Enjoy a cozy bowl of soup, the ultimate comfort food, with my creamy carrot soup topped with crispy bacon!

Close up of a bowl of creamy carrot soup with a spoon and a sprinkle of thyme

Creamy Carrot Soup Overview

This carrot soup has amazing flavor and is so easy to make! The secret ingredient to this recipe is bacon. I've cooked a few strips in the pot first, leaving the bacon grease behind. This adds so much incredible flavor to the carrots and onion!

Next, vegetable broth, salt and pepper are added and all ingredients are simmered until the carrots are soft. Use a blender to puree the soup, then stir in heavy cream to make it a beautiful creamy texture.

Top a bowl of warm soup with crispy crumbled bacon and some fresh thyme. Serve with a side of toast or a sandwich. It's such a lovely soup to enjoy for lunch or dinner!

Recipe Ingredients

5 bacon strips
2 lbs carrots - peeled and chopped (about 10 or 11 carrots)
2 cups chopped yellow onion
4 garlic cloves - minced
32 oz vegetable broth
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp fresh thyme - to serve (optional)

Kitchen Equipment Used

Either an Immersion blender, a high speed blender or a food processor to make the soup smooth and creamy.
Dutch oven pot or large soup pot
Vegetable peeler to peel the carrots
Soup ladle
Measuring spoons - this is a magnetic set that sticks together in the drawer to keep organized.

Four images grouped together of peeled and chopped carrots.

How To Make Creamy Carrot Soup

Full ingredients and instructions are also in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.

PREP: Wash, peel and chop 2 lbs carrots. The smaller the pieces, the faster they'll cook!

Three images grouped together, first is raw bacon in a pot, second is cooked bacon in a pot, third is cooked bacon on a paper towel.

STEP 1: Cook 5 strips of bacon in a large pot over medium high heat until crispy. Add the bacon to folded paper towel and crumble into bite-size pieces. Leave the bacon grease in the pot to cook the vegetables in step 2.

Four images grouped together. First is onion and chopped carrots. Second is slightly cooked and mixed onion and carrots. Third is minced garlic and spices dumped over cooked carrots. Fourth is cooked carrots with onion and garlic mixed together.

STEP 2: Add 2 lbs chopped carrots to the heated pot along with 2 cups chopped yellow onions. Cook for 3 minutes, until the carrots begin to soften.

STEP 3: Add in 4 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute.

Four images of a pot of simmering soup with chopped carrots in various cooking stages.

STEP 4: Next, pour in 32 oz vegetable broth, 1 tsp salt and ¼ tsp ground black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil then reduce to let simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the carrots are really soft when poked with a fork.

Three images of a pot, first with chopped carrots in soup liquid and immersion blender, second with pureed carrot soup and immersion blender, third is pureed soup in pot with a spatula.

STEP 5: Remove the pot from heat. Using an Immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth and creamy.

NOTE: You can also add the soup in small batches to a high speed blender or a food processor, blending until creamy (careful as the soup will be hot!). Transfer the soup back to the pot if needed.

Two images grouped together, first is heavy cream poured over pureed carrots. Second is cream mixed into carrot soup.

STEP 6: Next, pour in 1 cup of heavy cream and stir it into the soup until an even creamy texture forms. The soup is now ready to serve with a sprinkle of crumbled bacon and optional fresh thyme.

A soup ladle in creamy carrot soup topped with crumbled bacon, fresh thyme and black pepper.

Recipe Tips

A high-powered blender also works best for pureeing this soup. Be sure to leave an opening in the lid (there is usually a centerpiece that can be removed) to allow hot air to escape. Always blend in smaller batches and never fill the blender more than halfway. You can also use a food processor if you don’t have an immersion blender.
I love adding crunchy toppings like crispy bacon, roasted chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds, crushed Ritz crackers, tortilla chips, fresh thyme, parsley, or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.

How To Store Leftovers

Refrigerate – Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just give it a good stir before reheating as the liquid separates a bit.
To Reheat – Reheat on the stove covered with a pot, or in the microwave covered with a paper towel and stirred halfway through to prevent it from splattering.