Creamy Carrot Orange Soup (With Spinach & Almonds)

Orange soup in a white bowl topped with shaved almonds and chili flakes.

5 from 5 votes

Creamy Carrot Orange Soup (With Spinach & Almonds)

One of the easiest healthy carrot orange soup recipes using bell pepper, onion, oranges, garlic, and spinach, topped with roasted nuts and red pepper flakes—nourishing, incredibly filling, and easily adaptable!

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Additional Time5

Total Time40

Course: Soups and Salads

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: to 6 servings

Calories: 228kcal

Author: Mariska Ramondino

Equipment

1 large pot Dutch oven, or large saucepan
1 hand blender a Vitamix, food processor or regular blender can all work
1 Knife & cutting board
1 manual juicer

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil about 50 ml
3 large cloves garlic chopped
1 large yellow onion (up to 250 grams), peeled and coarsely chopped or replace with shallots
1 large red or orange bell pepper coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt plus more if needed
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pound carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped 465 grams
32 oz low-sodium vegetable broth 4 cups (946 ml)
1 cup packed spinach leaves (30 grams) or replace with fresh parsley leaves (25 grams)
½ cup fresh orange juice 113 ml (the equivalent of 2 large oranges juiced)
Sliced almonds optional (or lightly salted and roasted peanuts)
Dried chili flakes or red pepper flakes to taste if you love some heat

Get Instant Help

Instructions

Place the oil in a minimum 5-quart pot and melt over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, yellow onion, and bell pepper. Season with sea salt and royally with black pepper. Cook and stir for 5 minutes.
¼ cup olive oil, 3 large cloves garlic, 1 large yellow onion (up to 250 grams), peeled and coarsely chopped, 1 large red or orange bell pepper, 1 teaspoon sea salt, Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Add the carrots and stir to combine. Then add the vegetable broth. Cover the pot and let the liquid come to a simmer.
1 pound carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped, 32 oz low-sodium vegetable broth
Continue to cook, pot half-covered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Don't let the soup come to a full boil. Instead, reduce the heat if necessary to maintain a steady simmer.
Stir in the spinach leaves until wilted (1 to 2 minutes).
1 cup packed spinach leaves (30 grams)
Remove the pot from the stove, and with an immersion blender, carefully puree the soup. Of course, you can always puree the soup in batches using a stand blender or food processor.
Stir in the fresh orange juice while the soup is still hot—season to taste with more salt, if necessary.
½ cup fresh orange juice
Garnish with sliced almonds and a pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes when serving.
Sliced almonds, Dried chili flakes or red pepper flakes to taste

Notes

Helpful Tips:

- Broth: You can use a low-sodium packaged vegetable broth to keep this recipe simple. If you want to use homemade leftover vegetable broth, you'll need about 4 cups. Homemade chicken broth instead of veggie broth can also work: it will give the soup a richer taste.
- Immersion Blender: Use a hand blender for convenience and less mess.
- For a Regular Blender or Food Processor: Let the soup cool slightly before blending to avoid pressure build-up.

- Extra Salt & Pepper: Taste test and adjust seasoning according to preference.

- Garnishes (optional): Lightly salted and chopped peanuts or almonds pair well with this soup and taste so darn good, adding a salty, sweet, and oily crunch. This is, of course, optional; omit it if you have any nut allergies.

Add Heat: Add a few red peppers or chili flakes if you love a little heat in your soup. It complements this hearty dish. Or, if you can find them, try chili-roasted peanuts.
My favorite quick-serving suggestion: TERRA Taro chips.
Store in Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Store in Freezer: Freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. I like to freeze them in individual-sized portions and only take out what I need for a quick lunch or light dinner.
Reheat: Gently warm over low heat in a pot. Add extra broth or orange juice if needed and adjust seasoning. I usually take the soup out of the freezer the night before, but it's not required. You can also place the frozen soup straight into the saucepan and warm it over low heat. When reheating it, add some extra broth to thin it out, if preferred. Always taste test and add more seasoning if desired.

Nutrition