The first time I tasted the Thai Carrot Soup from Whole Foods Market...it was love at first spoonful. How had I missed this amazing soup before??!! Creamy, loaded with Thai flavors, this soup surprised me!
The only reason I grabbed it all is because my neighbor had mentioned it to me and how much she had loved it. I wouldn’t normally be drawn to something with carrot. I mean…it’s not like carrots aren’t great…but they are not my go-to vegetable, so sue me!
But this Thai carrot soup. It is seriously amazing. And before I had moved onto my second spoonful….I was brainstorming ways to recreate it. After all , at $6.99 for a pint…this was not cheap. And I knew I could do it and leave out canola oil and other weird ingredients (hydrolyzed yeast extract?) I didn’t really want (please lose the vegetable oil Whole Foods!!).
I first tried to see if a a recipe was already online…but I couldn’t find ANYTHING…it was all totally different. So armed with an ingredient list…I set to work.
Enter the Instant Pot (cue angels singing!)
When my trusty stove-top pressure cooker started causing me grief with the pressure gauge….I knew the time might soon be upon me to replace this well-loved and well-used kitchen pot. Not having one was not an option….it is one of my most used pots…dinner in a FRACTION of the time..(think pot roast in under an hour)!! This busy mom would never be without the convenience!!
I had been seeing posts for ages about others and their Instant Pots…so I started looking there first. It didn’t take long to see that this was definitely the pot for me:
- plug in, run an automated program for whatever your cooking, and then forget about it (you have to watch stove top ones carefully since they are on a continuous heat source)
- large capacity
- rice cooker
- slow cooker
- yogurt maker
- very quiet operation (unlike my stove top cooker)
And since receiving my new toy, I have been using it incessantly.
So of course I used it to make this dairy free Thai carrot soup because I adore my little kitchen wonder!!
No Instant Pot? No Problem!!
No biggy if don’t have one though…stove top is easy enough too, just more cooking time. See below for stove top directions too!
Come and enjoy a warming, flavorful Thai carrot soup that even my husband willingly eats (not much of a soup guy)!
Like soup? Here are a couple of other recipes you could try!!
- My Thai Chicken Soup is ready in under 3o!
- This Dairy free potato soup has ham and is SO comforting and cozy!
- Always a classic: Homemade Chicken Soup in a Flash
- Quick and easy, this egg roll soup will be your new favorite!
Paleo Thai Carrot Soup Recipe:
I want to hear if you make this soup!! Please leave a comment and a rating below!
Instant Pot Paleo Thai Carrot Soup - A Whole Foods Knock-Off
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil (another fat would work)
- 1 medium yellow onion rough chop
- 1 1/4 pound carrot rough chop
- 1 jalapeño or serrano pepper with seeds, rough chop (optional...the seeds provide the heat so remove if you like to temper it)
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger use a Microplane and you will thank me!!
- 4 cups broth veggie or chicken
- 1 teaspoon sea salt OR 1 tablespoon fish sauce, to taste for saltiness
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/4 teaspoon tumeric
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- Cilantro chopped (added in after cooking, before pureeing)
- 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk or cream
- 20 drops stevia or 3 tablespoons honey, optional
Instructions
INSTANT POT DIRECTIONS
- Using the saute feature, heat the oil and add the onion. Sauté for 3-5 minutes to soften but not brown.
- Add in the chopped carrot and pepper, sauteing for a couple of minutes.
- Add in the broth and all the spices, stirring.
- Lock the lid and set manual pressure for 5 minutes.
- When time is up, do a quick release, unlock the lid, add the cilantro, and puree the soup in a blender, food processor, or try using your immersion blender.
- Add back to pot and stir in the cream and stevia (if using).
- Enjoy!
STOVE TOP DIRECTIONS
- The same as above, but at step 4, you will cover and simmer about 30 minutes until carrots are tender.
Nutrition
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I absolutely love this soup! I first found it when I was doing my first round of whole30 several years ago but I’ve been making it ever since. It just FEELS good to eat. This tends to be the meal I go for when I want to reset after eating junk. I make it with extra jalapeños with seeds and lots of ginger. I get some good endorphins and good nutrition too. I highly recommend! I’ve shared it with every friend I know with an instant pot!
Thanks for leaving a comment Adriane! Glad you enjoy it so much!
Thai and Japanese food are my favorite! I tried this recipe last week! It was amazing! All my family loves it very much. Thanks for sharing.
I adore Thai food….my kids not
So much…at least YET! I can hope!
I’m excited to try this! So sad that Whole Foods doesn’t carry it anymore!!!! Is the veg. broth or chicken broth closer to the original?
I prefer chicken!
Hi, is there a quantity of cilantro you recommend?
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped Christine!
I have really enjoyed this soup! Thank you! Have you tried freezing the leftovers? I like to fill my freezer with easy lunches and thought this would be a good option. Thanks!
Thank you Elizabeth!! While I have not frozen it myself, I think it would perfectly!!
My rating didn’t go through., so here it is!
Hi Tessa – when I lived in Houston three years ago, I LOVED on this soup from WF, and ate it all the time – especially when I was pregnant with my first kiddo. Since moving back to the East Coast (and nowhere near a WF), I’ve been searching for something similar EVERYWHERE (especially now that I’m pregnant with my second!). I even called the WF corporate office to try to get the recipe. Haha. I just made your recipe, and it is PERFECT! Thank you thank you THANK YOU for re-creating this!
