I am very excited to be sharing another recipe with the Free People Blog, BLDG 25. Today’s recipe is a simple but totally impressive chilled soup that is perfect for all of these hot weather days we’ve all been having.

When it is as hot as it has been, I find it hard to want to start up the stove or oven and then do all the prep work in a hot kitchen. Then, once I am really good and sweaty, that’s when dinner is ready. Nothing like eating a hot meal and feeling like you want to just pass out or jump in a pool.

The great thing about this chilled carrot soup is you can do the prep work the night before or early in the morning when the kitchen and the rest of your house still has a chill to it from the overnight cool down. You make the soup quick, puree it and then put it in the fridge until you are ready to eat. It makes a wonderful dinner or lunch with a simple side salad, or it would be wonderful as an appetizer.

But, if you are like my hubby, Mark, and chilled soups totally skeeve you out, you can enjoy this soup warm, room temperature or hot. Trust me, I may have taken many spoonfuls of it, while it was cooling and it was just as incredible.

This recipe was originally shared on the Free People blog.

[print_this]Chilled Carrot Ginger Coconut Soup – Vegan + Gluten-Free
serves 4-6

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb. organic carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 4 cups organic low sodium vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1-2 teaspoons yellow curry powder (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 cup full fat organic coconut milk

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium/high heat. Add in the onions and ginger, sauté for 4-5 minutes until the onions are beginning to get translucent and both the onions and ginger are fragrant. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Then pour in the broth, add in the carrots, salt, curry powder and red pepper flakes.

Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and cover the pan and allow to simmer for 25-30 minutes until the carrots are nicely tender. Remove the pan from the heat (or just turn off) and allow the soup to cool, uncovered, for about 15-20 minutes.

Purée with an immersion blender or in batches using a regular blender or food processor*, until smooth. Return the puree to pot over a low heat. Pour in the coconut milk, stirring well to combine. Once combined, remove it from the heat and serve hot, or store it in the refrigerator and serve chilled, which is what I did. Top each bowl with some thinly sliced green onions.

*When puréeing hot soup in a blender or food processor, do so in small batches, filling the blender pitcher only about halfway. Put the lid on, but remove that small cap in the lid (if you have it) and hold the lid down tight with a towel, otherwise the steam will cause the lid to explode off, spewing hot liquid everywhere. This has never happened to me, but it can, so be careful. [/print_this]

While you are over there check out some of my other recipes: Roasted Balsamic Strawberry Mini-Tarts with Whipped Coconut Cream – Gluten-free + Vegan, No-Bake Banana Cream Pie – Gluten-free + Vegan, Blueberry Lavender Vanilla Ice Cream – Vegan, Gluten-free, Refined Sugar-free