Roasted Carrot, Garlic and Rosemary Soup + The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Review
Have you ever had something that just seemed to be the essence of a vegetable, despite other flavors weaving in and out, accenting but somehow highlighting the essence of that vegetable? That’s how this roasted carrot soup with garlic and rosemary is. It’s all about the sweet, earthy carrot. The garlic and rosemary are flavorful, and weave in and out between the sweet, carrot-y notes, highlighting just how much a carrot is a carrot. This recipe is one of over 600 recipes in “The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook“, a collaborative work by seven different vegan cookbook authors.
“The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook” is a little different than most cookbooks you’ll find in the bookstore these days. There is less attention paid to large, beautifully staged, full-page photographs, and on a single page you will find two or more recipes, each not starting at the top, but wherever the last one left off. Flipping though the pages of The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook, I felt somewhat comforted and called home- this is the type of cookbook my mother would look through, and my grandmother, and great-grandmother. This cookbook has a sense of tradition in it’s layout, and the soul of family in its contents. That’s not to say that the recipes are old-fashioned- there is a chapter dedicated to newer cooking methods (Slow Cooker, Instant Pot and Air Fryer), and a chapter highlighting recipes cooked in 30-minutes or less which encompass our current cooking needs. But it reminds me of a vegan “Joy of Cooking” style book, in the sense that it’s not particularly focused on any niche of vegan cooking- instead, there’s a recipe for just about everything the home cook might want.
The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook is a collaboration between seven authors, each of which come with a different perspective to contribute. Emily von Euw is the creator of the blog, The Rawsome Vegan Life, as well as three cookbooks focusing on raw, vegan, food. They contribute many delicious, raw, vegan creations to the book. Kathy Hester is on the cutting edge of our changing cooking methods, and has created a website dedicated to slow cooking and another to using the instant pot. She has written two cookbooks, and is all about making cooking easy, healthy, delicious, and everyone-friendly. Linda and Alex Meyer are the mother-daughter blogging team behind their site, Veganosity. In addition, they wrote the excellent cookbook, “Great Vegan BBQ without a Grill” that I reviewed earlier this year. Maria Reginato is all about flexibility and experimentation in cooking with her book, Alternative Vegan, and blog, 8th and Lake. Celine Steen, creator of Have Cake Will Travel and contributor to over 10 different cookbooks. Amber St. Peter, of Good Saint, believes inn the importance of health in veganism, and creates many recipes to be soy or gluten free.
There are 8 chapter in The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook:
- Main Dishes
- Slow Cooker, Instant Pot & Air Fryer
- 30 Minutes or Less
- Appetizers, Snacks & Sides
- Soups & Salads
- Desserts
- Breakfasts, Smoothies & Drinks
- Sauces, Dressings, Pastes & Spices
It is a great cookbook to flip through, in search of inspiration, but an even better book to have as a reference. This is the perfect book for new and experienced vegan cooks alike to have in their kitchen for those moments you find yourself wondering, “What should I make with all theses carrots?” or “I used to really like deviled eggs, I wonder if there’s a vegan option?” or “What’s a good recipe for a vegan cheesecake?”. A flip through The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook can answer those, and many other vegan questions.
Purchase The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook through Amazon, Barnes and Nobel or Book Depository. Now, for a sneak preview from the book, let’s answer my first question: “What should I make with all these carrots?”
Roasted Carrot, Garlic, and Rosemary Soup
+GF +SF If asked to pick one word to describe this soup, it would have to be elegant. There’s simply no other way to describe it. The sweetness of the carrots, the bite of the garlic and the earthiness of the rosemary all work together to create a truly elevated soup. —LM + AM
Ingredients
- 12 large carrots
- 2 tsp (10 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tbsp (5 g) fresh rosemary
- 3 cups (720 ml) plain unsweetened almond milk, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Peel and slice your carrots lengthwise. Place the carrots on a lined baking sheet and drizzle the olive oil on top. Sprinkle some salt and pepper on top. Roast the carrots for 10 minutes.
- Reduce the heat of the oven to 375°F (190°C) and add the garlic to the baking tray. Flip the carrots and toss the garlic cloves in the pan to make sure they’re coated in olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes.
- Turn the carrots one last time and roast for another 15 minutes.
- Add the rosemary to the carrots and roast for 5 minutes. Remove the carrots from the oven and allow them to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Place the carrots, garlic and rosemary in a high-speed blender with 1½ cups (360 ml) of the almond milk. Blend it all until smooth and uniform in consistency, about 2 minutes.
- Pour the soup into a medium saucepan and add the remaining 1½ cups (360 ml) almond milk. Stir to combine. Heat the soup over medium-low heat until it reaches your desired temperature. At this point, taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed.
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