Creamy Carrot Pumpkin Coconut Ginger Soup

Now that it’s starting to cool down and we are officially past summer and into fall, I’ve been wanting all the comforting, grounding foods, and soups are at the top of my list.

This carrot pumpkin coconut soup ginger soup feels like fall in a bowl, and is the perfect easy weeknight dinner.

I recently had a carrot ginger soup at my office’s cafeteria and knew I needed to recreate it, with my own spin of course.

WHY IT’S GOOD FOR YOU

• Bone broth adds some sneaky protein to this veggie-based soup, and is also a great source of collagen & gelatin, which contain super important amino acids (that most of us don’t get enough of) like glycine, proline, glutamine (all powerhouses for gut health & immunity), plus compounds like hyaluronic acid & glucosamine (think skin & joint health). Swapping bone broth for a traditional broth is such a great way to up the nutritional density of your meals!
• Ginger & garlic are often used in ancient healing traditions and herbal medicine for their natural antimicrobial properties (also been shown in modern studies) – great for flu season!
• Carrots & pumpkin are rich in beta-carotene (its what makes them orange) – a powerful antioxidant which your body converts to the active form of Vitamin A
• Cauliflower adds some extra fiber (and you will never taste it)
• Coconut milk provides healthy fats to keep you full!

RECIPE: WHAT YOU NEED

(Makes 2 servings) 

• 3 cups chopped carrots
• 1 cup chicken bone broth (I used Kettle & Fire)
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1/2 cup cauliflower (I used frozen riced cauliflower)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1-2 inch chunk of fresh ginger
• 2 tsbp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
• 1/2 tsp pepper (or more to taste)
• Juice of 1/2 lime

HOW TO MAKE IT

1. Start by dicing the onion, garlic, and fresh ginger (peeled), and add all to a large sauce san over medium heat with 1 tbsp olive oil. Cook until onions are soft (~5 minutes), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking/burning
2. Dice carrots and add to the pot. Let cook for a few minutes to soften, then add bone broth. Brining to a low-boil for ~3 minutes, then reduce to medium heat. *Note – I used pre-cooked riced cauliflower from Trader Joes – if using raw cauliflower, add it now as well
3. Once carrots are soft (~15 minutes), add the canned pumpkin, cooked riced cauliflower, and coconut milk. Stir and cook ~5 minutes on low heat
4. Blend! Either transfer to a Vitamix or use an immersion blender in the pan to blend until smooth
5. Season! Add salt, pepper, and lime juice (feel free to adjust to taste)

If you’re newer to cooking, blended soups are an amazing place to start because they are nearly impossible to mess up! I always recommend seasoning slowly and adding more along the way to get it just where you want it.

Do you have any favorite fall recipes?