.

Can I make it ahead?

Yes. This is an easy soup to make ahead because it’s blended and doesn’t contain pasta or dairy.

Once cooked, cool it and get it into the fridge promptly in a covered container.

You may find it thickens slightly while it’s stored. If so, add a small amount of water or vegetable stock when reheating until it’s back to the consistency you like.

Can I freeze carrot, ginger and orange soup?

Yes, you can portion the soup and freeze it for another day.

I prefer freezing soup in individual portions because it means I can defrost exactly what I need rather than an enormous container of four portions when I’m the only person who wants it.

Defrost it safely and reheat until steaming hot throughout before serving.

More easy soup recipes

If you’re looking for warming lunches, have a browse through my healthy soup recipes for all my soup ideas in one place.

I’ve also got a collection of healthy winter soup recipes, including lentil, mushroom, butternut squash and pasta soups.

For anyone following Slimming World, my Slimming World soup recipes collection should make it easier to find the recipes most relevant to you without having to search through everything else.

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