Parsnip Soup
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Make a cozy bowl of creamy Parsnip Soup in just 30 minutes using this easy recipe with two simple steps! Simply roast parsnips with garlic, onions, and rosemary, then puree the vegetables with broth and a hint of cream for a comforting bowl of creamy soup!
Table of contents
There’s nothing better than a warm, creamy bowl of soup on a cold winter’s day! Luckily for us, parsnips are at their sweetest after the first freeze of the year, making them the perfect winter vegetable for making soup!
After the first freeze, the starch is converted to sugar, giving the vegetable a sweet flavor, similar to carrots or sweet potatoes. This flavor is even more pronounced after the vegetable is roasted!
This is why I looked to my easy two-step sweet potato soup recipe when creating this parsnip soup recipe. All you have to do to make this soup is roast the vegetables, then puree them!
This simple two-step recipe makes this soup so easy to make. And roasting the parsnips with rosemary, onions and garlic makes the soup so flavorful, you’ll want to slurp it up with a spoon right from the blender!
But might I recommend pouring it into a bowl and topping it with crispy croutons or crunchy pecans? Adding a crunch on top of this creamy soup really gives it interesting layers of texture!
Ingredients
- Parsnips – this root vegetable is closely related to the carrot. It can be harvested from fall to winter, but is sweeter when harvested in the winter. The longer the vegetable is left in the ground to mature, the more that the starch in the vegetable turns to sugar. You’ll find them at almost all major grocery stores in the produce section during the fall and winter months.
- Onion – I like to use a yellow onion for this soup for it’s nice, neutral flavor.
- Garlic – you’ll want to keep the garlic cloves whole to roast them in the oven. Mincing the garlic before roasting may cause the garlic to burn.
- Olive oil – for roasting the veggies. You can also use another type of vegetable oil, if you prefer.
- Rosemary – I recommend using fresh rosemary for it’s bold, fresh flavor.
- Salt and black pepper – to season the parsnips before roasting.
- Vegetable broth – store-bought vegetable broth will work great in this recipe. You can also make your own vegetable broth at home. If you’re not vegetarian, you can use chicken broth or chicken stock.
- Heavy cream – this simple ingredient adds the signature creaminess to the soup. Only a small amount is added to keep the soup light. If you want to make the soup dairy-free and vegan, you can use coconut cream in place of the heavy cream. You can also use a can of full-fat coconut milk, but it won’t be quite as creamy as coconut cream or heavy cream.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Roast the vegetables. Dice the parsnips into 1 inch cubes. As long as you scrub them clean, you do not have to peel the parsnips before roasting. Cut an onion into large 1 inch pieces and add it to a baking sheet with the parsnips and whole garlic cloves. Toss the vegetables in olive oil, then season with fresh chopped rosemary, salt and pepper. Roast in a 425°F oven for 20 minutes, or until the parsnips are fork-tender.
- Puree the soup. Transfer the roasted vegetables from the baking sheet to a large blender, or food processor. Pour in vegetable broth and heavy cream. Blend until smooth and creamy. If you want the soup to be thinner, add an additional 1/2 cup – 1 cup of broth. Pour into bowls and serve immediately.
Recipe tips
- Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet! When roasting the parsnips, give them room to spread out in a single layer on the tray. Overcrowding them will cause them to cook unevenly.
- Test for fork-tender vegetables. Test the roasted parsnips to make sure a fork can go through them easily. If the parsnips aren’t fully cooked, they won’t blend smoothly into the soup.
- If your blender isn’t big enough, you might have to puree the soup in two batches. Place half of the roasted vegetables, half of the broth, and half of the cream in the blender and puree. Transfer the soup to a large bowl, then puree the remaining vegetables, broth and cream in the blender.
- Use an immersion blender. If you don’t have a blender or a food processor, place everything in a large pot and use an immersion blender. The handheld blender will do the same job as the blender, just in the pot.
How to heat and reheat the soup
If you immediately puree the vegetables when they come out of the oven with room-temperature or warm broth, the soup should be warm enough to serve right out of the blender. If you’re using cold broth that’s been in the refrigerator, or if the roasted vegetables sit out of the oven for more than a few minutes, you’ll want to heat the soup before serving.
To do this, simply pour the soup from the blender to a large saucepan on the stove over medium heat. Stir consistently and heat the soup for 6-8 minutes, or until heated through.
Parsnip soup leftovers will stay good in the refrigerator, stored in an airtight container, for up to a week. To reheat it, I recommend repeating the step above of transferring the soup to a pot on the stove and letting it simmer for 6-8 minutes over medium heat.
You can also microwave a single-serving of the soup in a bowl for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through the time.
What to serve it with
I like to top the parsnip soup with chopped chives, fresh cracked black pepper, croutons, and fresh grated parmesan cheese. Yes, this is a lot of garnishes, but they all add different flavors and textures on top of the soup that I love!
This soup is so luxurious, you could serve it as the starter before a fancy meal, like prime rib, beef wellington or herb crusted beef tenderloin. You could also serve it as a meal on it’s own, or paired with a sandwich or salad. Try it with any of these recipes!
- Pair it with a salad!
- Pair it with a sandwich!
More soup recipes
Get cozy with these other popular, easy soup recipes!
Parsnip Soup
Ingredients
- 2 pounds parsnips, scrubbed clean and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 cup onion, large dice
- 8 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup heavy cream, or coconut milk (to make the soup vegan)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Toss the diced parsnips, onion and garlic with the olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper.
- Spread into an even layer on a baking sheet.
- Roast for 20 minutes, or until the parsnips are fork tender.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a large blender or food processor.
- Add the vegetable broth and cream. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Once all of the soup has been pureed, pour into bowls and serve immediately.
Notes
- Peeling the parsnips is optional. If they’re scrubbed clean, you can simply cube the parsnips without peeling them first.
- If the soup is thicker than you’d like, add ½ cup broth at a time to the blender until the soup reaches your desired consistency.
- This recipe makes approximately 8 cups of parsnip soup.
- If your blender isn’t big enough, you might have to puree the soup in two batches. Place half of the roasted vegetables, half of the broth, and half of the cream in the blender and puree. Transfer the soup to a large bowl, then puree the remaining vegetables, broth and cream in the blender.
- If you immediately puree the vegetables when they come out of the oven with room-temperature or warm broth, the soup should be warm enough to serve right out of the blender. If you’re using cold broth that’s been in the refrigerator, or if the roasted vegetables sit out of the oven for more than a few minutes, you’ll want to heat the soup before serving. To do this, simply pour the soup from the blender to a large saucepan on the stove over medium heat. Stir consistently and heat the soup for 6-8 minutes, or until heated through.
Nutrition Facts
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