I think most of us are trying to incorporate more vegetables into our diet. I know I am, anyway. In the spirit of this, I am sharing one of my best soup recipes - my healthy and award-winning Creamy Carrot Soup - to inspire some veggie cooking out there! This carrot soup recipe was a winner in the FYI Doctors "Eats For Your Eyes recipe competition". And be sure to check out my 45 Easy Ways to Eat More Fruits & Veggies for more ways to incorporate vegetables into your life!
This cozy carrot soup is any time of the year, but it's the perfect soup on a rainy or cold day or a cool fall evening. You can also make it in advance for busy weeknights. And if you're looking for a delicious Easter soup for your Easter dinner or any dinner, you'll love this one!
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I love this creamy carrot chowder because it’s healthy, loaded with fresh flavors, tasty and even kids love it! It is also hearty. I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to have soup as a meal, I want it to have some actual protein in it.
🥘 Ingredients
This carrot soup uses simple ingredients you generally have on hand. To keep it lighter and WW friendlier, I don't use heavy cream for this creamy soup recipe, as it doesn't need it. The cream soups make it creamy enough.
Creamy carrot soup ingredients:
- lean ground beef
- celery
- onion
- green pepper
- carrot
- tomato juice
- cream of celery soup
- cream of mushroom soup
- beef soup stock
- garlic
- marjoram
📖 Variations
- WW friendlier: substitute ground turkey or chicken for the ground beef- this will decrease the points substantially
- Vegetarian: And it can easily become a vegetarian dish by using vegetable stock and eliminating the meat all together.
- Deluxe: add crispy onions as a garnish!
- Canned soup: if you don't have canned cream of mushroom soup, you can make your own cream of anything! And if you don't have canned cream of celery, use cream of mushroom and add some celery seed.
- Broth: if you don't have beef or vegetable broth, you can substitute chicken broth
- Garlic: if you don't have fresh garlic, you can use minced garlic in the jar.
This one pot meal is easy and quick to throw together and that means less dishes to wash!
🥗 Side dishes
Step it up a notch and serve this healthy carrot soup with some artisan crusty bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and you have yourself a cozy, filling meal on a cool evening. My favorite balsamic vinegar is this Kirkland Balsamic Vinegar. It has an excellent sweet to sour balance and pleasing finish, especially for its price point.
Try it with my Bread Machine Artisan Onion & Olive Bread
Or keep it light with my Everything Bagel Cloud Bread Recipe. It's 0 WW points, so a great option for those on the Weight Watchers program.
🍽Equipment
You only need a soup pot (affiliate link) to make this delicious soup. A food processor (affiliate link) for shredding carrots, is handy, but a box grater (affiliate link) will do. You don't need an immersion blender, as the carrots are not pureed in this soup.
💭 Top tip
Use the food processor to quickly grate large batches of carrots, then bag and freeze them for future use. If you are really pressed for time, most grocery stores sell grated carrots.
You can use the extra grated carrots to make Healthy Carrot Muffins with Pineapple, Healthy Carrot Bread and Honey Sriracha Chicken Lettuce Wraps!
🦺Food safety
- Cook ground beef to a minimum temperature of 160 °F (71 °C). Temperature is the best way to check for doneness. I use this instant read thermometer- (affiliate link) it's great for everything food related!
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods (allowing your soup to cool before putting it away is fine)
- Never leave cooking food unattended
See more guidelines at USDA.gov and Canada.ca
🌡️Storage
Make sure your soup has completely cooled before you transfer soup to storage container and moving it to the fridge or freezer.
- The soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.
- This recipe freezes well in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
👪 Serving size
This cream of carrot soup recipe makes 6 servings. If you want to double or triple the recipe, simply click on the blue serving size in the recipe card, select the number of serving you'd like and the ingredient amounts will adjust accordingly. I always make a double batch and freeze some.
And be sure to check out these 40 award-winning recipes!
If you are looking for award-winning soup recipes and want the best creamy carrot soup recipe, then give this one a try! You won't be disappointed. This carrot soup is also an ideal Easter soup, one that the whole family will love!
⭐ Reviews
Did you LOVE this easy soup recipe? If so, please LEAVE A 5 START RATING AND COMMENT below!
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🥣 Creamy Carrot Soup Recipe (Award-winning)
Ingredients
- 1 lb extra lean or lean ground beef or substitute ground chicken or turkey
- ½ cup chopped celery
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped green pepper
- 3 cups grated carrots
- 1 32 oz can tomato juice
- 1 10 oz can cream of celery soup undiluted
- 1 10 oz can condensed cream of mushroom soup undiluted
- 6 cups beef or vegetable soup stock
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
Garnish (optional):
Instructions
- In a large pot or large dutch oven, brown the ground beef on the stove top. over medium heat (or ground chicken or turkey).
- Combine the remaining ingredients and begin to cook on medium heat.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce and simmer on low heat, uncovered, for 1 hour or until vegetables are tender.
Garnish:
- Garnish with crispy fried onions, if desired.
Notes
- The soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.
- This recipe freezes well in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Monique
This is a perfect recipe for using the carrots I will be getting in my Farm to School vegetable box. Thanks Terri.
Food Meanderings
Awesome, Mo! Thanks so much for your support on the fundraiser!
Denise from Urb'n'Spice
This looks like a lovely recipe, Terri - not only the colour but the idea of wholesome ingredients is inspiring and comforting. I am looking forward to trying it.
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Denise! I hope you enjoy it?
Lauren
"no cream," but 2 "cream of" whatever canned soups? C'mon.
Terri Gilson
Thank you, Lauren- you do make a valid point. I had been thinking about the soup as not having any fresh cream, as many soups do. But yes, the canned soups do contain some cream, as described as "DEHYDRATED CREAM (CREAM [MILK])" by Campbells. I very much value feedback from my readers and appreciate the time it takes to comment.
MariaMay
nice soup
Terri Gilson
Thank you
Amanda
thank you for these! I can't wait to try them. I am feeling under the weather. So this is perfect!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Amanda - I hope you feel better soon! 🙂
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Amanda! I hope you feel better soon 🙂
Ev Nadine
Taste fabulous with some fresh dill added. Made a huge pot, seemed more like 12 servings, I love to batch cook so lots of lunches. Do you know if this freezes well?
Terri Gilson
So glad you loved it and great idea to add some dill! Yes, it freezes very well 🙂