With the weather getting chillier, I start craving warm and hearty meals.  I also break out my trusty slow cooker to make those warm and hearty meals.  Soup is a great fall meal and is is really simple to make.  I would love to say that this recipe was meticulously thought out and planned and prepared, but…. I pretty much found what I had in my fridge/pantry, put it in my slow cooker, and hoped for the best.  And I got super lucky, because this was an awesome meal and will be made again!  Plus it makes a lot of leftovers so you can start freezing a few batches and building up your freezer stock.

 

Carrot Fennel Soup

• 1 pound of carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
• 1 bulb of fresh fennel, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 stalks celery, washed and sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 in. knob of fresh ginger, minced
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water, extra if needed
• 3 tsp dill
• salt and pepper

 

1. Heat a little olive oil in a pan over medium high heat and saute the carrots and celery.  Once they have a little brown on them put them in the slow cooker.  In the same pan, saute the onion, fennel, ginger, and garlic.  Once the onion is soft and translucent add to the slow cooker.

2.  Pour the vegetable broth over the vegetables and add enough water to cover all the vegetables.  Add in the dill and salt and pepper to taste.

3.  Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.  Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until you have a smooth puree.  If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can puree your soup in a blender in batches.

 

The fennel in this soup is surprising and delicious addition.  You should be able to find fresh fennel at most grocery stores, I found mine at Trader Joes.  Enjoy this soup on it’s own, topped with sour cream, or with a nice slice of bread. Happy October!