Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or parsley
• 5 cups chopped carrots
• 2 cups water
• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, “no-chicken” broth (see Note) or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup half-and-half (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Preperation

Heat butter and oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until the butter melts. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and thyme (or parsley); cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 10 seconds.

Stir in carrots. Add water and broth; bring to a lively simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook until very tender, about 25 minutes. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Stir in half-and-half (if using), salt and pepper.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Note: Chicken-flavored broth, a vegetarian broth despite its name, is preferable to vegetable broth in some recipes for its hearty, rich flavor. Sometimes called “no-chicken” broth, it can be found with the soups in the natural-foods section of most supermarkets.

Nutrition

Per serving: 77 calories; 3 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 4 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 3 g protein; 3 g fiber; 484 mg sodium; 397 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (269% daily value).

Carbohydrate Servings: 1/2

Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 fat