I seriously love the fall season, and eating seasonal favorites like this easy carrot apple soup gives me all the feels.
Of course, living in the south, it’s more of the the IDEA of fall. Because while the rest of the country is wearing sweaters and enjoying all the lattes, down south we are still sweating buckets while pretending it’s fall.
Every year, my family and I travel up to the mountains to visit the pumpkin patch, and if the mood strikes, we love to stop and pick apples on the way. This is the epitome of a family fall activity. In my imagination, it should be done in zipped up hoodies with cozy socks and knee high boots. There should be fall leaves floating all around our happy little faces and my God, a constant breeze.
In reality though? We’re all dressed like it’s still July, sweating through our shirts, and the kids are thirsty because we already drank all our water reserves before noon.
Last year, we got stuck in a corn maze for an hour and a half with ONE BOTTLE OF WATER between 6 people. I almost died and my mom nearly peed her pants because, well, there are no bathrooms in a corn field, even for a 60 year old woman.
Not to mention that 3 children in the blistering heat are NOT the happiest bunch. #makeitstop
Point is, I start cooking fall meals early because if I waited until the weather got the memo I’d be waiting until Thanksgiving, or maybe even Christmas.
You just never know when you will be blessed with actual fall weather. So instead of waiting for fall to come to you, you come to fall.
And that’s why I love making this simple vegan carrot apple soup, which gets your heart in the seasonal spirit. I may be shaking my fists at the sun for it’s oppressive heat, but I can still crank up my AC, throw on a heavy blanket, and dream that it’s hoodie weather.
The secret to making the best carrot apple soup
What better way to pretend it’s fall than with a delicious blend of two of my favorite foods: carrots and apples.
There’s definitely a secret to making the best carrot apple soup, and part of the magic is in the carrots. Sure, you can just go with plain orange, especially if that’s all you can find, but if you can snag a bag of rainbow carrots, you TOTALLY SHOULD.
One bag of rainbow carrots typically contains orange carrots, yellow carrots, purple carrots, and red carrots. Each one has it’s own flavor and even crunch factor. Visually stunning, rainbow carrots elevate the flavor (and nutritional benefits*) of your soup.
Another key element is the type of apples. I used gala apples because they are on the sweeter side and are a fabulous choice for sauces. Of course, you can use whatever type of apples you like!
The last secret is in the blending. Personally, I’m not a fan of 100% pureed soups, because that feels more like a drink or a smoothie than a meal. I like to puree half of my soup, which gives you a creamy texture while leaving something to chew on. However, if you are one of those people that really digs a good puree, by all means you could certainly toss the whole thing in your blender.
No judgments here.
I hope you give this carrot apple soup a go, even if it’s still hot where you live. This autumn, you can stay warm delusional.
As for me, I’ll be making this soup and planning our next pumpkin trip, only this time with more water…and bathroom breaks before walking into corn mazes with a full bladder…and ice packs for whiny children.
Or maybe we’ll just avoid the corn maze altogether.
How to make carrot apple soup in 2 simple steps
Time needed: 50 minutes.
- Add all ingredients to a soup pot.
Add carrots, apples, onions, garlic, broth, apple cider, and thyme to a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to a simmer, and cook for about 30 minutes, until carrots are fork tender and the apples are softened.
- Transfer and blend.
Transfer half of the soup (or all if you prefer) to a blender and process until smooth (or use an immersion blender). Pour back into soup pot. Add rosemary, salt, and pepper. Simmer for about 5 more minutes. Remove from heat. Serve with warm crusty bread and dairy-free butter.
Allergy Information & Substitutions
- This carrot apple soup is 100% vegan, meaning it is meat-free, egg-free, and dairy-free. It is also naturally gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, oil-free, nightshade-free, and low-histamine.
- Can’t find rainbow carrots? Simply use orange carrots or a mixture of orange and parsnips.
- I used gala apples for this recipe, but you can switch them out for granny smith or red delicious if you prefer.
- Don’t have apple cider? Look for unfiltered apple juice instead.
What to serve with this carrot apple soup + more recipes
- You can serve this soup with a fresh salad, like this delicious sugar-free broccoli salad.
- This soup also goes perfect with fresh homemade vegan bread.
- For another autumn/wintertime soup, check out my vegan not-chicken & dumplings stew.
- Want more carrots? Try these simple vegan carrot dogs.
Seasonal Vegan Carrot Soup
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs rainbow carrots diced
- 4 gala apples peeled, cores removed, and cut into chunks (you could also use tart apples, such as granny smith if you prefer)
- 1 large red onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup apple cider OR unfiltered apple juice
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add carrots, apples, onions, garlic, broth, apple cider, and thyme to a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to a simmer, and cook for about 30 minutes, until carrots are fork tender and the apples are softened.
- Transfer half of the soup (or all if you prefer) to a blender and process until smooth (or use an immersion blender). Pour back into soup pot. Add rosemary, salt, and pepper. Simmer for about 5 more minutes. Remove from heat. Serve with warm crusty bread and dairy-free butter.
Notes
- Can’t find rainbow carrots? Simply use orange carrots or a mixture of orange and parsnips.
- I used gala apples for this recipe, but you can switch them out for granny smith or red delicious if you prefer.
- Don’t have apple cider? Look for unfiltered apple juice instead.
Nutrition Information
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Jill
This sounds really good! I am pinning this!
Thank you for stopping by the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop this week. We hope to see you drop by our neck of the woods next week!
Catherine
I’ve pinned this, it sounds delicious 🙂
Randi
Thanks so much for the pin!! I hope you enjoy making it!