Pureed Carrot Soup with Parsley Almond Pesto
Serves 6
20 mins prep
25 mins cook
45 mins total
This creamy-textured carrot soup couldn't be easier to make, and it looks so pretty with a swirl of homemade parsley and almond pesto. It cooks with basic ingredients — carrots, onion, celery, and broth — that are blended to make a thick, smooth texture without using cream or milk.
Parsley Almond Pesto
Prepare and cook the carrot soup
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, stir in 1 cup chopped onion, 2 stalks chopped celery, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and black pepper to tastee. Cover the pot, lower the heat to medium and cook about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are softened. Pro tip: Covering the pot produces steam inside the pot, which softens the veggies faster without the risk of browning them.
Stir in 1 teaspoon ground coriander and 1 tablespoon honey and cook 30 seconds. Add the carrots and 5 cups vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered, 15-20 minutes, until the carrots are tender. Remove from the heat.
Puree the soup in a blender (in batches) until completely smooth, or use an immersion blender right in the pot. Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.
Parsley pesto
Briefly pulse the almonds, green onions, parsley, red pepper, olive oil and a good pinch of salt in a small food processor until the mixture is finely chopped.
Serving
Serve the soup in bowls, topped with with spoonful or two of the pesto.