Although this is not a classic Carrot Soup recipe, you will be blown away by the incredible combination of flavours. Fresh carrots and ginger with coconut milk make the silkiest soup that is elevated with a saffron vinaigrette.
This is a brilliant carrot soup with a difference. It is thick and creamy without feeling heavy. It is quick to make, can be made in advance and freezes easily. This colourful carrot ginger soup is vegan, healthy and perfect with crusty bread!

Table of contents
Vegan Carrot Ginger Soup
This Carrot soup is the ultimate fridge clear-out recipe. Carrots come primarily packaged in 1kg bags here and it is next to impossible to use up the whole bag! It perfectly solves the question - what to make with leftover carrots?
In fact, it works for so many of the ingredients in this recipe. Leftover half tin of coconut milk? It's the perfect amount for this warming soup!
I have not used roasted carrots like in our Roasted Carrot, Chickpea Soup so this is a quick soup recipe.
I absolutely love soups and I'll tell you why.
- Soups warm the soul during the winter months
- They are perfect for a light midweek dinner meal
- They are great for make-ahead lunches. Simply reheat the next day for a quick, healthy lunch
- You can make them with whatever you have lying around in your fridge
Healthy Carrot and Ginger Soup with Coconut Milk
Nutrients are retained in this superfood carrot soup, thanks to our trusty Instant Pot, or electric pressure cooker.
Most of the ingredients in this soup are packed with nutrition making it a brilliant plant-based soup that healthy.
Let's start with the health benefits of carrots.
- Carrots are high in beta-carotene and play an important role in eye site and support the functioning of the immune system.
- Carrots are rich in other vitamins and minerals
- They are also low in calories and high in fibre.
A few of our favourite carrot dishes, like Carrot and Coconut Pulao Rice and African Peanut, Carrot and Tomato Soup are regulars on our table.
Ginger is the second main ingredient in this soup. Here are some health benefits of ginger:
- Aids in digestion
- Reduces inflammation
- Supports the immune system
In this soup, we also have superfoods such as onion and garlic.
The secret ingredient to make the best soup
Ok so maybe I should say ingredient(s)! Vegetable soups are elevated with the addition of fresh onion and garlic! It is a formula that I use for every soup recipe!
Onion lends a sweetness and savouriness to soup as it caramelises as it cooks and supplies an "umami" flavour. Garlic provides a rich, creamy and nutty taste to soup. As the garlic cooks, the flavour of the garlic mellows.
Both ingredients also add bulk to the soup however, the secret ingredient is nothing without the secret method!
Saute and simmer the onion and garlic in oil for a couple of minutes to extract their delicious flavour. Simply throwing all the ingredients in a pot at once will not yield incredible taste! Onion and garlic need time and space to cook before the rest of the ingredients are added.
Ingredients for Vegan Carrot, ginger and Coconut Soup
Full ingredients list and method can be found in the recipe card below
- Carrots - we have used fresh carrots
- Ginger
- Onion & Garlic
- Coconut Milk - we have used tinned coconut milk. You could also use dried coconut powder and reconstitute it to make coconut milk
- Green chilli - optional
- Vegetable stock - we have used a vegetable stock cube that has been dissolved in hot water
- Flavourings - ground coriander, nutmeg powder and cinnamon powder
- Garnishing- freshly chopped cilantro/coriander
Ingredients for the best Saffron Vinaigrette
The soup as it is, is so delicious but adding a little drizzle of saffron dressing just takes this soup to the stratosphere!
This vinaigrette is a dazzling concoction of extra virgin olive oil, saffron threads, crushed raw garlic and lemon juice.
Although the flavours are immense, this is truly a simple and quick salad dressing to whip up and will only add a few more steps when making this soup.
Instant Pot Carrot and Ginger Soup
The quickest and healthiest way to prepare soup is by pressure cooking. Pressure cooking reduces cooking times and it also locks in the precious nutrients provided by our ingredients.
We have found that British vegetables tend to cook very quickly due to their high quality and water content.
We cooked the soup for 6 minutes on high pressure in our Instant Pot.
How to make Carrot, Coconut and Ginger Soup
The step by step pictures below are for Instant Pot Carrot Soup. Normal pressure cooker and stovetop recipe is in the recipe card below
- Set up the Instant pot to make the soup and press the saute button.
- Add oil, chopped onion and garlic.
- Saute until the onions are translucent, then add ginger and green chilli (if using green chilli)
- Then add roughly chopped carrots, ground coriander, nutmeg and cinnamon powder.

- Mix all then add vegetable stock. Lock the cooker with the lid. Set the pressure cooker on HIGH for 6 minutes.
- Once done, 10 minutes NPR, then release the pressure manually.
- Add small pinch of dry saffron, fresh coriander and whizz up with a hand blender or in the food processor until smooth and creamy.
- Add coconut milk (reserve some for garnish) and heat the soup once again on saute.
- Serve in a serving bowl, drizzle saffron vinaigrette, coconut milk and top it up with chopped cilantro.


