Carrot Soup with Balsamic Vinegar Drizzle

Full of vitamins and layers of flavor, this warm soup is delicious and luxurious for any winter day or a great way to start off a fancy meal. Save some money by using carrots instead of butternut squash and spend it on a better bottle of balsamic vinegar instead. We prefer an 18-year aged version, but if you can’t find something you like, you can reduce regular balsamic a little bit to thicken it. Whether or not you made any New Year’s resolutions to make healthier choices, this vegan addition to your repertoire is sure become a fast favorite.

Ingredients for Soup:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb carrots, cleaned and sliced
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 5 Roma or 3 beefsteak tomatoes, deseeded and diced
• 1 can coconut milk, preferably organic and full fat
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
• salt and pepper, to taste

Ingredients for Finishing:

• Aged balsamic vinegar
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Set a large sauce pan over medium high heat and add olive oil, coating the bottom.
2. Once oil has heated up, add chopped onion and garlic. Cook about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent, stirring occasionally. You will want to keep an eye on this and not walk away because garlic gets bitter if it burns. You can also cook the onions first and add the garlic just for the last minute.
3. Add carrots, tomatoes, turmeric, cloves, cumin and time to the pan and stir to combine. Cook over medium high heat for a minute until spices are toasted and carrots are evenly coated.
4. Add enough water to the pot to cover the vegetables fully by about an inch. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until carrots are fork tender.
5. Remove the pot off the heat and using an immersion blender puree the soup until smooth. You can also use a blender or a food processor to puree the soup in batches, but be careful as it will be very hot.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste and return the mixture to the pot if needed and set the pot over heat once more. Add in coconut milk and bring back to a very low simmer.
7. In a small but deep container combine the olive oil reserved for finishing, along with thyme and parsley. Puree the mixture with the immersion blender or again, use your blender or food processor to achieve the same result. The herbs should be fully broken up and the oil should start taking on a green hue.
8. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a swirl of the aged balsamic vinegar, a few dollops of the herbed oil, and some freshly ground pepper.