
Brian Samuels is a Boston-based event and food photographer and…
Brian Samuels serves a gorgeously colored gluten free carrot and apple soup.
By Brian Samuels
I get a kick out of absurdly colored dishes. A childishness errupts from me and a brilliant smile forms. Bright reds and purples will make me giggle with joy.
Turning these wonderfully sweet purple carrots into soup seemed like the appropriate thing to do, given the cold weather we’ve had (well, sometimes it’s been unseasonably warm, but that makes the chill all the more unbearable).
It’s a simple recipe, and it’s one that can easily be adapted based on your diet. As is, the recipe is gluten-free. But with a few alterations, it can easily become a vegan dish.
I also happened to have some beautiful lavender salt that enhanced the earthiness of the soup. A friend gave it to me as a gift a few years ago and, once in a while, I’ll toss a little of it on top of salad or pasta. It seemed as good a time as any to use it on this soup.
The lavender salt is a nice touch, but it’s certainly not expected that everyone will have it on hand. If you can get some, great. If not, a sprinkle of Kosher salt will do too.
Brilliant Colors – Purple Carrot and Apple Soup
Brian Samuels serves a gorgeously colored gluten free carrot and apple soup.
- Author: Brian Samuels
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 5 medium purple carrots, peeled, ends trimmed, and cut into 1 inch circles
- 2 medium sweet apples (such as Gala apples), peeled, cored and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp. honey
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 16 ounces vegetable stock
- Salt and white pepper, to taste
- Greek yogurt, optional
- Lavender salt (or Kosher salt), optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a medium pot and set to medium heat. Add the purple carrots, apples, honey, and ginger to the pot and toss to combine. Add vegetable stock and simmer over medium heat. Let simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes. Once the carrots and apples are tender, take off of heat and let cool.
- Using an immersion blender (or you can do it in batches in a regular blender), puree the soup until it is smooth. Add more vegetable stock if it is too thick. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Let the soup simmer for another 15 minutes before serving. Ladle into bowls and serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of lavender salt (or just regular Kosher salt will do).

Brian Samuels is a Boston-based event and food photographer and writer. He is the creator of the food blog, A Thought For Food, a collection of recipes, personal anecdotes, and historical information pertaining to cooking. In 2011, his blog was featured as one of Saveur's "Sites We Love". His work has also been regularly featured on The Kitchn, Tastespotting, and FoodGawker.