This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see our privacy policy.
If you love lots of flavor, but want to cut back a bit on calories, this delicious, healthy Roasted Thai Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup is perfect for you!
If you're craving something warm, hearty and delicious but would like it to also be healthy and nourishing, this Roasted Thai Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup is just what the doctor ordered! It's loaded with lots of fresh, healthy veggies but is so full of fabulous flavor, you'll think you're splurging!
The orange team is winning!
Do you know about the plethora of health benefits of orange vegetables? Vibrant-hued veggies like carrots and sweet potatoes contain zeaxanthin, flavonoids, lycopene, potassium, vitamin C and beta-carotene (vitamin A). These little nutrients help our bodies in a myriad of ways, all the way from our eyes down to our bones. As an aid in ocular health, they reduce the risk of macular degeneration of the eye.
They also reduce the risk of prostate cancer, can help lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol (the bad stuff) to help us keep in good health. Other benefits include promoting healthy joints, collagen formation, fighting harmful free radicals in the body, encouraging pH balance of the body and boosting our immune system. And if that wasn't enough, they help build healthier bones, by working with calcium and magnesium. Wow, talk about workhorses - and most people think they just look pretty!
Comes together quickly!
You also won't feel overworked, as there are only a few steps to make this wonderful soup. It starts with a cutting board and knife. Carrots (don't worry about peeling them, just give them a good scrub), sweet potatoes, onion and apple are all roughly chopped and then roasted with coconut oil till golden and sweetly caramelized.
While the oven does it magic trick on the veggies, you'll sauté the delicious aromatics (ginger, garlic, lemongrass, brown sugar, coriander, curry and cumin) in your soup pot. Once the veggies are tender and nice and caramelized they're added to the pot with the aromatics and simmered with chicken (or vegetable) broth, till the flavors are all nicely melded, just 10-15 minutes.
The last step is pureeing the soup to a silky smooth consistency. You can do this with an immersion blender (the easy way) or a regular blender. I always use my immersion blender as it saves washing another container and it works so well.
I like to garnish the soup with a few little dollops of Greek yogurt (thinned with milk).
I also add a few drops of Sriracha or chili-garlic paste and swirl it all together with a toothpick for a pretty presentation. You could also top the soup with chopped fresh basil or cilantro. And handful of chopped peanuts or cashews adds nice texture and is super delish!
One last thing. I often get asked the question, "Can I make this in the slow cooker or crockpot?" I'm always looking for ways to make things a little easier for you - and for me. So I tried the exact recipe in my slow cooker, using a few tricks to enhance the flavor. Sadly, the results just weren't the same. The soup with the roasted vegetables was noticeably deeper in color - and flavor! Roasting at a high temperature produces caramelization of the natural sugars in the vegetables, which intensifies flavor along with the hue. We've got some delicious slow cooker recipes coming up, but you'll want to crank up your oven for this one.
I hope you enjoy this wonderful Roasted Thai Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup as much as we do. Put together a batch this week; it will keep you satisfied for hours and it's a perfect way to keep things delicious and healthy at the same time!
Café Tips for making this Roasted Thai Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup
- This recipe calls for coconut oil. While coconut oil gives the soup another layer of flavor, don't go out and buy it just for this recipe. You could also use olive oil or butter with good results.
- Another ingredient in this Thai Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup is fresh ginger. You don't have to peel the ginger for this recipe. Just scrub it well and thinly slice it. The skin is edible and, once the soup is blended, no one will know!
- In lieu of fresh ginger, you can also use Ginger Paste. I always have a tube of Ginger Paste in my refrigerator or freezer. It's just fresh ginger that's been pureed to a fine paste. The flavor is super fresh and it saves me a trip to the grocery store when I want to make something and don't have a knob of ginger. The best ginger paste is the kind you find refrigerated in the produce department of many larger grocery stores. This is not a sponsored post, I just really like it!
- The same is true for lemongrass. In addition to Ginger Paste, I like to keep a tube of Lemongrass Paste stashed in the freezer. Lemongrass can be difficult to find at many grocery stores but Lemongrass Paste is widely available. Both Super Walmart and Super Target stores carry both of these products. Since I don't use lemongrass as often as ginger, I always keep my Lemongrass Paste in the freezer. When I want to use it, I let it thaw for 10 minutes, squeeze out what I need then pop the tube back in the freezer.
