Carrot Fennel Soup Recipe

Shared with us from “The Meat Lover’s Meatless Celebrations” by Kim O’Donnel during her cooking classes at our cooking school, La Cocina Que Canta.

Carrot-Fennel Soup

Makes 6 servings

1 medium fennel bulb3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (from a medium onion)2 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
1-pound carrots (about 5 medium), peeled as needed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1-pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon paprika
Fresh thyme sprigs, if desired
4 cups water
1 teaspoon toasted fennel seed for garnish

1. Trim the root of the fennel bulb and remove the stalks and feathery fronds. Slice in half lengthwise. With a paring knife, remove the tough inner core near the root end. Thinly slice.
2. In a large saucepan or soup pot fitted with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat.
3. Add the fennel, onion, and garlic, and cook until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the carrots and sweet potato and stir until evenly coated. Stir in the salt, coriander, paprika and thyme (if using).
4. Pour in the water, which will just cover the vegetables.  Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to low and re-cover; simmer 25 minutes or until the carrots and potatoes are fork-tender.
6. Meanwhile, toast the fennel seeds in a skillet on medium-low 2 minutes or until lightly browned.
7. Remove thyme sprigs from soup; puree using an immersion blender or food processor.
8. Serve hot, garnished with fennel seeds.

Recipe source: “The Meat Lover’s Meatless Celebrations” by Kim O’Donnel 

For the past 25 years, Kim O’Donnel has been working in food as a chef, journalist, and teacher. A former food writer for The Washington Post and several other newspapers big and small, Kim is the author of three vegetable cookbooks. Most recently, she has been the recipe editor for the forthcoming cookbook from chefs Mike Solomonov and Steve Cook of Zahav and Laser Wolf fame. The thing she is most proud of: Going to Poland in April of 2022 as a World Central Kitchen volunteer cooking for Ukrainian refugees.

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