Carrot and Fennel Soup

A creamy soup made with roasted carrots and fennel. This soup will warm you up on a cold day and great topped with garnish like toasted chickpeas and sliced green onions.

A bowl of soup with chick peas as a garnish.

There is nothing like roasted vegetable soup. I have made so many different soups with vegetables that have been roasted in the oven and pureed in the blender. This carrot and fennel soup is smooth, creamy, and perfect for fall or a cold winter day.

Two bowls of soup with a napkin and spoon.

What Makes This Soup So Good

Carrot and fennel soup is an awesome combination for soup, and here are a some reasons why it is so good:

  • So much flavour – Carrots and fennel both possess a natural sweetness. When combined together, these vegetables create a fragrant, delicious and inviting soup.
  • Easy to make – This soup is simple to make with a few steps: roast, blend, simmer. That is all!
  • Creamy texture – When cooked and blended with some broth and milk, the carrots and fennel create a velvety smooth consistency.
  • Versatile – This soup can be enjoyed either hot or chilled, making it popular for all seasons. This can also be served as a light starter for a big meal or as a comforting main course with crusty bread (I love it with garlic bread as well!). I have served this for dinner parties and it is always a big hit.
A pile of carrots and fennel on a cutting board.

Ingredient Notes

  • Carrots – one of my favourite vegetables to roast are carrots. They have a sweet caramelised flavour that is so good in this soup.
  • Fennel bulbs – I love fennel with its anise-like flavour. You should be able to find them in your local supermarket.
  • Chicken broth – once the vegetables are roasted, they are blended with the broth to thin to soup. You could also use vegetable broth, and even water.
  • Milk – helped to thin the soup out. If desired, you could also use some cream for a thicker and creamier soup.
  • Butter – this is added to the soup as it simmers, and it really gives the soup a nice buttery flavour.
  • Salt – added to season the soup.
  • Cayenne – just a little bit to give the soup a hint of heat.
  • Garnish – there are so many different options for toppings of this soup. Some garnish ideas include toasted chickpeas, green onions, fresh herbs, bacon, croutons
Cut vegetables on a baking sheet

How To Roast The Vegetables

Roasting the carrots and fennel is very easy. First you need to cut them into smaller sizes. For the carrots, chop the ends off and then cut in half lengthwise and if they are fat carrots, you could also cut them into quarters. If the carrot skin is clean, you could leave the skin on and not bother peeling it, as I did in the photos above.

With the fennel, cut them into 1 inch thick portions. This will allow the vegetable to cook through and soften while in the oven.

Roasted vegetables out of the oven.

How Long To Roast Vegetables

Lay the cut up vegetables on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. The parchment paper, while not necessary, helps prevent the vegetables from sticking to the baking sheet. Line them side by side, with the carrots cut side facing down. Place them in a 375F oven and cook for about 1 hour. The vegetables should be cooked through and browning around the edges.

Vegetables in a blender.

Puree The Vegetables

Once the vegetables have been roasted, it is time to puree them in the blender. This will need to be done in batches, so take some of the roasted carrots and fennel and add them to the blender. Pour in some chicken broth and run the blender. Start the blender at a slow speed and slowly increase the speed to high. If needed, add more broth, or even some water to ensure the the vegetables are able to be blended and pureed until smooth and you can see them flowing through that cyclonic motion in the blender.

Pureed vegetables in a blender

Let the blender run on high for about 60 seconds. This should ensure that the vegetables are smooth and creamy. Pour the vegetable puree into a soup pot and then blend another batch. Continue to blend the vegetables with broth until they have all been pureed.

Creamy soup in a pot simmering.

Let The Soup Simmer

With all the pureed carrots and fennel in the pot, stir in the cream, butter, salt and cayenne. Heat over medium to medium low heat. As the soup heats up, the butter will melt, so stir the soup to blend it in. Let the soup simmer for 20 minutes. You want the soup to heat well, but not come quite to a boil.

Overhead picture of  soup in a grey bowl.

Serve Soup With Some Garnish!

Roasted carrot and fennel soup is creamy and delicious. While it is great just like that, I also enjoy topping the soup with a handful of garnish. My favourite are a bunch of spicy toasted chickpeas. They are crunchy and add a hint of heat to the soup. Along with the chickpeas, I throw on some sliced green onions. Some other options would be some croutons, fresh parsley, crumbled bacon and more!

Close up picture of a bowl of soup.

More Soup Recipes!

Roasted Carrot and Fennel Soup

Two bowls of soup with a napkin and spoon.
No ratings yet
Print
Creamy fall soup made with carrots and fennel bulbs that have been roasted in the oven. Pureed with broth and milk.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 10

Ingredients

Soup

  • 2 bulbs fennel
  • 8 carrots
  • 2 onions
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 3 cups milk
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Garnish

  • 1 cup toasted chick peas
  • 1/4 cup green onions , sliced

Instructions

  • Remove the ends off the carrots and then cut in half lengthwise. Cut the fennel bulbs into 1 inch strips. Place the vegetables on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast in a 375F oven for 1 hour.
  • Puree, in batches in a blender with some of the roasted vegetables and some of the broth. Make sure to add enough chicken broth in each batch to get a smooth consistency and that the blender will have that cyclonic flow of the puree. If more broth, or water is needed than the amount in the recipe, then feel free to add more. Pour the vegetable puree in a pot and continue with more batches until all the vegetables are smooth and creamy.
  • Stir in the milk, butter and salt to the soup. Simmer over medium to medium low heat where the soup is just start for about 20 minutes.
  • Garnish with toasted chick peas, croutons, sliced green onions, or parsley.

Nutrition

Per serving:

Calories: 200kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 7gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 816mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7g

Nutrition Disclaimer

Categories

A bowl of soup with chick peas as a garnish.

Did you try this recipe?

Leave a comment and let me know how it turned out. Or, take a picture to share on Instagram and tag me @theblackpeppercorn.

Leave a comment

Recipe Rating




4 comments

  • Great! Thanks. My son is having an orange themed birthday this weekend and I want to make this as an appetizer!

    • Reply
  • Can you make this soup in advance and serve later?

    • Reply
    • most definitely. I have done that with this soup and it is just as good!

      • Reply

Subscribe to the newsletter and never miss a recipe!