- You can use a regular blender or an immersion blender for this Thai Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup. I love using an immersion blender because it saves having to wash a blender container and it makes soups like this super fast and easy. I really like this immersion blender and use it all the time. If you're looking for a fabulous, high-powered blender this is the one I use. It's definitely the crème de la crème of blenders!
- This recipe calls for either chili-garlic sauce or Sriracha. Chili garlic sauce is a little hotter than Sriracha. With both, it’s better to start with a little and add more, to taste. You can always add more heat, but it’s difficult to take it away.
Thought for the day:
In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb,
who was slain, to receive power and wealth
and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Revelation 5:12
What we're listening to for inspiration:
If you enjoy any of these recipes, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations.
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil plus 2 teaspoons to be used later
- 1 pound carrots
- 2 medium-large sweet potatoes about 1 ½ pounds total
- 1 large apple
- 1 medium onion
- 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger thinly sliced (or 2 tablespoons Ginger Paste)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh lemongrass or Lemongrass Paste
- 4 medium garlic cloves peeled
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon curry mild powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½-1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce or Sriracha sauce
- 5 cups low sodium chicken broth you may need a bit more later, for thinning
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- For the topping:
- 2 tablespoons greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon milk
- chili garlic sauce or Sriracha sauce
-
Pre-heat oven to 425˚F. While the oven is preheating, line a sheet pan with foil and add coconut oil. Place in the oven for 1-2 minutes, just until oil is melted, then remove. Set aside to cool while you’re chopping the veggies. Combine ginger, lemongrass, garlic, brown sugar, coriander, curry and cumin in a small bowl and set aside.
-
Cut tough ends off carrots and discard. Wash carrots well and chop them into approximately 1-inch pieces. Peel sweet potatoes, cut in quarters, lengthwise and then cut roughly into 1-inch pieces. Peel onion, quarter and cut into approximately 1-inch pieces. Peel and core apple then quarter it and cut into approximately 1-inch pieces. You don’t have to do any fancy cutting as all the veggies will be pureed later. You just want them all approximately the same size so they’ll cook evenly.
-
Toss the vegetables on the prepared sheet pan with the melted coconut oil. I like to use my hands to toss them and ensure everything is coated with oil. Place pan in the preheated oven and roast for 25-30 minutes or until carrots are tender (they take the longest to cook) and veggies are beginning to caramelize (they’ll deepen in color and begin to turn golden). Stir once or twice to re-distribute vegetables during the roasting time.
-
While vegetables are roasting, heat 2 teaspoons coconut oil in a medium-large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the ginger/garlic mixture and stir for 30-40 seconds, until very nice and fragrant. Immediately (you don’t want the garlic to burn) add chicken broth, roasted veggies, fish sauce and chili garlic sauce.
-
Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a low, steady simmer. Cook for 10 minutes then uncover and remove from heat. Allow to cool down for 15-20 minutes (if using a regular blender) or blend immediately with an immersion blender.
-
To serve, combine the Greek yogurt with the milk and mix with a small whisk or spoon until smooth. Ladle soup into bowls and top with 4-5 small dollops of the yogurt mixture. If desired, add a few drops of Sriracha or chili-garlic paste and swirl with a toothpick. Bon Appetit!
See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips to ensure success.
If you prefer to use Metric measurements there is a button in each of our recipes, right above the word “Instructions”. Just click that button to toggle to grams, milliliters, etc. If you ever come across one of our recipes that doesn’t have the Metric conversion (some of the older recipes may not), feel free to leave a comment and I will add it.
Donna Barton says
*****
Oh... this was the tastiest soup EVER!!!
Thank you for all the love that comes out of your kitchen!!!
Donna
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
So glad you enjoyed it, Donna!
Ina says
wonderful flavors. Totally worth the extra time it take to roast the vegetables.
Second time I made this I added 1/4C red lentils to add thickness. I think I will also do this in the future.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Ina! Lentils sound like a great addition 🙂
Arleen says
Fantastic recipe with so many layers of flavor! I had lemon grass in my freezer that I harvested in the fall and used Thai red curry paste in place of chili garlic sauce, and followed the recipe exactly. It was a huge success for my Thai dinner party.
Thank you for posting such great recipes.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for letting us know, Arleen!
