carrot miso soup.

if there's anything i miss about living in cold-weather climates (and there isn't), it would be the timeliness of warm soups in the winter months. here in california, it never quite feels like soup season. on a 70 degree day, albeit in january, i'd just as readily eat a crisp salad as a bowl of steaming hot liquid. in fact, as i type this, the latter sounds really awful.except that it's still technically winter, and in winter, i want to be eating soup, not pulling my own teeth to convince myself to want to eat soup. you feel me?this delicious pureed carrot soup with miso fits the bill of soups i can enjoy even while wearing sandals and shorts. the miso gives it a nice saltiness (so resist the urge to salt as you go along!), and if you have it on the hand, the toasted sesame oil is a welcome - but not necessary - finishing touch. i didn't top my bowl off with toasted sesame seeds or cilantro this time, but i could imagine those would work quite nicely as well.the final added benefit? the recipe makes a lot! perfect for hosting guests, freezing and reheating, or converting into a stir fry sauce. i did all three with mine.

carrot soup with miso

thanks to smitten kitchen

2 tablespoons olive oil


2 pounds carrots (about 8 large), roughly chopped

1 large white onion, finely chopped


6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon ginger, minced

5 cups vegetable broth


1/3 cup white miso paste

drizzle of toasted sesame oil


2 scallions, thinly sliced

heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.

add carrots, onion, ginger and garlic. sauté until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. add broth and cover. simmer until carrots are tender (about 30 minutes).

puree soup using an immersion blender. in a small bowl, whisk together the miso and half a cup of the soup. stir the mixture back into the pot of soup. make sure the miso is fully dissolved.

taste the soup and add more miso if you want. ladle into bowls and garnish.