So glad it hit the spot Jackie!! I knew I couldn’t be the only one who obsessed on that soup…’necessity’ is always the mother of all inventions! I actually have not seen the soup at my WF in awhile…..so it’s a good thing I cam up with this!
I was looking for an interesting carrot soup recipe and yours shouted out at me. I added a few things to your recipe because I can never leave well enough alone. I added 1/2 daikon radish because it acts like a potato to thicken soups. I also added a small red bell pepper, 12 oz pkg of pre cut butternut squash, 1/2 shallot. I added some Trader Joe’s Healthy 8 chopped assorted vegetables (it was in my refrigerator and wanted to use it up). I also substituted the Baharat seasoning blend that I had made from a Melissa Clark’s Instant Pot Recipe. I didn’t think it needed any sweetener. It was divine. I will definitely make this again. Thank you!!
Judy! I just love all of your adaptations! Soups are so great at being easily adaptable into using what you have on hand for adjusting flavor profiles! Thanks so much for coming back and letting me know how it went, I’m for sure going to try some butternut squash sometime! One of my faves!
I just made this and it was delicious. Very easy to make . Thank you for this recipe.
You’re welcome Trisha!! I am glad you enjoyed it! I love how there is minimal chopping since the IP takes care of the bigger chunks no problem and then it is just pureed! Saves even more time!
I really enjoyed this! So easy to make in the Instant Pot. Thank you!
Thank you Carrie!! Really is an easy soup!! I appreciate you coming back to let me know!
Made this soup this weekend. Very delicious. If you don’t like really hot, leave out the cayenne. I used a seeded jalapeno and the cayenne and it’s HOT! Still very tasty though.
Thanks so much Diana!! I love hearing feedback! Isn’t weird how some jalapenos are mild and others pack a real heat punch?? Crazy the variation!! I usually add the cayenne at the end just in case!
I’m like you in that I like carrots, but I’m never craving carrots – they aren’t my go-to at all but this soup sounds SO good with the jalapeno and the curry. Totally agree that Whole Foods should kick the vegetable oil! It doesn’t make sense!
Thai carrot sounds delicious! This is definitely my kind of soup. I love that you made it in the IP !!!
Everyone at work is starting to catch the flu so this soup is perfect! I feel it’s going to boost my immune system in such a healthy way!
perfect timing then!! Be sure to use some homemade bone broth too to increase the benefits!!!
Ooh I feel the same way about carrots. Not my number one vegetable but you can jazz them up into so many good meals! This sounds awesome!
This is such a nourishing soup loaded with warming and healing spices for this time of the year! Perfect for the vegetarian days.
Mmm, that spicy pepper and curry powder; this sounds so good!!
YUM! The peppers, cayenne, and ginger are all speaking my spicy love language!
you and I have the same love language then!!
Love the vibrant color of the soup and so full of essential nutrients for a cold wintry day.
Such a great flavor combo! And I love that it’s made in the IP. Can’t wait to try this out!
Sounds heavenly on this chilly day!
Have this simmering now, how much cilantro did you use? Thanks- smells amazing
MAYbe a half cup Briita! Totally up to your own tastebuds though, so add lore if you want!
Yumm! I just ran out of garam masala, will need to get some more and make this!
YUM – I’ve never had Thai Carrot Soup. This looks amazing – I can’t wait to try it!!!
It is surprisingly delicious Cassidy!!
When you say “full fat coconut milk” are you talking about the canned stuff or the carton stuff from the refrigerator? They really are different things.
Hi Charlie, yes, they are completely different. It is in the can, I linked to what I use in the recipe!! Hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions! Thank you!
I haven’t even unboxed my instant pot yet but would love to try this recipe first. I got an 8 qt version. Do I need to worry about there not being enough liquid in this? I thought I’ve read somewhere that liquid amount is important and was wondering if the 8 qt model would he too big.
Hi Julie! So happy you got an IP!!! So exciting! 1 cup liquid minimum is the standard!! Can’t wait to hear how it turns out!
Soup turned out delicious. I used fish sauce, coconut milk (use the thicker kind for a creamy soup), brown sugar instead of honey, and Thai chili instead of the Jalapeno/Serrano. Will make again, and again, and again… Thank you!
Thanks for letting me know Lindsey! I like the fish sauce idea!
When you say “manual pressure”, do you mean “manual mode” and, if so high or low pressure. I am new to pressure cooking. Thanks
Hi Eric! While I’m sure in this instance low and high pressure would work, I use manual mode which is automatically high.
Made tonight. Really good recipe. Thank you. I finally perfected this.
glad you liked it Tom…I love this soup, especially as the weather cools down!!
I tried to make carrot soup once… It did not end well for me. Haha! Your version sounds so much more appetizing! Thanks for sharing it with us at Savoring Saturdays! 🙂
This soup looks so amazing! I can’t wait to try it!
I want an instant pot so bad! I never thought of making soup in it though. Another reason to get one 🙂
Sounds like a beautiful soup dear! All of the wonderful flavors I love too!
Yum – I love Thai flavors and finding new ways to use veggies!
Thanks Megan, I am very excited about this soup…it was my breakfast this morning!!