Creamy Carrot Potato Soup
Some recipes are the result of hours spent in the kitchen, tweaking this ingredient or that, and some recipes just happen. The recipe in this post is an example of the latter and is, if you ask me, exactly what a soup should be as a result: the ingredients you have on hand, thrown into a pot and simmered with a little know-how.
Improvising soup is not as complicated as it may sound. As long as you keep the cooking times of your ingredients in mind, use fresh ingredients and add a little body in the form of fat and flavor you’re golden. Hence, when making the Creamy Carrot Potato Soup shown above, I didn’t start with a list of ingredients – although I must tell you, this wasn’t by design. Usually I do have at least some idea of what I’ll be making for dinner. But it was the middle of final exams week at school, and I was tired, and I just plain forgot to plan dinner. Oops. Saturday was a bad day to do this too, because grocery shopping day is Sunday, which meant that not only did I have no idea what I was going to cook, but I had very little to cook with. To be precise, I had: 5 leeks, 2 small russet potatoes, half a bag of carrots, olive oil, vegetable bouillon, milk and heavy cream.
But that, my friends, is the beginning of a great soup.
Here’s how you improvise a soup: start by adding a little fat to the pot, such as olive oil or butter. Then cook aromatic vegetables – like onions or, in this case, leeks – just until the slices are tender, but not brown. This combination of fat and aroma will greatly enhance the final flavor of your soup. Now add a pinch of salt and pepper, cook your leeks or onions a bit longer, then add your vegetable stock or water, then the main ingredients. Your main ingredients could be potatoes, carrots, spinach, beans, pasta – pretty much whatever you like. The thing to keep in mind, however, is that the longest cooking ingredients (like carrots or beans) should be added first, and the quickest cooking ones last. If you are adding pasta to your soup it should be added to the liquid with just enough time left to match the cooking instructions on the box. Allow the soup to simmer for about 20-25 minutes, then stir and taste. If you are going to puree your soup, as I did here, you can do so as soon as the vegetables are tender.
Now you can decide what herbs you’re going to use – marjoram? cilantro? dill? After blowing on the spoon and giving full attention to the sensation of tasting the soup, I always let my intuition be my guide. So I added a generous sprinkle or two of dill, tasted, then added another dash for good measure. And because I wanted a creamy soup I added milk and heavy cream too. Why not? I had to use it sometime right? But for the heavy cream fearing folk, I should say that plain yogurt would have worked just as well.
That was all it took to make a few sparse ingredients into a satisfying pot of soup, which I served in coffee mugs… because it was Saturday evening, and Sunday morning is dish washing day too. But on a cold winter evening? Warming mugs held in chilled hands were a welcome treat. 
Don’t forget about the monthly book giveaway! The November winners have been posted on the giveaway page. December’s books include one copy each of “Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life,” by Jamie Oliver (donated by Hyperion Books) and “The Weekend Baker: Irresistible Recipes, Simple Techniques, and Stress-Free Strategies for Busy People”, by Abigail Johnson Dodge.
Creamy Carrot Potato Soup (My recipe)
- Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (you could also use butter)
- 5 large leeks, thinly sliced, white parts only
- 1 pound white or russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
- 7 ounces carrots, peeled and sliced
- 3 cups vegetable broth (I made mine with bouillon cubes)
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Dill to taste
Slice the white parts of the leeks, then pull apart the rings and put them in a large bowl. Fill the bowl with water and use your hands to gently move the leek slices around in the liquid. Since leeks grow in the ground, this step is necessary to remove any sand caught between the layers of leek. Strain the slices and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks, stirring to coat them with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are tender, about 10 minutes.
Add the vegetable stock and water, then the potato and carrot slices. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and allow to cook until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.
Remove the soup from the burner, and puree with a hand blender or a regular blender. If you use a regular blender be sure not to create an airtight seal with the lid by closing the top entirely. If you do, heat from the soup will cause the hot air to expand and splatter soup all over you. If you have a hand blender, it’s definitely the easier way to go.
Return the pot and soup to the stove. Add the milk and cream, then gently heat the soup over low heat until warm. Taste and season again with salt and pepper as needed. Add dill to taste.
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61 Responses to “Creamy Carrot Potato Soup”
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I improvise a lot in the kitchen… That soup looks and sounds really good!
Cheers,
Rosa
I also improvise in the kitchen, this looks so comforting!
Very impressed, as I simply can’t improvise in the kitchen. But now that I have your recipe, I don’t need to! K x
The soup looks delicious! I’m glad this one has all the ingredients which can be easily found in Pakistan. Thanks for the recipe of a healthy soup!
Specs´s last blog post -> Another step in the journey called life
The soup sounds great, but thank you especially for giving us not just a recipe but also the tools for improvising for ourselves. I’ve come to be pretty comfortable just making up a lot of the foods we eat, but it’s great here to be given some principles instead of having to divine them from trial and error. Thanks!
JohnSherck´s last blog post -> Book Review: The Gift of Good Land by Wendell Berry
loved the dill touch..it’s one of my favourite herbs!
I know what I’m making for dinner tonight! Thanks! (And I improvise a lot too…)
That’s very intersting, I don’t usually add milk to my soups, will try next time. Sounds so good!
I love soup! I can’t wait to try this one!
Maria´s last blog post -> Peppermint Crunch Ice Cream with Chocolate Cocoa Nibs
I love soups MMMMMM
Cris » It doesn’t work with all soup bases, but when it works it works! It tastes so good with carrots and potatoes.
I also tend to improvise, but I usually use an existing recipe to jump off from. I recently made a chicken and dumpling stew that was inspired by a recipe in one of my cookbooks. It turned out really well! Then it’s always difficult to give the recipe to someone because I never remember the measurements I use
MC´s last blog post -> Chicken and Dumpling Stew
How fun…I made almost the exact same soup yesterday!
