Just throwing it out there, but what about straining it through a medium mesh strainer? Fine would probably be too small...

Vitamix!

a food mill

I second a Vitamix! No straining required.

Have you tried using a chinois? I use it for jams and tomato sauce. It hasn't occurred to me to use it for soup, but you could try. A big drawback would be that you'd have to do it cold. Otherwise, cooking the carrots until extremely soft might be an answer.

Strain through cheese cloth after blending.

I use an immersion blender for a good few minutes. Blend until you are bored and then blend again! It takes time.......

Vitamix definitely.

Vitamix!!

I know that saying "Vitamix" is an expensive answer, but that's been my only experience in creating a silky smooth, restaurant-quality pureed soup. Straining, after some serious pureeing, could work too, but without straining, Vitamix is the way.

I have the answer for you. Well, two answers. I make a great carrot ginger soup with no diary and it calls for 1/4 cup of rice to be added during the "cook the carrots" phase. When cooked you then use the immersion blender to puree and the cooked rice thickens it up.

Unless you're in some kind of worm hole like I was a few weeks ago about 2 hours before a dinner party and you do the above and soup is still the texture of water carrot flavored broth. I looked through my pantry and used what I had it it worked LIKE A CHARM. I was so proud of myself for coming up with the idea that I called my best friend and told her how brilliant I was. What was the secret ingredient used to thicken the soup?? INSTANT POTATO FLAKES. Yes, I know ... not what you expected. I had them on hand because my daughter just got braces and sometimes instant mashed potatoes is a meal for her when her teeth really hurt.

But it totally worked and people loved the soup and no one was the wiser!

*Dairy. Not a diary....

A trick I got from America's Test Kitchen's recipe for butternut squash soup: remove (and reserve) some of the liquid and start pureeing with an immersion blender. Blend the liquid back in gradually once you have a really thick, smooth puree. This lets you get to a creamy texture faster and also lets you control the consistency of your soup. Once you've added in all the liquid you want, blend some more - it could take 5 minutes or more of blending to get it truly creamy.

I have to be upfront and note that I very rarely make pureed soups in the first place, so my opinion shouldn't count for much! However, the best results that I've ever had (with a butternut squash soup) came from a recipe that began by steaming the squash in a covered heavy pot for about 20 minutes, then adding the liquid, simmering, and pureeing with an immersion blender. The soup had no dairy, but still had a really luxuriant, smooth texture. Assuming that the steaming-then-simmering trick is what did it, I think that would also work for carrots.

make a roux!!!!

Yup, Vitamix!

i agree with Emma. what you need is cream. a vitamix is a pretty big investment-- a carton of heavy cream, not so much. if dairy's not your thing, you can try other sources of fat like coconut cream or blended cashews.

adding fat will make the pureed soup feel smoother on your tongue. i don't know why, that's just how life is.

plus, fat is good for you. and it tastes good.

Puree in a blender, then pour through a mesh strainer. Press as much through the strainer as possible with a spatula, most of it wil go through. The texture will be silky.

Yup, add a potato and/or cream. Then blend with blender.

That creamy texture you're missing is probably the emulsion of fats into the liquid. Adding starches won't get you that. Up your portion of fat, be it butter or oil, or a full fat milk product (cream, coconut milk solids). Puree for texture, and strain for smoothness.

Thanks for the suggestions. I love that everyone recommended a Vitamix. I've been trying to convince my husband that we "need" one for years ;)

Vitamix! Hell, that beast will purée raw carrots. It's a great investment, and after you use it regularly, everything else is just laughable.

When I make carrott, orange and ginger soup I use a slotted spoon to take out the chunky ingredients from the liquid and put them into a tall jug. Then I use my immersion blender in the jug and it blends everything properly really fast. Once blended to your liking, put the resulting puree back into the liquid in the pot and give it a good stir. Works perfectly every time.

Depends what you put in the soup! I always throw 2-3 potatoes in my carrot soup and it turns out super creamy every time. :)

I've tried the rice + immersion blender thing that someone mentioned above and it worked for me.

This is the recipe I use: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/health/nutrition/22recipehealth.html?_r=0

Remember: a good blender and a potato added to your soup are what makes the difference. It doesn't matter if you are preparing carrot, celery, parsley, mushroom or any other creamy soup (except perhaps a pumpkin soup), don't forget to add a fist size potato. Or (faster and easier solution) add 2-3 spoons of instant mashed potatoes to a 4 persons soup dish. In the US, I loved Idahoan, but any other brand will do.