This Healthy Heart Carrot Apple Fennel Soup is packed with warming flavors and is deliciously creamy. Because it’s Paleo and Vegan, everyone at your holiday table can enjoy it!
Soups are my fav. I make soup all. the. time. And I just realized that despite soup being my favorite thing to make, I have very few soup recipes on my blog.
I do have soup recipes– some of my favorites. Maybe my all time fav, Chicken Enchilada Soup. Then there’s my Detox Mexican Vegetable Soup, which is maybe the first soup I taught myself how to make years ago (and I still love it!). And that restaurant quality (but nutritionally amped up) Quinoa Asparagus Tom Kha Gai (oh, so delicious!). But I don’t have a lot of simple soup recipes, and simple soups are so wonderful for fall and winter lunches!
We’ve been enjoying this soup the past 2 weeks for many lunches and dinners. I wanted to make a carrot soup, but I actually think many carrot soups are bland. So in popped some other nutritional super stars– apples and fennel. I didn’t want the apple to take over and make an overly sweet soup, but it adds great flavor. And the fennel! I love it’s liquorish flavor, and it adds the perfect earthy contrast to the apple and carrot.
I’m cooking a lot more these days than during the past year! Xander loves being in the kitchen with me. He sits on the counter (and grabs everything and throws spoons and bags into my mixing bowls) or sits on the floor and clears out my baking cabinet. I found a whisk under my bed and my kitchen timer in his play room yesterday. But I love it. I love getting in the kitchen more again, and I love having the company while I am in there.
He was a big fan of this soup. He’s suddenly eating everything again. Yay! After a 3 month bread and fruit fest, I love seeing him enjoy roasted veggies and soups like this again.
Contents
Heart-Healthy Carrots, Apples and Fennel
I love knowing that I can feed my family delicious meals that taste good and are working double time to keep us healthy!
- Carrots and fennel are both in the same plant family, and both boast benefits to our cardiovascular system. Both vegetables are high in antioxidants, and protect our hearts from damage. Steaming vegetables is the best way to prepare them to preserve the nutrients because when boiled the nutrients come out into the water. But with soup, you are consuming the water!
- Apples, carrots and fennel are all high in fiber, which we all know is important. One bowl of this soup to start your meal satisfies 1/4 of your daily fiber needs.
Tips for the Carrot, Apple, Fennel Soup
- This recipe requires you to think ahead– soak your cashews overnight. This not only makes sure they are soft and can easily blend into a creamy soup, but also removes the phytic acid, a compound that binds to nutrients and makes them difficult for our bodies to digest. Some people have difficulty digesting nuts, and soaking them first helps. You can soak the nuts in hot water for an hour if you don’t have time. They will then blend into a creamy soup, but it isn’t as effective at removing the phytates.
- Make it Nut Free: I use cashews in this recipe to add creamy flavor and some extra healthy fats. I have made it without the cashews, and it’s still delicious, so feel free to omit. If dairy is in your diet, you can substitute 1/2 cup cream for the cashews.
- Lower the Calories: Omit the cashews for a lower calorie soup. It is still delicious without them!
- For the Family: My 1 year old loved this soup! Some of this soup with crackers or bread makes a very healthy toddler meal – the cashews add protein and healthy fats, so no need to worry about serving meat alongside it. I also top this soup with hemp seeds to boost it’s nutrition when we having it as a meal rather than a side.
Carrot Apple Fennel Soup
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cashews soaked overnight
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large fennel bulb
- 1 1/2 pounds carrots peeled and sliced
- 1 apple large, peeled and chopped
- 5-6 cups water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable bouillon I like Rapunzel
- 2 tablespoons ginger freshly grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
- hemp seeds and fennel fronds to garnish, optional
Instructions
- Soak cashews in water overnight, and drain to use. If you don't have time for this step, you can pour boiling water over the cashews and let soak for 1 hour.
- Add olive oil to a soup pot, and heat over medium high heat. Chop fennel bulb roughly, and saute in the olive oil until it is lightly browned (about 5-7 minutes).
- Meanwhile, chop apples and carrots. Once fennel is softened, add apples and carrots, and then water and vegetable bouillon. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium and simmer until the carrots and apples are softened, about 20 minutes.
