Spanish-Style Carrot Soup (Sopa de Zanahoria)
Creamy carrot soup is a classic recipe all over the world and this version has a Spanish twist. Rich and creamy, warming, and loaded with flavor, carrot soup is a hard recipe to beat on a cold wooly day. It’s the perfect comfort food that I think is always best enjoyed with lots of fresh bread.
Ingredients Used
Of course, one of the best things about this recipe is the simplicity of ingredients used, and in its most basic form, can be prepared with just 5 core ingredients: carrots, onion, garlic, cream, and stock.
There are many variations of this recipe, but I find that adding some smoked paprika and a dash of seasoning is all you need to transform this recipe and make your carrot soup something special. I also love to add a drizzle of olive oil over the top, probably a tip (and obsession) I picked up from how they sometimes serve gazpacho or salmorejo here.
Carrots
Come wintertime, carrots are an inexpensive ingredient that is abundant in fresh food and grocery stores. Many fresh food stores have an oversupply of excellent quality carrots and sell carrots in huge bags or sacks of around 11-12 pounds (5kg).
When buying carrots, aim for smaller carrots around 6-10 inches/15-25 cm in length. Smaller carrots tend to be sweeter and have a better flavor when simmered down in soups.
I keep the carrot skins on (unpeeled) and just ensure they have been cleaned and there is no dirt or grit on the skins. A lot of the nutrients from the carrots lie just under the skin. Of course, if you prefer, you can peel your carrots, just allow a little extra prep time. You can save the peel and ends to go in the veggie broth.
Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Cream Alternative
I opted to use coconut milk to keep this recipe vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free. And while coconut milk is definitely not a pantry staple in Spain, it’s easy enough to find on most supermarket shelves and adds a delicious quality to the soup. Goya, a large Spanish brand, even sells its own brand of coconut milk.
Of course, if you have no dietary objections to normal cooking cream, it can also be used. Milk also works, however the end result is a thinner soup consistency so it’s best to use cream whenever possible.
Smoked Paprika
Paprika is one of the most commonly used spices in Spanish cooking. Adding just a teaspoon of good quality smoked Spanish paprika (Pimentón de la Vera) really helps to create a rich smoky flavor that’s both warming and delicious.
Smoked paprika is not overly ‘spicy’, however, it does add a subtle warmth. If you want to add more heat to your carrot soup recipe, we suggest adding ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
Vegetable Broth
Homemade or store-bought vegetable broth can be used for this recipe. Homemade veggie broth is super easy to make and does not require a huge amount of attention. I like to make a large batch of vegetable broth in advance and store it in the fridge or freezer for use later, that way it’s there when you need it and you don’t have to get the pot out each time!
Homemade broth will last up to 4 days in the fridge or up to 3 months when frozen in an airtight container.
Here’s what you’ll need to make homemade veggie broth:
- 3 carrots cut into chunks (you can include the ends in stock))
- 2 onions skin on, quartered
- 3.5 oz/100 g peas or your choice of green veg
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- Handful of parsley with stalks
- Handful of thyme or rosemary
- 66 fl oz/2 liters of water
Method: Add everything to a large pot (make sure the water is only just covering the vegetables) and bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
You can add pretty much any veg to veggie stock, so use the ingredients above as a guideline. If you have zucchini or other veg lying around or in the fridge, pop them in. You’ll find some more ideas on veg to go into vegetable broth here and a very detailed explanation on preparing it and storing it.
How to Get the Perfect Carrot Soup Consistency
Getting an extra smooth and creamy carrot soup is not super difficult, although it does require one extra step after blending the soup. Blend your soup batches and then pour the blended soup through a sieve and remove any of the lumps (see video). This will result in a rich and creamy carrot soup that has no lumps or bits.
Serving Tips
Sprinkle a dash of smoked paprika over the top of the soup and then drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil and/or coconut milk over the top. If you want a little extra color, a few leaves of cilantro or fresh parsley are a great option.
Looking for More Hot Soups or Stews?
- Spanish garlic soup (sopa de ajo) – this is a vegetarian recipe since it has egg in it. It’s a deliciously rich soup with fried garlic, paprika, and sherry vinegar.
- Spicy pumpkin soup with paprika oil and chorizo – pumpkin (or butternut squash) and carrots are roasted with chili, cumin, and paprika, and it also comes with chorizo and cream.
- Spanish bean stew (Fabada Asturiana) – this classic Asturian recipe combines pancetta, chorizo, morcilla, and broad beans to make a tasty and hearty stew.
- Spicy Spanish pork stew – an easy one-pot recipe that combines various cuts of pork and sausage with smoked paprika and chilies for a delicious warming recipe perfect for serving the masses.
- Chickpea stew (potaje de garbanzos) – a vegan, one-pot recipe that’s as healthy as it is delicious. It features loads of veggies, herbs, and spices!
- Spinach and chickpea soup with lemon and smoked paprika – a delicious and healthy soup that combines traditional Spanish ingredients with a twist of lemon.