FAQS
If you cannot find saffron, you could use safflower however this would be for decorative purposes only as safflower does not have flavour. Safflower is cheaper than saffron however we have used saffron for flavour here.
If you are following a low salt or low sodium diet, you can use a low salt vegetable stock cube. We have added salt to taste so it is easy for you to control how much you add.
The coconut milk makes this soup silky, but to get it super silky use a table-top stand blender/food processor or a good quality stick blender.
If you are using a stand blender, do not use the blender lid with the attachment inside for the feed hole. The hot steam from the soup will make it difficult to open the lid after! Either wait until the soup as cooled or use a small plate to cover the hole instead.
Other vegan soup recipes
- Pumpkin Miso Soup
- African Peanut, carrot and tomato soup
- Goji Berries, Mushroom and Sweet Potato Soup
- Mulligatawny soup
- Roasted cauliflower, Parsnip and Walnut Soup
- Instant Pot Bean Soup Vegetarian
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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Carrot, Ginger and Coconut Soup with Saffron Vinaigrette
Equipment
- Instant pot/stovetop pressure cooker/pan
- Knife
- Chopping board
- Blender
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 500 g carrots washed,peeled and cubed
- Small pinch saffron
- 250 ml coconut milk
- 2 tablespoon ginger grated
- 700 ml vegetable stock
- 2 Tbsp. oil
- 2 Tbsp. coriander fresh
- 1 green chilli optional
- 1 big onion roughly chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- Salt to taste
- Pinch nutmeg powder
- Pinch cinnamon powder
- Pinch coriander ground
- cilantro Fresh chopped
- 1 Tsp. black pepper freshly ground
Saffron Vinaigrette
- Pinch saffron
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch salt
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- ¼ tsp. garlic crushed
Instructions
Saffron Vinaigrette
- Place all the ingredients in a bowl, mix well and leave it aside for later use.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker
- Heat oil in a pressure cooker.
- Add onion and garlic and sauté till it turns pink.
- Now add green chilli and ginger.
- Add chopped carrots, ground coriander, nutmeg and cinnamon powder.
- Cook everything about 3-4 minutes.
- Add vegetable stock and mix everything.
- Close the pressure cooker lid and let the soup cook till 3 whistles. (If you are cooking it in the pan then until carrots are fully cooked)
- Once pressure cooker is cooled naturally, add dry saffron, fresh coriander and whizz up with a hand blender or in the food processor until smooth and creamy.
- Transfer the soup in another pan, add coconut milk (leave a couple of tea spoon for garnishing) and re heat but not boil.
- Check the seasoning.
- Serve in a serving bowl, drizzle saffron vinaigrette, sprinkle freshly ground black pepper and freshly chopped cilantro.
Instant Pot
- Set up an Instant pot to make the soup and press the saute button.
- Add oil, chopped onion and garlic
- Saute until the onions are translucent, then add ginger and green chilli (if using green chilli)
- Then add roughly chopped carrots, ground coriander, nutmeg and cinnamon powder.
- Mix all then add vegetable stock. Lock the cooker with the lid. Set the pressure cooker on HIGH for 6 minutes.
- Once done 10 minutes NPR then release the pressure manually.
- Add small pinch of dry saffron, fresh coriander and whizz up with a hand blender or in the food processor until smooth and creamy.
- Add coconut milk (reserve some for garnish) and heat the soup once again on saute.
- Serve in a serving bowl, drizzle saffron vinaigrette, coconut milk and top it up with chopped cilantro.
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Share on Facebook Pin This RecipeNote - This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with new images and content, but the recipe remains the same. First time published in February 25th, 2012.Â





amy liu dong says
I am sure this soup is delicious, and aside from that, it's easy to make.
Perfect for this cold weather!
Hayley says
@amy liu dong, yes you cant go wrong with this delicious soup, thanks
Mikayla says
All the bright wonderful flavors danced in my mouth and the soup with a hunk of sourdough bread was truly a filling meal.
Hayley says
@Mikayla, really glad you tried this soup and enjoyed it with my favourite sourdough bread
Marie says
I love to make batches of carrot soup this time of year because they deliver the big dose of vitamins we so need during the cold season! I absolutely love the aromatic flavors you used in your soup, and that saffron vinaigrette, OMG! I'll be using that flavor bomb any and everywhere!
Hayley says
@Marie, so nice to know that you like the ingredients and flavors too,thank you.
Rebecca says
This soup is bright, flavorful, and fills you up without weighing you down. We absolutely love it!
Hayley says
@Rebecca, the flavours are so delicious and this soup is so handy, cheers
Cathleen says
This soup is exactly what I need for this season! Bookmarked to make this weekend, thanks so much for the recipe!!
Hayley says
@Cathleen, nice to hear that its just what you needed, cheers
Pavani says
Wow, such a creamy, luscious and decadent looking carrot soup this is. Recipe sounds so flavorful and delicious. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe.
Hayley says
@Pavani, you are so welcome, thank you
Gwynn Galvin says
You had me at Saffron Vinaigrette! I'm looking forward to making this soup soon. It will definitely warm me up during this cold spell here in Jersey!
Hayley says
@Gwynn Galvin, iam sure this soup must be one of your fav too, its certainly a personal fav, thanks
Liz says
I love carrot soup! Always so delicious! I have never tried adding coconut to the soup, but it sounds tasty! Will have to give it a try!
Hayley says
@Liz, i also love carrot soup too, enjoy!
Amy says
Well this soup certainly sounds like a great way to warm up! The flavors of carrot and ginger and coconut all go so perfectly together!
MsBrandiDenise says
Wow this looks so comforting! And I'm obsessed with your photography skills.
Amanda | Chew Town says
What a delicious winter soup! looks like it is packed full of flavour which is always great when you need a comforting soup.
Catherine says
What an elegant and delicious soup! This sounds perfect...I would love this on a chilly night like tonight!
Monica says
I love carrot soup-this looks warm and cozy.
Priya Srinivasan - I Camp in My Kitchen says
Lovely combination of flavors and beautifully served!! Perfect for the weather.
Mayuri Patel says
My family sent me photos of their white gardens or backyards. Looks so pretty but am sure I too would have frozen there. Soup colour looks wonderful, warm and inviting. Great idea to add a bit of saffron for added taste.