In a thick bottomed pan or pot, heat sunflower or olive oil on a low to medium-low heat. Add chopped onions and chopped garlic.
Sauté on a low to medium-low heat till the onions soften.
Add chopped carrots, celery, cumin seeds and salt. Mix well.
Pour the vegetable stock or water. Stir and mix again.
Cover pot with a lid. Simmer on a low or medium-low heat till the carrots become tender.
When simmering, do check a couple of times to see if the liquids have dried or not. If the liquids have dried, then add ¼ to ½ cup more of hot veg stock or hot water.
Check a few pieces of carrots with a fork or knife. The fork or knife should be able to pass easily from the carrots.
After the carrots are cooked, switch off the heat. There will be some liquid in the mixture. Let this liquid remain as we will use these liquids when blending the carrots. Let the soup mixture become warm or less hot.
Making carrot soup
Add the entire mixture with the liquids in a blender or grinder. You can even use an immersion blender to blend the carrots.
Blend to a smooth puree. While blending, add ¼ to ½ cup water (at room temperature) depending on the thickness you prefer in the soup.
Place the entire pureed carrots in the same pan or pot.
Keep the pan on stove-top and simmer till the soup gets hot. Stir at intervals. If the carrot soup looks thick, then you can add some more hot water or hot vegetable stock.
When the soup becomes hot, season with black pepper and chopped parsley. Mix well and switch off heat. Instead of parsley, you can even use fresh cilantro leaves (coriander leaves) or fresh basil.
This is an optional step. For some light sour notes in the soup, you can add ¼ teaspoon lemon juice.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the soup in bowls or mugs. Garnish with some parsley or cilantro (coriander leaves) or your choice of fresh herbs. Top with some bread croutons if you like.
Bread croutons really taste good in this soup. To make croutons just toast a 1 or 2-day old bread or baguette in the oven or on a skillet (tawa). When toasted chop them in cubes and serve with vegan carrot soup.
Video
Notes
Making carrot soup in the Instant Pot
Use the sauté option and sauté onions, garlic on low or normal till the onions soften.
Press cancel. Then add carrots, celery, cumin and salt. Mix well.
Add 2 cups vegetable stock or water.
Close with lid and place the valve in the sealing position.
Press the pressure cook button and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
Wait for 5 minutes. Then after 5 minutes do a quick pressure release, by lifting the valve.
Let the mixture cool down a bit and then blend in a blender or using an immersion blender to a smooth puree.
From the blender, pour the carrot puree in the instant pot steel insert.
If the puree looks thick, then add some hot water.
Press cancel button. Then press the button and set time to 2 minutes on normal. Let the soup become warm or hot. Stir at intervals.