Nothing beats a bowl of homemade carrot soup on a cozy evening or as an ideal appetizer. In this carrot soup recipe sweet carrots simmer in aromatic stock with onion, celery, and thyme, then blend until velvety smooth. Crisp garlic-and-seed croutons add a perfect crunchy contrast, while a drizzle of cream makes each spoonful feel extra comforting. It’s simple to make and totally satisfying.
Looking for a main dish to go with this Carrot Soup Recipe? Why not try our Crispy Chicken in Creamy Cavalo Nero Sauce.
🍴 Tools You’ll Need
Vegetable Peeler — This one makes peeling carrots and potatoes easy and fast.
Stick Blender — This hand blender is perfect for blitzing the soup smooth straight in the pan.
Large Saucepan or Soup Pot — This one is ideal for simmering hearty batches of soup.
Carrot & Thyme Soup with Garlic Croutons
Ingredients
- 1½ tbsp oil
- 1 onion sliced
- 1 celery stick sliced
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 crushed and 1 left whole
- 1 kg carrots thinly sliced
- 1.5 litre hot veg or chicken stock
- ½ small bunch of thyme
- 2 thick slices sourdough
- 1 tbsp mixed seeds
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1½ tbsp double cream plus extra to serve optional
Instructions
- Heat 1½ tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan or casserole over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and celery, and cook gently for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the crushed garlic cloves and cook 1 more minute.A good vegetable peeler like this makes prepping carrots so much faster and easier.
- Add the sliced carrots, hot stock, and thyme sprigs. Season with salt and pepper, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 25 minutes, until the carrots are tender.
- While the soup simmers, preheat your oven to 220 °C (200 °C fan/Gas 7). Rub the whole garlic clove over both sides of the sourdough slices, then tear into chunks. Toss with the remaining oil, a pinch of salt, and the mixed seeds. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 8–10 minutes, until golden and crisp. Toss with chopped parsley and set aside.
- Discard the thyme sprigs and blitz the soup with a hand blender until perfectly smooth. Stir in the double cream, taste, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.For silky-smooth soups, I like using this stick blender — it’s quick, easy, and saves washing up a big blender.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with garlic croutons, and drizzle with extra cream if you like. Enjoy right away!
Missing some ingredients for this Carrot Soup Recipe?
No worries, swap celery for chopped leeks or fennel, and if you’re out of fresh thyme, a pinch of dried thyme or even rosemary will work. No sourdough? Tear up any crusty bread or use tortilla chips for crunch. Mixed seeds can be replaced with chopped nuts or pumpkin seeds, or left out entirely. If you’re short on double cream, stir in a splash of milk or a dollop of Greek yogurt instead. And if you only have chicken stock, go ahead and use that…your soup will still taste amazing!