After two years of living in Thailand, I submit that everything is made better with coconut milk. Soups in this country are remarkable things, intensely flavored with rich broths, fresh spices, and often, with sweet, creamy coconut milk. The fresh stuff has consistently proven to be an odyssey for me to obtain, but I keep the infinitely more accessible store-bought variety in my pantry all the time. It makes me think that veganism wouldn’t be half bad. I’d take coconut milk over the dairy version just about any day of the week.
I made carrot soup twice last week. The first version was pretty standard – a bit of cumin, but no cream or milk. It was good, and we ate every last spoonful, but it left me wanting more. Something with the slightest indication of heat and even more fragrant spice to complement the carrots. Something with coconut milk. The carrots really found their groove in this version of the soup. It was a subtle shift that made a huge difference. And don’t miss those pepitas (pumpkin seeds) on top – they are toasty and crunchy and pretty, to boot. 
Curried Carrot Soup
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Curried Carrot Soup combines the sweetness of carrots with the creamy richness of coconut milk and the warmth of curry, topped with crunchy pepitas for a delightful texture contrast.
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1/2 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 2.5 pounds carrots, diced
- 1 regular yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
- 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place a soup pot over medium heat. Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil and add the pepitas. Cook the pepitas, stirring frequently, until they turn golden and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Transfer the pepitas to a paper towel-lined plate to cool.
- In the same pot, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the diced carrots and chopped onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add the yellow curry powder and stir to coat the vegetables, cooking for an additional 1 minute until the spices are fragrant.
- Pour in the coconut milk and vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer until the carrots are very tender, about 20-25 minutes.
- Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Alternatively, transfer the soup in batches to a blender and blend until smooth, then return it to the pot.
- Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with the toasted pepitas.
Notes
I used mild yellow curry powder (such as Madras powder) in my version, but you could easily use just about any variety of curry paste in this recipe – red, yellow, or panang. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave. For a spicier version, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a chopped chili pepper when cooking the onions.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 14
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 7
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 0
The question mark on the coconut milk amount translates into what?
Thanks for catching that, Claudia! It should amount to 2/3 of a cup. It has been updated. Happy cooking!