This Carrot Coconut Soup combines fresh carrots and coconut milk with sambal oelek to create a soup that is so full of flavor and such a gorgeous color!
I feel like I’m cheating with this post. Why? Because I didn’t make it! Yep ladies and gentlemen – TheBetterHalf made this whole thing, from start to finish. I didn’t even help him! Ok, he might have asked a question or two (he’s still not quite sure what an immersion blender is). But still, I’m impressed. I could get used to this – homemade soup is one of my favorite things to eat, and somehow it tastes better when someone else makes it! Take note, TheBetterHalf.
This soup. My goodness. It is delicious!! The recipe comes from Shutterbean and when I saw it on her site, I knew I just had to try it! I love coconut in savory foods. And – it is so pretty! I love the gorgeous orange color of the soup complimented by the green cilantro and the drizzle of red sriracha at the end. Somehow pretty food just tastes better.
This soup is really easy to make (or so I was told!). There are only 6 ingredients! Ok if you want to count the garnish (cilantro and sriracha), there are 8 ingredients. But still – not bad.
Only one ingredient could be a little tricky to find, at least if you live in NYC and have to shop at tiny local markets (it took TheBetterHalf three stores to find this). It is Sambal Oelek. And it is the real star of the soup. When TheBetterHalf first looked at this recipe, he thought Sambal Oelek was either the name of a cricket player or the talking rock on Legends of the Hidden Temple. He thinks he is really funny. Sambal Oelek is in fact a chili pepper sauce that adds a delicious heat and depth of flavor to the soup. It complements the sweet carrots and coconut milk so well.
I garnished this soup with chopped cilantro for some fresh flavor, a drizzle of sriracha for extra heat, and some toasted cashews for a little crunch. It would also be great with some toasted coconut on top. The only thing I would change about this recipe is to double it – we almost finished the whole recipe in one night! It is delicious!
This Carrot Coconut Soup combines fresh carrots and coconut milk with sambal oelek to create a soup that is so full of flavor and such a gorgeous color!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 lb. carrots, peeled & chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 14 oz. can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon sambal oelek (more if you want)
- sriracha (for serving)
- fresh cilantro (for serving)
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the carrots, onions, and salt and pepper to taste, and cook, stirring frequently, until the carrots are softened and the onions start to brown slightly, 15 - 20 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, and sambal oelek and stir to combine. Bring everything up to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very soft, 40 - 45 minutes.
- Carefully puree the soup with an immersion blender until smooth (or you can let the soup cool slightly and then do this in a blender).
- Turn the heat on medium low and reheat the soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and thin soup to desired consistency with water or chicken broth.
- Serve, topping with cilantro and drizzling with sriracha (if desired - make sure to taste it before adding sriracha as the sambal oelek is spicy!)
Notes
Recipe from Shutterbean
Everything always tastes better when someone else makes it that’s for sure! Lucky girl! This looks amazing 🙂
Thanks, Julie!
You’re absolutely right–food does taste better when someone else makes it! How lucky you are to have a better half who can whip up a batch of this soup–looks delicious!
Thanks, Elizabeth! I do feel very lucky 🙂
Yum! I love carrots and I love coconut–this looks delectable! Beautiful colors!
Thanks, Erin! The carrots and coconut were a great combo in here!
Carrots raw are ho hum for me, but cooked? Or in soups? I’m all in! Haha, the BetterHalf can come cook for me if he wants! Goodness knows I need some help 🙂
Isn’t it amazing how cooking a veggie changes it so much?! The carrots in this soup taste much better than boring old raw carrots!
Yum what a beautiful and creative soup! I’ve never worked with sambal oelek before, but will have to search it out and try it! And dinner is always better when someone else makes it 🙂
And I’m pretty sure sriracha-topped anything is awesome!
Sambal Oelek is great. The flavor is similar to an Italian cherry pepper hoagie spread/topping but with an Asian twist. It’s a great compliment to sriracha.
Hey Guys!
Cate I finally made the chared brussel sprouts the other day and they were delicious! And tonight I made the ” Better Half’s ” Carrot Coconut Soup ( substituted the butter with olive oil and the chicken stock with veggie stock ) going meat and dairy free…. it was delicious! So great for a cold night! Love following your Blog!
Best,
Lori
Hi Lori! Thanks for reading the blog. Glad you enjoyed the brussels and the soup! Both are great recipes and relatively easy to make. I mean, if I can do them they can’t be too hard! I love your new website – looks great.
This sounds like a great soup! The pictures are phenomenal 🙂
Thank you so much, Megan!
This looks – and sounds – amazing! Lucky you, getting to eat but not cook! But the real question is: Who did the dishes….?
Hahaha, such a great question Nora – the dishes are the worst part!! I really got lucky with this particular recipe b/c he did the cooking and the cleaning!!
so perf for those cold winter days. love the combo with a kick of siracha.
You are right – so perfect for winter!
dinner always tastes better when someone else makes it. what a great soup!
Thanks, Sarah!
This combines what I imagine would be some really complementary flavours! And I love that it only has a few ingredients. Just my kind of recipe. I wonder whether it would work well with sweet potato, too. Thanks for stopping by my blog, by the way. Really enjoyed reading this post and looking forward to more! 🙂
P.S. You are obviously getting your other half well trained … result!
Thanks, Helen! I bet sweet potato would be amazing in here, great idea!
Oh my goodness, this looks perfect! Love it, pinning immediately. Good job, Better Half!
Thank you so much, and thanks for pinning!
I love the idea of using coconut in soup. It looks fab, well done to the BetterHalf on such an amazing looking soup.
Thanks, Julie! This was my first time having coconut in a soup, and it was amazing!
Hi! I could have sworn I’ve been to this website
before but after going through a few of the articles I realized it’s new to
me. Anyways, I’m definitely pleased I discovered it
and I’ll be bookmarking it and checking back frequently!
Silver monkeys all the way! Loved me some Hidden Temple.
I recently made Butternut Squash Soup by just roasting the squash in the oven and blending with veggie broth. I bet you could simplify this recipe by roasting baby carrots in the oven and doing the same. I’m all about simple and easy and quick. Thanks for the idea!