- Add soup mixture and cashews (drained) to a blender, and blend until very smooth. This might have to be done in 2 batches.
- Return soup to pot, and add grated ginger and lemon juice. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
- Garnish with fennel fronds and hemp seeds, for extra earthy flavor and protein.
Notes
Nutrition
Other Comforting Heart-Healthy Soups:
- Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup, by Two Peas and Their Pod
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, by Ahead of Thyme
- Spring Vegetable Soup, by Simply Fresh Dinners
- Creamy Broccoli Leek Soup, by Sunkissed Kitchen
- Dairy Free Cream of Mushroom Soup, by Sunkissed Kitchen
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Always love seeing new ways to use fennel! Delicious ina creamy soup!
Thanks Rebecca. I love fennel and just don’t buy it often enough– I don’t know why!
I very rarely use fennel but I did actually buy a bulb yesterday! Have never tried it in soup. Looks yum 🙂
You’ll love the fennel! My favorite way to prepare it is to just roast it with other veggies. Such amazing flavor.
When it comes to fennel, am clueless so I love seeing this recipe of yours that makes such good use of it. And so love that this thick and hearty looking Carrot Apple Fennel soup is dairy free – and relies on cashews for it’s creamy look and feel – totally understand why Xander enjoys this 🙂
I’ve never liked cream soups– but love using things like cashews and cauliflower to make a creamy base.
What a wonderful combination! All the yummy ingredients going into one soup, I will definitely have to give this recipe a try!
I love the fact that you have combined fennel with apple and carrot as it can sometimes be overpowering
You’re right about fennel! When I made this with just carrot and fennel, I thought it was a bit strong– the apple helps sweeten it and tone it down.
I looove soups as soon as it gets cold – can’t beat them! I admit I don’t use a lot of fennel at home – i find it makes my lips sting quite a lot of the time, which is weird.
This sounds delicious though – i love the inclusion of apple for a touch of natural sweetness.
Ps – Xander sounds super cute 😀
Xander is super cute! My whole heart. That is strange about fennel! But I totally understand– I can’t eat fresh kiwi and pineapple because it makes my mouth sting and then I can’t taste anything for hours afterwards. Strange how we can develop these mini intolerances to things in food 🙁
Oh my goodness, i Love all of these flavors. I must try this!
Gosh this sounds lovely! Proper hearty filling Autumnal comfort food. Love the addition of the soaked cashews!
Great flavor combinations for a healthy, hearty soup! Thanks.
I made this and didn’t buy enough ginger so only had 1 TBSP instead of 2. It tasted mostly of carrots and I couldn’t taste the fennel or apple. I added OJ to take away the carrot flavor. I want to make it again but am thinking of adding another apple and definitely have more ginger.
Thanks for your feedback Robin! I prefer the taste of carrots to the apples so the recipe is slanted towards that flavor — the ginger is key though!
Can this be frozen?
Absolutely, Stephanie! This soup is incredible. I usually make a double batch and I’ll freeze in freezer zipper bags so they are easy to stack and store. This and my creamy tomato basil are the ones I make the most often for prep! https://sunkissedkitchen.com/creamy-tomato-basil-soup-recipe/
I’m intolerant to cashews, what would you suggest as a substitute?
Hi Sheri! I would use coconut milk if you’d like to keep it non-dairy. If you tolerate dairy, half and half will work!
So Good! Just so happened to have this all on hand and needed to use my fennel. I used a bit more ginger than I was supposed to but I love ginger. I’m on my monthly cycle right now and this was the perfect thing to eat for my sensitive tummy! Thanks 🙂
I am so glad to hear this Ashley! Hope you are doing well where ever you are and experimenting with lots of healthy cooking to take care of yourself.
Absolutely love love loved this soup! I used a Knorr stock cube but the whole combo with the garnish of grated ginger and lemon was delicious! I wish I made more of it.
I need to make this soon!
I had fennel in my veg box this week and I had no idea what to do with it so I was looking for recipe ideas. This looks amazing so I’m sold. Thank you
Beautiful, luxurious soup. Don’t usually like the flavour of fennel, but it’s only subtle in this soup. Found myself licking the cooking pot!
Oh, I am so glad to hear that Amanda! You’ve inspired me to make a pot this weekend.