Award-Winning Shredded Carrot Chowder Recipe

Many of us are trying to add more vegetables to our meals — I certainly am. To help, here is one of my favorite soups: a healthy, award-winning Shredded Carrot Chowder. This carrot soup won the FYI Doctors “Eats For Your Eyes” recipe competition and is an easy, tasty way to reach your daily vegetable goal.

This cozy carrot soup is comforting and wholesome — perfect for rainy days, cool fall evenings, or any soup season. It reheats well, so you can make it ahead for busy weeknights. It also makes a lovely starter or main for holiday meals like Easter. If you want more seasonal ideas, check the Healthy Fall Soup Ideas section.

Why You’ll Love This Creamy Carrot Chowder

• It’s healthy. This shredded carrot chowder is packed with vegetables and bright, fresh flavors.
• Kids love it. It’s an easy way to get carrots into picky eaters’ diets; it’s a family favorite at my house.
• Hearty enough for a meal. The ground beef adds protein so the soup is filling; you can also swap in turkey or chicken for a lighter option.

🥘 Ingredient Notes

This carrot and tomato soup uses simple pantry ingredients. It’s lighter than a traditional chowder because it doesn’t rely on heavy cream or milk; instead, canned cream soups provide creaminess without extra dairy. The texture is chowder-like, which is why the name fits.

The recipe comes from my grandmother with a few of my own tweaks.

Shredded carrot chowder ingredients:

• Lean ground beef. I prefer lean or extra-lean ground beef for fewer calories and less grease; you can substitute ground turkey or chicken.
• Green bell pepper. Adds crunch and a contrasting flavor to the shredded carrots.
• Carrots. Shredded carrots cook quickly and disperse flavor and texture evenly; frozen shredded carrots work well too and can be added straight from the freezer.
• Tomato juice. Forms the tangy, rich base of the soup.
• Cream of celery and cream of mushroom soups. Added undiluted, they create creaminess and deepen the flavor without heavy cream.
• Beef or vegetable broth. Use beef broth for a richer base, or vegetable broth for a lighter or vegetarian version.
• Marjoram. A mild, earthy herb that complements carrots and tomato.
• Crispy onions (garnish). Optional but adds a delightful crunch.

*See the recipe card for full ingredient amounts.

📖 Variations & Substitutions

• Carrots: Fresh or frozen shredded carrots both work — frozen can be added without thawing.
• WW friendlier: Use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef to lower points.
• Vegetarian: Use vegetable stock and omit the meat.
• Canned soup: If you don’t have a particular canned soup, you can swap or make a simple homemade substitute.
• Tomato juice: Substitute pureed fresh tomatoes or low-sodium V-8 for a slightly different flavor.
• Broth: Chicken broth can be used if beef or vegetable broth isn’t available.
• Garlic: Minced jar garlic works in place of fresh.
• Spicy: Add red pepper flakes to taste.
• Herbs: Oregano, thyme, or cumin can substitute for marjoram.

This one-pot soup is quick to assemble and keeps cleanup to a minimum. It browns especially well in a heavy pot like a Dutch oven, but a regular large pot will work too.

🔪 How to Make Shredded Carrot Chowder

1. Step 1: In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the ground beef with the onions and green peppers over medium heat.

2. Step 2: Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and stir to combine.

3. Step 3: Whisk everything together so the canned soups are evenly incorporated.

4. Step 4: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered on low for about 1 hour or until the vegetables are tender. Garnish with crispy fried onions if desired.

Expert Recipe Tips

• Shred carrots finely. Use a fine grater or a food processor shredding disc so the carrots cook quickly and blend smoothly into the soup.
• Deglaze after browning. Add a splash of broth or tomato juice to the pan after browning the meat to lift browned bits and deepen the flavor.
• Simmer gently after adding cream soups. Keep the heat low to preserve a smooth, creamy texture.
• For a creamier finish: Use an immersion blender to purée part of the soup for natural thickness without extra dairy.

🥗 What to Serve with Creamy Carrot Chowder

Serve with crusty artisan bread and a bit of olive oil and balsamic for dipping. A simple side salad also pairs nicely. For a lighter option, try Everything Bagel Cloud Bread.

Top tip

Grate large batches of carrots in a food processor, bag them, and freeze. Frozen shredded carrots save time and can be added directly to the pot when cooking.

Use any leftover grated carrots in carrot muffins, zucchini and carrot bars, or other favorite recipes.

🌡️Storage

Allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to airtight containers for refrigeration or freezing. Rapid temperature changes can alter flavor, so let it cool first.

• Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.

👪 Serving size

This recipe yields 6 servings. You can easily double or triple the recipe to make larger batches — I often double it and freeze extras.

🔢 WW Points

One serving of this carrot soup is 1 WW point (per the original recipe calculation).

❔ Recipe FAQ’s

📋More Homemade Soup Recipes

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