This easy carrot and turnip soup recipe with leeks and apples celebrates the flavors of fall and winter vegetables. It has just the right amount of sweetness to complement turnips and gets its creaminess from canned coconut milk. Plus, spices like cumin, cinnamon, and ginger round out the great flavor. This healthy vegan soup is a must-make on cold days!
January is peak soup season, am I right? I mean, what’s better than a warm bowl of veggie-loaded goodness when the wind chill is below zero? Ok, not everyone has weather like we do in Minnesota, but that doesn’t mean you still can’t enjoy this soup when it’s cold out wherever you are! It’s totally delicious whether the temperature is 30 above or 30 below.
This simple pureed soup is inspired by the variety of beautiful winter produce that’s available right now. For one, it uses turnips, which can be a challenging vegetable to incorporate into dishes because of their radish-like bite. However, they are absolutely delicious when paired with the right flavors! If you’re wondering how to use turnips in soup, adding carrots and apples helps provide some natural sweetness to mellow their bitterness. YUM.
In addition to these veggies and fruits, I threw in some leeks since I know that’s what out there right now. Be sure to look through my Ingredients and Substitutions section for ideas if you have other onions or a specific type of turnip on hand! And if you’re interested, my produce guides for January and February provide a lot of other ideas for how to use seasonal vegetables in the winter.
Jump to:
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Extra virgin olive oil: Use coconut oil for a little extra coconut flavor if you want.
- Leeks: If you don’t have these on hand, substitute white, yellow, red, or sweet onions or even shallots.
- Turnips: One of the stars of the show in carrot and turnip soup, both purple top or Hakurei (Japanese) turnips work in this recipe. Hakurei turnips are smaller and tend to be a little milder/sweeter compared to purple top ones. Either option is wonderful. You do not technically need to peel turnips for soup, but I prefer to peel them since their skin can sometimes be thick and cracked.
- Carrots: Any color of carrots can be used, but orange ones make the soup extra pretty.
- Apples: I like to use 1 Granny smith for a little tart and 1 Pink Lady (or Honeycrisp) apple for a little sweet. Use whatever kind you have on hand. No apples? Pears would be a delicious subsitute!
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best here, but you can sub garlic powder or dried minced garlic.
- Cinnamon, dried ginger, cumin, and salt: These warming spices are perfect for a winter vegetable soup. Fresh ginger can of course be substituted for dried but dried is usually easier.
- Vegetable broth: Sub chicken broth if that’s what you have.
- Coconut milk: Use the full-fat kind that you get in a can. It’s the best for adding creaminess! If you don’t have coconut milk, sub any kind of milk. The higher the fat content, the creamier it will make the soup.
- Toppings: Serve the soup with matchstick apples, cooked cinnamon apples, fresh herbs (like thyme or sage), crispy chickpeas, croutons, or anything else you’re craving.
Instructions
The full recipe card for carrot and turnip soup is at the bottom of the post. Here’s a preview of the steps with photos to guide you.
Wash and prepare the vegetables and apples. Gather the other ingredients.
Cook the leeks in olive oil in a soup pot.
Add the carrots, turnips, and apples to the pot. Cook for a few minutes until they start to soften.
Stir in the garlic and spices.
Add the vegetable broth and coconut milk. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover, and cook until the vegetables are tender (about 15 to 20 minutes).
Blend the soup until pureed, using an immersion/handheld or upright blender. I absolutely love my new immersion blender from KitchenAid!
Storage and Reheating
Carrot and turnip soup is delicious when prepared ahead of time, kept in an airtight container in the fridge, and reheated. It will last in the refrigerator for up to 5 to 7 days. Reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, until warmed through. You can also reheat it in the microwave.
To freeze the soup, let it cool completely then transfer to freezer-safe containers. Leave about an inch of headspace to allow for expansion while cooking. Seal tightly, label, and store for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating or reheat straight from frozen. If reheating from frozen, it helps to cover the soup for a little to trap heat and to stir often to prevent scorching.
Serving Ideas
A bowl of this creamy vegan carrot and turnip soup is delicious on its own, but the opportunities for toppings are endless. Try it topped with my Sautéed Chickpeas (Pan Fried), caramelized or raw apples, fresh herbs, croutons, granola (like my Almond Granola with Honey and Vanilla), or your favorite nuts and seeds.
It’s also a great addition to a full meal. Serve with sandwiches, salads, or any lean protein. It pairs well with my Veggie Chicken Burgers, Spinach Feta Salmon Burgers, or Mushrooms on Toast with Ricotta.
More Healthy Soups
If you’re looking for more healthy and creamy vegetable soups, check these out:
I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.
📖 Recipe
Carrot and Turnip Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large leek - white and light green parts sliced, about 2 cups
- 4 large carrots - peeled and sliced, about 2 cups
- 2 medium turnips - peeled and cubed, about 3 cups
- 2 small apples - cubed, about 3 cups; preferably 1 green and 1 red
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- ¾ teaspoon salt - less is using regular (not low sodium) broth
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 13.5 ounces unsweetened coconut milk - canned, full-fat
- Toppings of choice - herbs, apples, croutons, granola, chickpeas
Instructions
- Warm olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until tender.
- Add the carrots, turnips, and apples to the pot. Cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften.
- Stir the garlic, salt, cinnamon, cumin, and ginger into the pot. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour the vegetable broth and coconut milk into the pot. Increase heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the turnips are easily mashed with a fork.
- Remove from heat. Use an immersion (handheld) blender to blend the soup right in the pot until smooth. See notes for using an upright blender.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, add toppings of choice (optional), and enjoy!
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- Turnips: You can use purple top or Hakurei/Japanese turnips for this recipe. Japanese turnips tend to be milder and smaller, so be sure to pick up a couple extra to have enough for 3 cups cubed.
- Upright blender instructions: Transfer the soup in batches to an upright blender. Leave the lid of the blender slightly cracked or remove the plastic cap from the center of the lid and cover loosely with a dish towel. This allows steam to escape. Carefully blend until smooth, pour into a bowl, and repeat until all of the soup is blended.
- Storage and reheating: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 to 7 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. To freeze, let the soup cool completely then transfer to freezer-safe containers. Leave an inch of headspace, seal tightly, label, and store for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating or reheat straight from frozen. Be sure to stir frequently to prevent scorching.
YVRDude
Love this recipe! I made it two weeks ago and couldn’t believe the overall balanced flavours with the mix of vegetables and spices. The apples really make this soup amazing. Thanks for the recipe!
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this soup so much! Thank you for your 5-star review!