There is no such thing as distasteful ingredients. With a little bit of creativity, everything can be turned into comfort food- and that is without having to fry it.
It was a cold and dark evening and I looked into the fridge to answer the dreaded question- what shall I make for dinner. I saw plum tomatoes, a bag of cocktail carrots and 1/2 a bunch of spinach that was wilting. So I decided to make soup. Healthy, a tad spicy and warming to the core, this was comforting and filling. Definitely more appetizing than the picture makes it look (clicking liquids has always been a challenge for me!). Add a piece of bread or salad for a wholesome meal, although we thoroughly enjoyed it on it’s own.
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Spicy Tomato Carrot & Spinach Soup
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
Description
This spicy tomato, carrot, and spinach soup is a warm and comforting dish perfect for a cold winter evening, offering a healthy and filling meal with a touch of spice.
Ingredients
- 4 medium plum tomatoes
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) chopped cocktail carrots
- 1/4 onion, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, diced or crushed
- 1 cup (240 ml) baby spinach leaves
- 1/2 tsp basil flakes
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) whole milk
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups (480 ml) water
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the tomatoes and carrots, and cook until the carrots are soft and the tomatoes are blanched enough for their skins to come off, about 10-12 minutes.
- Remove the pot from heat. Carefully transfer the tomatoes and carrots to a blender, adding 1 cup of the cooking water. Blend until smooth.
- In the same pot, heat a little oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and garlic, and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Return the blended tomato and carrot mixture to the pot. Stir in the spinach leaves, basil flakes, cayenne pepper, and salt to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes until the spinach is wilted.
- Stir in the whole milk and heat through, but do not bring to a boil. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Serve hot, with a piece of bread or salad on the side if desired.
Notes
- For a creamier texture, you can use an immersion blender directly in the pot.
- Adjust the cayenne pepper to your spice preference.
- This soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently to avoid curdling the milk.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 24
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 10
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why boil the tomatoes and carrots first before blending?
Boil the 4 plum tomatoes and ½ cup carrots in 2 cups of water for 10–12 minutes until the carrot softens and the tomato skins loosen enough to slip off. Transfer them to a blender with 1 cup of cooking liquid, leave the skins behind, and you get a smooth, velvety base without a food mill.
Why add the milk at the very end and keep it from boiling?
Stir in ¼ cup whole milk after the spinach has wilted, then heat through without boiling. Reheat gently to avoid curdling the milk — high heat causes the milk proteins to separate and creates an unpleasant grainy texture in the soup.
Can I make this soup smoother or change its texture?
Yes — use an immersion blender directly in the pot for a creamier texture. The soup also keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, making it a practical meal-prep option.
made this on a grim evening with whatever was in the drawer, went easy on the cayenne for the kids and kept it off the boil once the milk went in like it says, really good
made it pretty much as written and it was fine but honestly a bit thin for me, i ended up blitzing half of it and throwing in a potato the second night which sorted it out.
Perfect for using up the sad carrots in my drawer.
Great way to use up sad fridge veg, i threw in some extra spinach and it blended so smooth.
So cozy and good on a cold day.