Creamy Parsnip Soup Recipe

Jan 22, 2020 · by Valentina · 30 Comments

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This Creamy Parsnip Soup is a bowl of vegan comfort. It will definitely turn you into a parsnip fan. Subtly sweet, rich and creamy, this soup easy to make and utterly delicious.

Creamy Caramelized Parsnip Soup Recipe with Baby Parsnip French Fries in a pretty purple bowl with a green cloth napkin on the side.

Do you see the beautiful, light golden color of this parsnip soup!? The creaminess!? The richness!?

Guess what? No cream!

Even if you're a person who thinks they might not care for parsnips -- this soup will turn you.

The magic in the flavor of this soup comes from roasting the parsnips before adding them. It brings all of the natural sugars to the surface and caramelizes to perfection.

The Ingredients

7 raw, unpeeled parsnips on parchment paper with a bit of their stems still intact.

parsnips (baby and large) - Parsnips look more or less like cream-colored carrots. Choose those that are firm and without splits in the skin.
onions - Choose onions that are heavy for their size without bruising.
garlic - Look for firm heads of garlic without any soft spots or green shoots, which are an indication it's old and likely bitter. Raw garlic cloves should be firm without any dark spots. (Pro tip: if there are green shoots in your garlic cloves, slice them in half, lengthwise, and remove the green root with the tip of a knife. The rest of the clove should still be good.)
nutmeg
Dutch yellow potatoes - When selecting any potato variety, look for those that are firm, smooth and free of sprouts.
vegetable stock - Preferably low-sodium.
salt
black pepper - Preferably freshly ground.

(See recipe card below for quantities.)

Substitutions

Dutch yellow potatoes. Yukon Gold or Russets are good substitutes for the Dutch Yellow potatoes.
Vegetable stock. If keeping the soup vegetarian/vegan isn't important to you, you can substitute with chicken stock.
Nutmeg. The nutmeg can be substituted with ground cloves or ground cinnamon.

Recipe Tips

The recipe calls for a light vegetable stock, that's mild in flavor. If you're using one that has a strong flavor, you can adjust it with water.
You can get baby parsnips in the specialty section of most grocery stores and if you don't see them, you can cut the larger parsnips into small sticks.
I love using the baby parsnips for the "French fry" garnish, but if you're pressed for time, you can skip it.

How to Make Creamy Parsnip Soup

- Preheat the oven to 475°F and adjust a rack to the center.

- Lina a sheet pan with parchment paper and generously coat it with olive oil. Add the roughly chopped parsnips and mix them into the oil - dredging them through and coating both sides.

Raw and chopped parsnips on a baking sheet.

- Then do the same thing with the baby parsnip slices, keeping them all in one area, as you'll be removing them from the oven before the rest. Generously sprinkle all of the parsnips with salt and pepper.

- Once the oven has preheated to 475°F, roast the parsnips for approximately 30 minutes, flipping them halfway through. The baby parsnip slices should be checked when you flip the rest -- they'll likely be ready to come out of the oven at this point. (Place them on a plate and set aside.) The rest of the parsnips should all be golden brown. Set them aside, keeping them on the baking sheet.

Golden brown, caramelized and chopped parsnips on a baking sheet with parchment paper.

- Coat the bottom of a large soup pot with olive oil, place it over medium-high heat, and add the onions and garlic. Cook until the onions are nicely caramelized, about 15 minutes.

- Add the nutmeg and and stir. Once the aroma has been released, add the potatoes and cook for just a couple of minutes. Now add the roasted parsnips to the pot (not the baby parsnips -- those are for garnish).

- Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

- In two batches, pour the mixture into a very powerful blender and purée until it's as smooth as possible. It should be thick and creamy.

- Pour the puréed soup back into the pot and season generously to taste with salt, pepper and maybe a pinch or two of granulated sugar.

Top view, close up of creamy parsnip soup with a few parsnip fires on top.

- Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a super light dusting of ground nutmeg and a few of the baby parsnip fries.

What do parsnips taste like?

Related to carrots and parsley, you parsnips are a bit sweeter and earthier.
Parsnips are subtly sweet with an earthy, nut-like flavor.
They become even sweeter when they're roasted.

Baby Parsnips vs. Big Parsnips

Baby parsnips are more tender and a bit sweeter than the larger parsnips -- and they're perfect for making French fries!

More Must-Try Creamy Vegan Soups

I hope you love this Creamy Parsnip Soup recipe as much as my family and I do.