Classic French Carrot Soup (Potage Crécy)
A classic from the French repertoire, this Carrot Soup (also known as Potage Crécy) mixes carrots and rice to create a deliciously thick and sweet soup. It is then enriched with crème fraiche for extra richness and body, making it perfect for dinner or packed up for a quick lunch. The Origin of Potage Crécy The Potage Crécy is named after the Crécy carrot, an older French carrot variety that has now become rare to find. This carrot was mostly grown in the region of Meaux, east of Paris, and…
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 tbsp (28g) butter, unsalted
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and diced
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 1.3 lbs (600g) carrots, diced
- 4 cups (1L) low-sodium vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup (100g) rice
- ¼ cup (75g) crème fraiche or heavy cream (35% m.f)
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and black pepper, to taste.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1 - In a large pot (ideally heavy bottom), melt the butter over medium heat and cook the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes, until soft and translucent but not caramelized yet.
- 2
Step 2 - Add the carrots, stir, and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the rice (100g) and the stock, which should cover the carrots entirely. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes until the carrots are soft and the rice is cooked. Remove from the heat.
- 3
Step 3 – Blend the soup (with a hand blender or in a processor) until smooth. If needed, add some of the water to reach desired consistency (I often add about ½ cup, but you can add more/less depending on how thick you like your soup). Add the crème fraiche and stir. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- 4
For serving, ladle soup into individual bowls and garnish with black pepper, chopped parsley and/or an extra dollop of heavy cream or crème fraiche.