Carrot Ginger Soup

Michael Eisenwasser

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A smooth carrot ginger soup with no onion, no garlic, and minimal portion math.

Prep 10 min

Cook 30 min

Serves 6

Gluten-freeDairy-freeVegan-option

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil
• 2 lb (900g) carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch coins (about 6 cups)
• Green tops of 4 scallions, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 4 cups (960 ml) low-FODMAP chicken broth or low-FODMAP vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) canned light coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 3/4 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• Extra garlic-infused oil and toasted pepitas (up to 1 tbsp per bowl), for serving (optional)

Instructions

Build the Base

1. Warm the garlic-infused oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.
2. Add the scallion greens and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until softened and fragrant.
3. Stir in the ginger, turmeric, and cumin. Cook for 30 seconds, until the spices bloom.

Simmer

1. Add the carrot coins and stir to coat in the oil and spices.
2. Pour in the broth. Add the salt and pepper.
3. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and partially cover. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots pierce easily with a fork.

Blend and Finish

1. Turn off the heat. Blend the soup until completely smooth using an immersion blender, or transfer in batches to a countertop blender and vent the lid.
2. Stir in the coconut milk and lemon juice. Warm through over low heat for 2 minutes.
3. Taste and adjust salt. Serve with a drizzle of garlic-infused oil and a scatter of toasted pepitas if using.

Tips & Substitutions

• Carrots are low-FODMAP at the serves Monash has tested. A 2-pound pot split across 6 bowls doesn't take much portion math, and seconds are usually fine if you do well with carrots. Volume and fiber can still trigger IBS symptoms on their own, so adjust to your own tolerance.
• Ginger is low-FODMAP at typical serves. Monash rates ginger low at tested serves. Two tablespoons of fresh grated ginger across the whole pot gives a clear peppery warmth without adding much FODMAP — scale up gradually if you want it bolder and tolerate it.
• Light coconut milk keeps it dairy-free. Half a cup across 6 bowls is about 4 teaspoons per serving — well under the Monash low-FODMAP threshold for canned coconut milk. Full-fat coconut milk works too at the same 1/2 cup total; don't increase it.
• Use a broth without onion or garlic. Most supermarket brands include one or both. Homemade, Fody, or Gourmend are safe picks. The low-FODMAP chicken broth recipe walks through the label-reading.
• Use commercially prepared or safely made garlic-infused oil. The oil must be fully strained with no garlic pieces remaining. Home-infused versions should follow food-safety guidance on refrigeration and shelf life to avoid botulism risk.
• Skip the onion, skip the garlic cloves. Scallion greens and garlic-infused oil do the whole job. Adding yellow onion or raw garlic cloves would push this soup out of low-FODMAP territory immediately.
• Want it richer? Roast the carrots first. Toss with 1 tbsp oil, salt, and pepper, then roast at 400°F (200°C) for 25 minutes before adding to the pot. Cut the simmer time to 10 minutes.

Why This Works

Carrots and ginger are both low-FODMAP at Monash's tested serves. Most vegetables have a tested threshold where they flip to moderate or high; carrots and ginger stay low across the tested range. A 2-pound pot of carrots split across 6 bowls sits comfortably in low-FODMAP territory for every bowl, and the ginger adds flavor without adding much FODMAP.

Garlic-infused oil plus scallion greens adds the onion and garlic flavor. Fructans — the FODMAPs in onion and garlic — don't dissolve into oil, so the oil carries the flavor without the FODMAPs. Scallion greens cover the onion note; use the green parts, not the white bulbs. Same trick used in the butternut squash soup and the tomato soup.

Light coconut milk at 1/2 cup stays under the threshold. Monash rates canned coconut milk low-FODMAP at about 1/4 cup per serve. This recipe uses 1/2 cup across 6 bowls, which works out to roughly 4 teaspoons per serving — comfortably under the limit. Heavy cream works as a sub in the same amount if you tolerate small lactose serves.

Turmeric and cumin add warmth without FODMAPs. Both spices are low-FODMAP at typical recipe quantities per Monash. They round out the ginger and keep the soup from tasting one-note sweet.

Lemon juice sharpens the finish. Two teaspoons of lemon juice at the end cuts through the sweetness of the carrots and the richness of the coconut milk. Citrus is a reliable way to add brightness without adding FODMAPs.

Storage

Refrigerate in sealed containers at 40°F (4°C) or below for up to 4 days. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring often — coconut-milk soups can break at a hard boil. Freeze the blended base without the coconut milk for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat, then stir the coconut milk in fresh. Portion into 1-cup servings before freezing so you can pull exactly one bowl at a time.

Not sure about an ingredient? FODMAP Tracker includes a database of 1,000+ foods with FODMAP ratings to help you cook with confidence.