Celebrate International Carrot Day with carrot and cumin soup
Carrots may not be the flashiest ingredient in your kitchen, but they’re dependable, nutritious and endlessly adaptable.
Carrots rarely get the attention they deserve. But on International Carrot Day, it’s time to give this unassuming veg a bit of the spotlight.
Carrots are one of those kitchen staples that quietly do a lot. They bulk out stews, bring crunch to salads and add natural sweetness to everything from soups to cakes. You can roast them, mash them, spiralise them, even eat them raw straight from the chopping board.
But beyond their everyday versatility, carrots are nutritional powerhouses. They’re packed with beta-carotene (which the body turns into vitamin A), plus fibre, antioxidants and potassium.
So whether you’ve got a bag in the veg drawer or a few slightly bendy ones needing rescuing, International Carrot Day is a great excuse to get creative with this reliable root.
Earthy, gently spiced and naturally sweet, this carrot and cumin soup shows just how good carrots can be.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 700g carrots, chopped (no need to peel)
- 1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
- 1 litre vegetable stock
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional: Pumpkin seeds and parsley (for garnish)
Method
- Heat the oil or butter in a large pan. Add the onion and cook gently for about 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the garlic and cumin and cook for another minute.
- Tip in the carrots and potato. Give everything a good stir, then pour in the stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for around 20–25 minutes, or until the carrots and potato are soft.
- Use a hand blender to blitz the soup until smooth. If it’s too thick, just add a splash of hot water to loosen it. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Ladle into bowls and top with a few sprinkles of pumpkin seeds and a sprig of parsley. Serve with crusty bread on the side.
