Roasted Carrot Soup with Yogurt and Crispy Lentils

This roasted carrot soup with yogurt and crispy lentils is a great lower effort vegetarian meal for winter and spring. Carrots, shallot, and garlic are roasted with garam masala until super tender then blended into a creamy soup. Canned cooked lentils are roasted at the same time until golden and crisp. Each bowl of carrot soup is topped with a lemony yogurt to contrast the sweet and earthy carrots while a sprinkling of crispy lentils adds texture, fiber, and protein. Enjoy this easy carrot soup recipe anytime you want something comforting without a lot of effort!

I love a comforting bowl of soup on a chilly day, especially when I don’t have to stand around a pot stirring and adding ingredients in what feels like 20 different steps (I’m looking at you minestrone!). This roasted carrot soup lets your oven and blender do the heavy lifting without sacrificing flavor. I ended up adjusting the temperature so that both the carrots and lentils can roast at the same time to keep things even easier. While this carrot soup is delicious on its own, it benefits from a generous swirl of the lemony yogurt and the texture of the crunchy lentils. The bonus is that this easy vegetarian soup is budget-friendly thanks to affordable pantry staples like carrots and lentils. Let’s whip up a bowl of this gorgeous creamy soup!

Roasted Carrot Soup with Yogurt and Crispy Lentils Ingredients

For the most part, the ingredients for the soup are fairly straightforward and easy to find. I’ll provide some notes on subs below for a couple of the less common ones.

• Carrots — If you’re using fresher carrots that still have their greens attached, they will most likely roast up faster than storage carrots that are typically sold in bags.
• Shallots and Garlic — in case you haven’t noticed already, I love using shallots and garlic as an aromatic in my recipes! If you can’t easily find shallots, I recommend using half of a sweet or yellow onion in their place. As for the garlic, make sure to keep the peel on the cloves for roasting!
• Garam Masala — this spice blend pairs really well with the carrots but if you don’t already keep it around, you don’t need to buy a whole bottle just for this recipe! You can use an equal amount of curry powder instead, or, use 1/2 teaspoon each of ground coriander and ground cumin (both of which are in the same family as carrots!).
• Olive Oil or Avocado Oil — use either to help ensure the carrots and lentils roast up beautifully in the oven.
• Cooked Lentils — to keep prep a breeze, I went with a can of cooked lentils for this recipe. You can make your own if the feeling strikes! Cook about 1/2 cup dried black, green, or brown lentils according to the package instructions and drain well.
• Canned Coconut Milk — full fat coconut milk makes this soup extra creamy. For a more affordable option, use 1 3/4 cups unsweetened soy milk or oat milk.
• Vegetable Bouillon Cube — adds a savory brothy flavor without the added liquid. Look for these on the soup aisle next to the broth.
• Lemon — the zest and juice of 1 small lemon will flavor the yogurt and balance the sweetness of the soup.
• Greek Yogurt — I love the tang and thickness of Greek yogurt here along with the added protein. Feel free to sub your favorite thick vegan yogurt in its place to make this recipe fully vegan and dairy free!
• Chives — completely optional, but they add such a lovely fresh element when used as a garnish, plus the pops of green add a little more visual interest.
• Salt/Pepper — season to your heart’s content!

Ensuring the Creamiest Carrot Soup

Start by cutting your carrots into pieces that have a similar thickness. This helps them to roast evenly. Also, try not to overcrowd them on the pan so that the hot air in the oven can circulate. The carrots are done when they are fork tender, i.e. you can easily pierce them with a knife or fork.

Once the carrots are perfectly tender, the blender will take care of the rest! I recommend an upright blender for this step as it will ensure a perfectly smooth and creamy texture. If you don’t have one, or don’t feel like lugging it out and cleaning it (been there!), put the roasted carrots and remaining soup ingredients in a pot and use an immersion blender. Blend until smooth.

Carrot Storage Tip — carrots need moisture to stay crisp and fresh! When you bring your carrots home, remove any attached greens (compost them or save them for another recipe). The greens will pull water from the carrot which can lead to them becoming limp and rubbery. Spritz the carrots with water to ensure they are damp, then seal them in a bag. Another method, and my personal favorite, is to store them in a tall jar of water! Just make sure to change out the water every 2-3 days! I’ve had carrots last up to a month like this.

Tricks for Ensuring Super Crispy Lentils

Moisture is the enemy for crispy lentils. Drain the lentils in a colander first, then place them on a clean kitchen towel or a few layers of paper towels. Use another clean towel or paper towel to gently blot away any excess moisture. Use the towel to transfer the dried lentils to an UN-LINED sheet pan then toss with the oil and season. I’ve found that an un-lined sheet pan will help them crisp up so much better! The lentils will most likely be ready before the carrots so keep an eye out. Things to look for: they’re darker in color, they easily move around the pan when you shake it, and they’ve shrunk in size.

More Low Effort Vegan and Vegetarian Meals for Late Winter/Early Spring

• Peanut Noodles with Edamame and Kohlrabi — fresh udon noodles and shelled edamame keeps cooking time right around 5 minutes! The remaining prep takes about 15 minutes to chop the kohlrabi and mix the peanut sauce.
• Roasted Cauliflower Tacos with Pickled Jalapeño Chimichurri — this is another great example of the oven doing the heavy lifting when it comes to the cooking portion. While the cauliflower roasts, you can blitz the chimichurri and compile a quick cabbage slaw in 10-15 minutes.
• Tofu Ricotta Toast — the only cooking involved is plopping bread in a toaster! This is great for a lighter meal or breakfast and can be topped with whatever you like: avocado, sprouts, hot sauce, etc.

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