Rachael´s last blog post -> 10 Holiday Gifts for Foodies, Chefs and Home Cooks
I am not a huge fan of cooked carrots in any form, but I have to say that this soup looks delicious.
What a great dinner to make with your leftovers. To my own fault, I usually just end up chucking what isn’t used during the week, and I feel so guilty about it! Especially now! I’m definitely going to try this make-your-own-soup thing.
Culinarywannabe´s last blog post -> Vanilla Crescents
I love how you improvise to make a homemade, delicious soup. Looks so cozy in that mug too.
Culinarywannabe » Soups are a great way to use veggies that would otherwise go to waste, especially if you’re trying to cut down on the grocery bill!
Ashley » My mom said the same thing, but nevertheless, this soup is gooood.
Rachael » Great minds think alike!
JohnSherck » You’re welcome! I’m glad you liked that part of the post.
So comforting!!
I love soups that have potatoes and leeks as ingredients. This one sounds really delicious and comforting, especially in this cold snap!
This is a lovely and helpful post – good info that everyone can use – but it’s that steamy photo that caught my attention. Now I’m definitely ready for lunch!
marilyn @ simmer till done´s last blog post -> Once More, With Feeling
Yummm – that looks delicious and your post was very informative (as usual!). I’m going to have to try this soup!
I got a warm cozy feeling reading about how you prepared and ate the soup; I especially loved the description of drinking soup from big mugs.
Oohh, this sounds good right now! I always improvise like this with my little rice cooker for lunch. I pretty much throw in whatever I have on hand and it almost always turns out good. Of course, a little sprinkle of cheese always helps!
Janel´s last blog post -> Secret Santa
I love soup – that’s one of the only good things about the cold winter weather!
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This is surprisingly similar to the Roasted Vegetable Soup I made a week or two ago. It’s amazing how good the vegetables can taste when they are just allowed to shine on their own merits with just enough fat to round out their flavor.
What a delicious soup! You’re a great improviser. Me, not so much!
That looks like a cup of comfort…I usually make soup this way too.
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Some of my greatest soups have happened just this way. Your creation sounds delicious, and exactly what is needed at this time of year.
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I love soups, they are so flexible. This looks so inviting right now. I wish I had some!
This looks so good – can’t wait to try it. I look at soups much the same way – flexible, easy, and satisfying!
dlyn´s last blog post -> Front Door/Back Door Meme – December!
Oh Ari, this is so inviting!
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This looks so good and comforting..
Have you ever added the carrots with the leeks, like a modified mirepoix?
This soup sounds delish- just the thing for a winter Saturday night. Maybe I’ll make it for my family this week.
Mary Kay » For sure you could do that. Go for it.
oh man… i’ve got 2 potatoes, one lonely onion, a bag of carrots and some halfnhalf in the fridge. i think i just found tomorrow’s dinner. woo!
A simple soup that’s good and hearty – this looks great!
Oooooooooooooooh. Looks perfect for this winter weather! Thank you!
I’ve never heard of this type of soup…. I can’t wait to give it a try!
This is perfect for a cold, rainy day — such as today.
It looks good! Always good to use up what is on hand especially at the end of a long or tiring day!
Your Creamy Carrot Potato Soup look so delicious. I am definitely going to try it. It should warm me up during the recent cold winter days we’ve been having.
Looks delicious, will have to try it this cold weekend
Oh, oh, oh. It’s 2:35 a.m. here in the Philippines and you have made me hungry. Of course now I am craving soup.
Happy, happy holidays, Ari! *hug*
that’s it! i’m going into the kitchen right now to make soup!
This looks like a really great recipe and I’d like to invite you over to our site at foodista to share this recipe in our online food and cooking encyclopedia. Thank you and hope to see you there!
Foodista´s last blog post -> Hot Pepper Honey
This looks delicious and very inviting.
An early inspiration for me was a book called Cooking Without Recipes. Similar concept — know the shape and fill in the details. When I think of it, I collect all the remnants in the fridge (well, as much as I can) and ask it to speak to me to tell me what it wants to be. Great job, Ari! Hope you’re restocked on potatoes for Chanukah!
susan g » Thanks! And we’re definitely stocked up on potatoes for latkes, happy chanukah!
I can’t wait to try this soup. I was just thinking about what I could do with a whole bunch of carrots that are the end of their life. Yea! This soup sounds great.
Great, now I know something else to do with all those potatoes and carrots.
I would add some thyme instead of dill.
Merry Christmas to all!
Nate – Sounds delish!
Thanx for all those great tips on improvising soup!
sounds so delicious !! great picture !
I’ve not tried this soup but only tasted in the restaurant, I am very lucky to found you and used ur recipes to learn more from you here. I am very sure my son and my husband loves ur soup heavenly. Let me try it and let u know. Can I use half and half cream? Will it give the same taste? I love to participate 2 books giveaway. Pls let me know how to participate monthly giveaway.
If I am lucky to have this giveaway books, I’ll only request you to send me with ur signature which is a great memorable to me for New Year 2009. Happy New Year to you and your family. Let me tour to many of ur recipes in ur blog when I’m free.
You add heavy cream. But it’ll gain our body weight more than milk. Pls help.
Rajee – As I mention in the post, you can replace the heavy cream with plain yogurt (low-fat). You can also use milk as a replacement, or half and half. There is a lot of room for modification.
YUMMMM! Nothing a little heavy cream can’t fix. I especially like it with a couple of tbsp. of sherry or congac!
I improve quite a lot with soups, too. Sometimes it’s just fun to see what will happen when you mix unlikely sounding flavours. Rarely have I concocted anything inedible
Your soup looks fantastic. Great colour and it certainly looks wickedly creamy!