Carrot Soup for Easter – every bunny is going to love this!

Cream of Carrot Soup in my Grandma
Richardson's china soup bowls.

I needed a soup for Easter to put in the elegant soup bowls that are part of my Grandmother Richardson’s set of china. These bowls don’t hold much; they are definitely first course soup bowls.

Because it’s Easter, I naturally thought of carrot soup. Although I like carrots – both raw and cooked, I still have nightmares about the carrot juice that my mother MADE me drink daily . . . she thought it would improve my eyesight. It didn’t! 

Be assured—this soup is creamy and packed with flavor, and nothing like that nasty carrot juice from yonder years!

Creamy Carrot Soup  Makes 4 3/4 cups

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 to 4 cups chicken broth

1 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced

½ teaspoon of Kosher salt

½ teaspoon white pepper

2 to 3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Pinch of curry powder

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

3/4 cup heavy cream

Sour cream

Thyme leaves for garnish

1. In a large pan, over medium high heat, heat butter and olive oil; add onions and cook, stirring often, until onions are limp.
   
2. Add 3 cups broth, carrots, salt and pepper, thyme leaves, curry and brown sugar.
   
3. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender when pierced.
   
4. Remove from heat, cool and transfer to a blender*, or use a handheld blender and blend soup in the cooking pot. Note: At this point I cooled and refrigerated soup and then proceeded with the next step on the following day.
   
5. Reheat the blended soup, and add cream. Add additional 1 cup of broth depending on the consistency you prefer for the soup. (I did not add any additional broth.)
6. Heat over medium-high until soup is hot. Taste and adjust seasonings.
7. Ladle into bowls and garnish with dollop sour cream** and thyme leaves.

*If using a countertop blender: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

Recipe without photos . . .

Creamy Carrot Soup  Makes 4 3/4 cups

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 to 4 cups chicken broth

1 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced

½ teaspoon of Kosher salt

½ teaspoon white pepper

2 to 3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Pinch of curry powder

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

3/4 cup heavy cream

Sour cream

Thyme leaves for garnish

1. In a large pan, over medium high heat, heat butter and olive oil; add onions and cook, stirring often, until onions are limp.
2. Add 3 cups broth, carrots, salt and pepper, thyme leaves, curry and brown sugar.
3. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender when pierced.
4. Remove from heat, cool and transfer to a blender*, or use a handheld blender and blend soup in the cooking pot. Note: At this point I cooled and refrigerated soup and then proceeded with the next step on the following day.
5. Reheat the blended soup, and add cream. Add additional 1 cup of broth depending on the consistency you prefer for the soup. (I did not add any additional broth.)
6. Heat over medium-high until soup is hot. Taste and adjust seasonings.
7. Ladle into bowls and garnish with dollop sour cream** and thyme leaves.

*If using a countertop blender: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.