Carrot soup question from a not very creative chef!

[Tigerraar]

In a bit of a pinch, I need to make a homemade soup for tomorrow. It's going to have to be carrot but any tips on how I can elevate it slightly with store cupboard ingredients? Needs to be free of dairy, tomato and pulses and needs to be toddler friendly. Thank you!

A spoon of marmite.

Coriander and cumin adds some warmth without being spicy

Stock gel pot or stock cube.

Coriander and cumin as pp said.
Or fresh ginger and orange peel.

Helps if you roast the carrots first.
When the soup is finished and you are seasoning it, it may need acidity or sweetening. Often it needs both! Lemon juice and honey are the easiest and work well with carrot - add slowly, stir, and see if improved, keep adding until just right.

Ground coriander and chicken stock if not vegetarian.

If you have maple syrup, the recipe for maple roasted carrot soup on the Pinch of Nom website is fantastic

Thanks so far - should have said I'd normally put stock and an onion in anyway. Just found 2 big parsnips that need used. Don't want it to be too parsnippy but if I put one of those in with a kilo or so of carrots - thoughts?

@WhatDoRacoonsSay I do not know how I feel about that. It sounds so random as to be genius. What does it do to the soup?!

We do, will have a look - thank you

Orange juice and ginger

We have mushroom ketchup and dried mushroom powder for times like these, and Engevita yeast flakes, @Tigerraar. Maybe @WhatDoRacoonsSay’s spoon of marmite would achieve the same effect? It’s for a bit of umami.

I suspect that I'm getting too far away from this soup being toddler friendly and store cupboard but maybe with a bit of cumin and coriander, the addition of the parsnip etc - do you have any coconut milk?

I'm being a bit daft, I think but might as well suggest it.

Adds umami, put it in by quarter teaspoon and taste if you're unsure.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/user/814843/recipe/spicy-carrot-and-potato-soup

I love a load of thyme in a carrot soup.

Sauté the onion and potato in actual butter first. Good stock is also essential for soups; if not homemade, then Marigold Bouillon powder. YYY to Marmite.

I make mine very simply, carrot, onion, potato, a pinch of cumin, a spoon of marmite (or a drop of worcester sauce if stuck), stock, and seasoning. It comes out good most of the time!

However I don't really like carrot soup myself as I think carrots are too sweet and made for carrot cake!

Roast the parsnips, makes them beautifully sweet, then add Italian seasoning (or various herbs to the same end) Fantastic, tasty and chef's kiss

You could make parsnip crisps for the top of the soup if you don't want the soup to be too parsnippy. I'm not really a fan of carrot soup, but roasting them with honey first helps.