Creamy Carrot Soup

Experimenting with food gives me a chance to learn something new every day. I’ve been playing around with a carrot soup recipe for over a year, adding or taking away ingredients each time I whipped up a batch. The goal was to come up with a rich, creamy carrot soup, so my original recipe included half-and-half. I didn’t add diary the last few times I prepared the soup using a new method.  The result? A silky soup sans the bloat. For those who can’t live without dairy, this soup pairs nicely with a cheddar grilled cheese sandwich. 

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

5 cups chopped carrots

2 1/2 cups chopped celery stalk

1 medium white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

2 cups cold water

4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons nutmeg

In a Dutch oven, heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add onion and celery. Cook until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and stir.

Add carrots and stir for a few seconds. Add broth and water and turn up to high heat. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium. Cook until ingredients are tender for about 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat. Add salt and nutmeg and stir.

Using a ladle, transfer soup in batches to a blender and puree until smooth, about 3 minutes. Carefully pour into bowls. For leftovers, store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.