Miso Cream of Carrot Soup

I didn’t think I’d like cream of carrot soup. But it turns out I do! And you probably will too. Sometimes all you need is two large bags of baby carrots staring back at you to inspire creativity.

This creamy carrot soup is a carrot ginger soup meets a creamy almost chowder-like soup. But the secret ingredient for a savory umami burst? It’s a combo of flavors that come from ricotta cheese and miso paste. Seriously! Here’s how to make it.

What You Need for Miso Cream of Carrot Soup

Carrots. Carrots are obviously the base for this soup. I used one large full bag of baby carrots and another half bag. You can easily use regular carrots, but this whole recipe came about because I had a TON of extra baby carrots. 

Olive oil. You’re sautéing your garlic in olive oil. It’s not going to bring any kind of life-changing flavor to the dish. So use whatever type of olive oil you have on hand. You could even use ghee or avocado oil.

Ginger. Grating fresh ginger is time-consuming, so I typically purchase these frozen cubes of fresh ginger. You pop them out and let them defrost when you need them. They’re great when you’re making Thai food, or looking for an extra dash of flavor in any type of cooking. The health benefits and nutrition of ginger are also vast. 

Miso paste. There are quite a few different types of miso paste. (And I have a whole article on miso paste substitutes!) But for this recipe, I use what is considered mellow white miso. It’s less strong than red miso but a little more intense than yellow miso.

Garlic. If you’re not putting garlic in all your food, I’m not sure why. Yes, a whole head of garlic is a lot, but this comes out to a really large pot of soup. If you’re not a fan, you can reduce it to a few cloves. You can also use garlic powder if that is all you have on hand. 

Ricotta cheese. Ricotta cheese is pretty much the perfect cheese staple. If you don’t already keep it in your fridge, I highly recommend you do. From toast to adding it to soup, to a quick replacement on your bagel with lox when you run out of cream cheese, it’s a perfect food. Use full-fat ricotta cheese. And it’s worth noting that ricotta cheese varies in its saltiness, so try it before you add it to this recipe, then season as needed. 

Potatoes. Potatoes add a little girth to this recipe. If you want to reduce the carrot flavor, cut the amount of carrots in half and instead up the potato count. 

Chicken broth. Two large boxes of chicken broth add the liquid to make this an actual soup. If all you have is beef broth, that will work too. 

Salt and pepper. Add your salt and pepper slowly at the end. Kosher salt is ideal, but if all you have is traditional table salt, that’s fine too. Just add slowly and taste as you go. 

Making Cream of Carrot Soup

Ingredients

• 48-ounce baby carrots (one and a half 32-ounce bags)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped ginger 
• 4 heaping tablespoons of white or mild miso paste 
• 1 head garlic
• 1/2 cup Ricotta cheese
• 2 medium-sized Yukon potatoes
• 64 ounces chicken broth (2 boxes)

Instructions

1. Fill a Dutch oven or large pot with salted water. and bring to a boil. Add carrots and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until carrots are fork-tender. About 15 minutes.
2. Drain your carrots in a colander and set aside. 
3. In the same Dutch oven, heat olive oil and sauté garlic until fragrant. Then add your carrots to the garlic and mix well.
4. Next, add half the miso paste and stir until carrots are completely coated. 
5. Now, take your chopped potatoes and add them to the pot, followed by the chicken broth, your ginger, and the remaining miso paste.
6. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer. Simmer until potatoes are fork-tender. About 15 minutes.
7. Once all your veggies are tender, (This is really important!), turn the heat off and blend with your immersion blender until you reach your desired consistency. Add the ricotta cheese and blend again until creamy. If you don’t have an immersion blender, blend in a food processor or a traditional blender. 
8. Finally, taste and season with salt and pepper.
9. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave.

Carrot Soup Recipe Substitutions

Swap the garlic. If you’re not a huge fan of garlic or are just out, you can swap the garlic for half a small onion or one to two shallots. You can also use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.

Swap the ricotta cheese. If you need a replacement for ricotta cheese, you can use equal amounts of cream, half and half, or whole milk. And if you’re looking to go dairy-free, use equal parts coconut milk. Just remember that coconut milk will add a coconut flavor to the soup. It will still be delicious, but it’s just something to keep in mind.

Swap the miso. Miso is really what brings this umami flavor to the soup. So I recommend not swapping this ingredient. But if you have to, using 1-2 tablespoons of curry powder or a tablespoon or two of curry paste will be delicious. Like using coconut milk, it will definitely bring a different flavor profile to the soup, but will still be yummy.

Swap the chicken broth. If you’re looking to make this soup vegan, beyond swapping out the ricotta cheese for coconut milk, you’ll also have to swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth. 

Swap the carrots. Yes, I actually recommended swapping carrots out of carrot soup. But if carrots aren’t your thing, no judgment here. Try swapping the carrots for butternut squash for a delicious and creamy butternut squash soup. You could also use sweet potatoes.

Carrot Soup FAQs

Can I roast my carrots instead?

You absolutely can roast your carrots instead of boiling them. Roasting them will add a significant amount of time to the cooking process, but it will definitely still be delicious. If roasting your carrots, I recommend also roasting your garlic. Cut off the top of the head of garlic and wrap it in tin foil. Then you just squeeze the sweet roasted garlic out into the soup.

Can I freeze this carrot soup?

Yes, you can freeze this soup. Let your soup first come to room temperature. Then freeze in an air-tight Tupperware container. When ready to eat, let it defrost in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

How do I add protein to this soup?

Great question! To add protein to this soup, I’d substitute part of the carrots and replace them with butter beans. When blended, butter beans have a delicious and creamy consistency that will work well in this soup.

Have questions or suggestions about this cream of carrot soup recipe? Leave them in the comments below.