Patty Lenz says
Hi, Chris,
Is the Fish Sauce super important for the overall flavor? That is an ingredient that I doubt I will use again, so wondering if it is important to use.
Thanks,
Patty
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Patty, fish sauce adds a salty, authentic Thai flavor to this soup and fish sauce lasts a really long time in the refrigerator. That being said, you could skip it and use an equal amount of soy sauce. It will still be delicious!!
Tracy says
Another delicious recipe! Making it again today - family is saying one night wasn't enough. Thank you.
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Tracy!
TAWNY says
Excited to make this soup! I love anything sweet potato and can’t wait to try out nub new immersion blender. ONE question though, where does the brown sugar go? I couldn’t find it in the directions.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Tawny, I've corrected the recipe.
Monique Labelle-Wheeler says
I made this soup this week and everyone said it was the best soup they ever tasted! Thank you for the recipe!
Wendy says
There is absolutely nothing like the flavor of roasted veggies! With all of the wonderful flavor in this soup, no one could feel deprived while attempting to eat healthfully.
Anne@ASaladForAllSeasons says
Chris, this soup looks pretty amazing! So lush and pretty! I love carrot - sweet potato- squash type soups. Love the swirl of sour cream and sriracha, too! Great flavors! AND I LOVE the new look of your site! Perfect for your awesome photography! Hope you have a wonderful year!
John/Kitchen Riffs says
Love the holiday season, but happy to see it go, too. It's really cold here, so definitely soup weather. We need all the recipes we can get! This looks really good -- thanks. And Happy New Year!
Susan says
They say we eat with our eyes and my eyes are growling with hunger looking at this gorgeous soup 🙂 With a kick of Thai flavor in this recipe I may even be able to get my husband to eat it as he does not care for sweet potatoes! Great recipe!
Mila Bassett says
Chris, I love this time of year for the same reasons-- a clean slate, new opportunities. I couldn't agree more on roasting veggies, the same depth of flavor can't be achieved in a crock pot (as much as I love the convenience of a crock pot). I roast tomatoes for my tomato soup, I think it is the best method. Looking forward to trying this recipe soon!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for your thoughts Mila. It's so true, you just can't beat that roasted flavor!
Tricia @ Saving Room for Dessert says
I could eat this for breakfast and would be thrilled to have it! I am really into soups this time of year and this is exactly what we need. The color is gorgeous. We are such fans of roasted vegetables and often make a complete meal out of a pan of whatever's in the crisper. Happy New Year Chris and Scott!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
So very creamy and comforting! You made the simple food ever so tempting!
cheri says
Your soup is such a gorgeous color, I always wondered how you achieved such a pretty presentation, love the toothpick trick. We are de-cluttering as well, it’s amazing how fast things build up. Have a wonderful week!!
Laura | Tutti Dolci says
This soup looks fabulous, Chris! Love the Thai flavors and the idea of kicking off the year on a lighter note.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Laura, I agree and you can't beat Thai flavors!
Jenna says
Yum, and your garnish is gorgeous! Happy New Year Chris!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Jenna, it's such an easy but impressive garnish! I love that!
ginny Hartzler says
So beautiful!! And your bowls are beautiful too. I think you are the Martha Stewart of the blog world! I am de-cluttering too, and it really feels good. Now if only I can donate more to the Goodwill store than I buy from it!
Chris Scheuer says
Haha! I agree Ginny! I cleaned out my closet and then went "thrift" shopping with some friends. We found all kinds of fun things!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
I would eat this soup for breakfast too Chris! I love the flavors and it's just gorgeous too! Happy New Year!
Ann says
Chris, this looks delicious and I can't wait to try it! Is the lemongrass in powder form and do you add it with the other spices? If not, what do I do with it? Thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Ann, I've updated the recipe to make that more clear. Hope you enjoy it!
Debra Eliotseats says
Love the free form sriracha swirls on top!
Marcy says
This soup looks and sounds delicious! One question... when do you add the roasted veggies to the liquid?
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for noticing that Marcy, I added that little, but very important, step in! 🙂
Robyn Gleason says
Wow, Chris, such a beautiful soup with great flavours! I love your gorgeous shots and I am imagining every sip of this dish is just packing a punch of fabulous Thai spices. Love the apple in there, too. I really want a taste of this!
Happy New Year to you 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Robyn! Happy New Year to you too! Wish we could enjoy a bowl of this soup together!