This Hairy Bikers carrot and coriander soup is light, smooth, and packed with flavour — fresh carrots simmered with ground coriander, then finished with a handful of fresh coriander for a bright, citrusy lift. It takes 10 minutes to prep, 15 minutes to cook, and serves 6.
The double coriander trick — ground in the base, fresh stirred in at the end — gives it a depth most carrot soups don’t have. I make a big batch every few weeks and freeze it in portions for easy weeknight lunches.
Why Does This Hairy Bikers Carrot and Coriander Soup Work So Well?
The double coriander technique. Ground coriander goes in early and cooks with the carrots — it’s earthy, warm, and nutty. Fresh coriander gets stirred in right at the end so it keeps its bright, citrusy flavour. You get two layers of coriander working together. Most recipes only use one or the other.
Toasting the ground coriander first. The recipe has you cook the ground coriander in the pan for a full minute before adding the stock. This toasts the spice and releases its essential oils, which intensifies the flavour. Skip this step and the soup tastes flat.
No cream, no potato. Unlike a lot of carrot soups, this one doesn’t rely on cream or potato to thicken it. The carrots themselves, once blended, create a naturally silky texture. That keeps the calorie count low (87 kcal per serving) and lets the carrot and coriander flavours come through clean.
Technique over ingredients. There are only 7 things in this soup. The Hairy Bikers kept it deliberately simple — the flavour comes from how you handle the coriander and carrots, not from a long shopping list.
Hairy Bikers Carrot and Coriander Soup Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- 450g (1lb) carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1.2 litres (2 pints) vegetable stock
- Large bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
How To Make Hairy Bikers Carrot and Coriander Soup
- Sauté the Vegetables: Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot or saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and carrots and cook for 3–4 minutes, until they begin to soften.
- Add Spices: Stir in the ground coriander and season with salt and pepper. Cook for another minute, stirring, to toast the spice and release its aroma.
- Simmer the Soup: Pour in the vegetable stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10–15 minutes, or until the carrots are completely tender.
- Blend Until Smooth: Use a hand blender to puree the soup directly in the pot until it is smooth. Alternatively, you can carefully transfer the soup in batches to a traditional blender.
- Finish and Serve: Return the soup to the saucepan if needed and reheat gently. Stir in the freshly chopped coriander just before serving.
Recipe Tips
- How to adjust the consistency? If the soup is thicker than you’d like after blending, simply stir in a little boiling water or extra vegetable stock until it reaches your desired consistency.
- How can I garnish the soup? To dress up the finished soup, you can add a swirl of cream or a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Toasted seeds (like pumpkin or sunflower) add a nice crunch, and a few extra fresh coriander leaves on top look beautiful.
- What’s the best way to use up stale bread? Make croutons! Cut stale bread into cubes, toss with a little olive oil and salt, and bake at 375°F (190°C) until golden and crispy. They are a perfect topping for this soup.
- Why add fresh coriander at the end? Fresh coriander has a delicate, bright flavor that can be lost with too much cooking. Stirring it in right at the end ensures its fresh, vibrant taste shines through.
What Are Some Easy Variations?
- Creamy version. Stir in 2-3 tablespoons of double cream or a splash of coconut milk just before serving. Don’t add it during cooking or it can split.
- Spicy version. Add half a teaspoon of ground cumin and a pinch of chilli flakes when you toast the ground coriander. Or stir in a teaspoon of harissa paste before blending.
- Roasted carrot version. Instead of simmering raw carrots, roast them at 200°C with a drizzle of olive oil and the ground coriander for 25-30 minutes first. Roasting caramelises the natural sugars and gives a deeper, sweeter flavour. Then add to the stock and blend.
- Vegan version. Already vegan as written — just use vegetable stock and skip any cream garnish. Coconut yoghurt works as a topping instead.
- Chunky version. Blend only half the soup and stir the smooth half back into the chunky half. Gives you texture instead of a completely smooth soup.
For a completely different spiced soup, try the Hairy Bikers red pepper and lentil soup — it’s got more heat and more body.
Can You Make This Soup in a Slow Cooker?
Yes. Add the sliced onion, carrots, ground coriander, stock, salt and pepper to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3 hours until the carrots are completely soft. Blend until smooth, then stir in the fresh coriander.
No need to fry anything first — the slow cooker does all the work. The flavour won’t be quite as deep as the stovetop version (you miss the toasted coriander step), but it’s still a great soup for minimal effort.
If you like slow cooker soups, the Hairy Bikers bacon and lentil soup is another great one that works brilliantly in the slow cooker.
What To Serve With Carrot and Coriander Soup
This simple soup is a light meal on its own, but it’s even better with:
- A warm, crusty bread roll for dipping
- A simple cheese sandwich
- A dollop of plain yogurt or crème fraîche
This soup also pairs well with the Hairy Bikers cheese scones — warm from the oven with butter, they’re perfect for dipping.
How To Store Carrot and Coriander Soup
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freeze: This soup freezes exceptionally well. Let it cool completely, then portion it into freezer-safe containers or bags. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat: Reheat gently in a saucepan on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Carrot and Coriander Soup Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 87 kcal
- Protein: 2.2g
- Carbohydrates: 11.7g
- Sugars: 10.2g
- Fat: 3.4g
- Fiber: 4.2g
- Salt: 1.9g
Nutrition information is per portion.
FAQs
The recipe uses ground coriander for the base flavor and fresh coriander for a bright finish. You can omit the fresh coriander if you don’t have it, but it adds a significant amount of fresh, vibrant flavor that dried coriander can’t replicate.
Yes. For a creamier texture, you can stir in a splash of heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk at the end of cooking, just before serving.
It’s recommended to peel the carrots for the smoothest possible soup. If you are using young, fresh carrots with thin skins, you could scrub them well and leave the skins on, but the final texture may be slightly less refined.
Very. It’s 87 calories per serving with no cream, no potato, and no butter. Naturally vegan too.
Flat-leaf parsley works as a swap — you lose the citrusy kick but keep the freshness. A squeeze of lemon juice at the end helps make up the difference.
Try More Recipes:
- Hairy Bikers Leek and Potato Soup No Cream Recipe
- Hairy Bikers Red Pepper and Lentil Soup Recipe
- Hairy Bikers Pea and Ham Soup Recipe
- Hairy Bikers Mushroom Soup Recipe
Hairy Bikers Carrot and Coriander Soup Recipe
Description
A simple, healthy, and warming soup made with sweet carrots and aromatic coriander, perfect for a quick lunch or light dinner.
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a large pot, sauté the onion and carrots in oil for 3-4 minutes until they start to soften.
- Stir in the ground coriander, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the vegetable stock, bring to a boil, then simmer for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- Use a hand blender to puree the soup until smooth.
- Reheat the soup gently and stir in the fresh coriander just before serving.
Notes
- If the soup is too thick, thin it with a little boiling water or extra stock.
- This soup freezes very well, making it great for meal prep.
- Garnish with a swirl of cream, toasted seeds, or croutons for extra texture and flavor.
- Add the fresh coriander at the very end to preserve its bright, fresh taste.
