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Walk into any British café, pub or supermarket and you’ll likely encounter carrot and coriander soup sitting comfortably alongside traditional favourites like leek and potato or chicken and vegetable. This vibrant orange soup feels quintessentially British now, despite its relatively recent arrival on the culinary scene.
The pairing of sweet carrots with fragrant coriander seems so natural that you might assume it’s been around for centuries. Yet this combination only gained widespread popularity in Britain during the 1980s and 1990s, when the nation’s palate began opening up to bolder, more international flavours.
What makes this soup particularly interesting is how thoroughly it’s been absorbed into British food culture. It appears on school lunch menus, in packed lunch thermoses, and as a reliable starter at dinner parties. The soup has become so familiar that many younger Britons would be surprised to learn it wasn’t always part of the national repertoire.
The dish represents a turning point in British cooking, when ingredients from beyond Europe started appearing in everyday meals rather than remaining confined to specialist restaurants. Coriander, once exotic, became as commonplace as parsley, and this soup led that charge.
What Is Carrot and Coriander Soup?
Carrot and coriander soup is a smooth, blended soup that combines the natural sweetness of cooked carrots with the bright, citrusy notes of fresh coriander. The soup is typically served hot, though some versions work equally well chilled during summer months.
The preparation starts with softening onions and garlic in butter or oil, then adding chopped carrots to cook until tender. Stock gets poured over everything, and the mixture simmers until the vegetables yield completely. Fresh coriander goes in towards the end to preserve its vibrant flavour.
Once everything is soft, the soup gets blitzed until completely smooth, creating a velvety texture that coats your spoon. Some cooks add a splash of cream or a dollop of yoghurt for extra richness, though the soup stands up perfectly well without dairy additions.
The finished soup should be thick enough to cling slightly but thin enough to pour easily. Getting this consistency right often requires adjusting with extra stock or allowing it to reduce further. The colour should be a cheerful orange, brightened slightly by the green flecks of coriander.
Ingredients and Taste
The ingredient list is refreshingly short and accessible. Carrots form the base, with their natural sugars concentrating during cooking to provide sweetness without any added sugar needed. Onions add savoury depth, whilst garlic brings pungency that mellows into warmth.
Fresh coriander is essential rather than optional. The dried version simply cannot provide the bright, almost lemony quality that makes this soup distinctive. Ground coriander seeds sometimes appear alongside the fresh leaves, adding an earthy, slightly spicy undertone that complements without competing.
Vegetable or chicken stock provides the liquid base, with vegetable stock keeping the soup suitable for vegetarians. Butter or olive oil carries the flavours during the initial cooking, whilst some recipes include a potato or two for extra body and creaminess without cream.
The taste walks a delicate line between sweet and savoury. The carrots provide natural sweetness that never becomes cloying, balanced by the aromatic punch of coriander and the savoury notes from the stock and alliums. A squeeze of lemon juice often appears at the end to brighten everything.
Each spoonful should taste fresh and clean despite being a cooked, blended soup. The coriander cuts through the carrots’ sweetness, preventing the soup from feeling one dimensional. The texture should be silky and refined, making it feel more sophisticated than its simple ingredient list might suggest.
A Taste of History
Carrot and coriander soup doesn’t have the centuries of tradition behind it that many British soups claim. Instead, it emerged during the 1980s when British cooking began its gradual transformation from insular to internationally influenced, embracing ingredients and flavour combinations from around the world.
The soup likely draws inspiration from Middle Eastern and North African cuisines, where carrots and coriander have been paired for generations. As British supermarkets began stocking fresh coriander regularly and package holidays exposed people to Mediterranean and North African foods, home cooks started experimenting.
Several British food companies began producing tinned and fresh versions during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The soup’s bright colour and approachable flavour made it popular with children and adults alike, helping it gain traction quickly across the country.
Celebrity chefs and cookbook authors embraced the soup during the 1990s food revolution, when British cooking was reinventing itself. The dish represented a new British cuisine that respected tradition whilst incorporating global influences, making it a symbol of changing culinary attitudes.
Today, carrot and coriander soup is so thoroughly embedded in British food culture that its relative newness surprises many people. It appears in school canteens, workplace cafeterias, and home kitchens as a reliable, healthy option that pleases almost everyone. The soup has earned its place in the modern British culinary canon through sheer popularity and versatility.
