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  • Creamy vegan carrot soup with saffron and roasted Brussels sprouts as a festive starter
  • Vegan carrot soup with saffron – photo 2
  • Carrot saffron soup with bread and roasted topping, served
  • Creamy kohlrabi and parsnip soup with roasted purple potatoes, rosemary and orange
  • Vegan Christmas with a festive carrot soup
  • Vegan carrot soup with saffron – photo 6
  • Vegan carrot soup with saffron – photo 7

21 DECEMBER 2017

Vegan carrot soup with saffron

By Verena Frei

This post is also available in: deutsch

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Last updated 9 July 2026

Hello lovelies, after the welcome and snacks the next thing is usually a starter. I love a salad as a starter, but also a delicious soup – and especially in winter I think a tasty soup is the perfect way to open a Christmas dinner. So today I want to share two recipes for appetizing and slightly different soups with you.

One is this carrot soup with roasted Brussels sprouts as a topping, the other a kohlrabi and parsnip soup with roasted purple potatoes, both bursting with flavour. I really liked them both; the girls preferred the carrot soup, but the topping of the other one.

5G4A0512Carrot saffron soup with bread and roasted topping, served

Kohlrabi and parsnip soup

I've put the second soup from this post together as its own recipe: a creamy kohlrabi and parsnip soup with a hint of orange and crispy roasted purple potatoes as a topping. Here's the direct link to cook it:

View the recipe: Kohlrabi and parsnip soup

Creamy kohlrabi and parsnip soup with roasted purple potatoes, rosemary and orange

You'll find the carrot soup with a little saffron and delicious oven-roasted Brussels sprouts in the recipe card below. Of course you can leave out the sprouts or replace them with crispy croutons, which always work well too.

Vegan Christmas with a festive carrot soup

You can swap the toppings or serve the soups without them. As a pure starter that isn't strictly necessary, but the toppings give the soups an extra little kick of flavour. Let me know which of the two becomes your favourite!

5G4A05415G4A0218

The complete Christmas menu (parts 1–4)

The soups are part 2 of my vegan Christmas menu – here are all four courses to cook:

Yours, Verena

TIPS

Verena's notes

Tip from my kitchen: add the saffron only at the end and let it steep briefly in the hot soup, so the colour and aroma come through best. If you like it creamier, blend the soup a little longer or add another splash of vegan cream. I always serve the roasted Brussels sprouts fresh on the plate so they stay crispy. Any leftover soup freezes beautifully in portions.

Creamy vegan carrot soup with saffron and roasted Brussels sprouts as a festive starter

Carrot soup with saffron

Creamy vegan carrot soup with saffron and roasted Brussels sprouts – a festive starter from the Christmas menu, plus a kohlrabi and parsnip soup.

  • Course:Starter, Soup, Christmas
Vegan

INGREDIENTS

Topping:

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Chop the onions and fry in a pan with olive oil
  2. Add the chopped garlic and ginger and fry for another 3-5 minutes
  3. Add the chopped carrots and fry for 5 more minutes, then add white wine and let simmer for 3-5 minutes
  4. Mix the water with the bouillon and add to the pan
  5. Let simmer for 20-25 minutes
  6. Puree the soup and season to taste with salt, pepper and some saffron

Topping

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 C degree
  2. Wash and cut the Brussel sprouts in half
  3. Mix with the other ingredients and bake 20-25 minutes, until crispy
  4. You can also add fresh or dried cranberries if you like
  5. Serve the soup with the topping, some cream and saffron threads
GOOD TO KNOW

Frequently asked questions

  • Yes, the soup is great for making ahead. You can cook it a day in advance, chill it and gently reheat it before serving. The roasted Brussels sprouts are best prepared fresh so they stay nice and crispy.

  • If you don't like Brussels sprouts, crispy croutons made from bread or toast go wonderfully with the soup. A few roasted pumpkin seeds or a swirl of vegan cream with saffron threads also make a lovely topping.

  • Saffron gives the carrot soup a warm, golden colour and a fine, festive aroma. Just a few threads are enough. It is best to season the soup with saffron, salt and pepper right at the end.

  • Both are vegan starters from the same post. The carrot soup is fruity and warming with saffron and Brussels sprouts, while the kohlrabi and parsnip soup is milder and creamier with orange and roasted purple potatoes. You'll find its recipe linked as a separate post.

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