How to Make Carrot and Coriander Soup
Carrot and coriander soup is a cherished British classic known for its vibrant colour, velvety texture, and delicate balance of sweetness and spice. The carrots bring natural warmth, while the fresh coriander adds a fragrant, citrusy lift. It is simple to prepare yet deeply satisfying, making it a comforting choice for any season. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 500 g carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
- 1 litre vegetable stock (preferably homemade or low salt)
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- Small bunch of fresh coriander (stalks finely chopped, leaves reserved)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional: a dash of double cream or a swirl of natural yoghurt for serving
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the base
Begin by heating the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook gently for 5–7 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir occasionally to prevent browning, as a gentle cook helps develop a sweet, mellow base.
Step 2: Add the garlic and spices
Stir in the crushed garlic and ground coriander, allowing them to cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. This brief toasting enhances the spice’s aroma and infuses the oil with flavour.
Step 3: Cook the vegetables
Add the chopped carrots and potato to the pan, coating them well in the spiced mixture. Sauté for 2–3 minutes to begin softening the vegetables and deepen their natural sweetness.
Step 4: Pour in the stock
Add the vegetable stock and chopped coriander stalks. Stir well, scraping up any bits from the base of the pan for added depth. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Step 5: Simmer the soup
Cover and cook gently for 20–25 minutes, or until the carrots and potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife. Avoid vigorous boiling, as it can make the texture grainy.
Step 6: Blend until smooth
Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool slightly. Using a stick blender, purée the soup until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, use a countertop blender, blending in batches if necessary.
Step 7: Adjust consistency and seasoning
Return the blended soup to the pan and check the texture. Add a splash of hot water if too thick. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, stirring well to balance the flavours.
Step 8: Reheat gently
Warm the soup over low heat, stirring occasionally. If desired, swirl in a small amount of double cream or natural yoghurt for a silkier texture and richer taste.
Step 9: For serving
Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve with crusty bread or a buttered roll for a traditional British finish.
Step 10: Presentation tip
For a professional touch, drizzle a light swirl of cream or olive oil across the surface before serving. The contrast against the vivid orange soup enhances both the appearance and the flavour.
Variations and Substitutions
- Stock: Chicken stock can replace vegetable stock for a deeper flavour if preferred.
- Herbs: Substitute coriander with fresh parsley for a milder taste.
- Cream: For a dairy-free option, use coconut milk instead of cream.
- Texture: Leave part of the soup unblended for a rustic, chunky version.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Carrot and Coriander Soup
- Choose fresh, young carrots for the best natural sweetness.
- Toasting the ground coriander briefly brings out its full aroma.
- Always allow the soup to cool slightly before blending to avoid splashes.
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice before serving can brighten the overall flavour.
- If using a blender, blend in small batches for a smooth and even texture.
Carrot and Coriander Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 500 g carrots peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 medium potato peeled and diced
- 1 litre vegetable stock preferably homemade or low salt
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- Small bunch of fresh coriander stalks finely chopped, leaves reserved
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Optional: a dash of double cream or a swirl of natural yoghurt for serving
Instructions
- Begin by heating the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook gently for 5–7 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir occasionally to prevent browning, as a gentle cook helps develop a sweet, mellow base.
- Stir in the crushed garlic and ground coriander, allowing them to cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. This brief toasting enhances the spice’s aroma and infuses the oil with flavour.
- Add the chopped carrots and potato to the pan, coating them well in the spiced mixture. Sauté for 2–3 minutes to begin softening the vegetables and deepen their natural sweetness.
- Add the vegetable stock and chopped coriander stalks. Stir well, scraping up any bits from the base of the pan for added depth. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Cover and cook gently for 20–25 minutes, or until the carrots and potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife. Avoid vigorous boiling, as it can make the texture grainy.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool slightly. Using a stick blender, purée the soup until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, use a countertop blender, blending in batches if necessary.
- Return the blended soup to the pan and check the texture. Add a splash of hot water if too thick. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, stirring well to balance the flavours.
- Warm the soup over low heat, stirring occasionally. If desired, swirl in a small amount of double cream or natural yoghurt for a silkier texture and richer taste.
- Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve with crusty bread or a buttered roll for a traditional British finish.
- For a professional touch, drizzle a light swirl of cream or olive oil across the surface before serving. The contrast against the vivid orange soup enhances both the appearance and the flavour.
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