Curried Parsnip Soup
When we lived in New York we were members of a local community supported agriculture group (CSA), Hellgate CSA. The setup was that we would pay for a season of vegetables and fruits, then each week our farm(s) would deliver freshly picked produce to a central location where we would then gather our bounty. It was because of that CSA and those farmers that I have such a passionate interest in food. Yet, I admit that it wasn’t always perfect. Because of the way it was structured (and many CSAs follow this model), we didn’t have a huge choice in the food that we would get from week to week, so it was either an opportunity to discover something new to love or, yes, something to never want to eat again (I still have yet to figure out if I ever want to try bitter melon of my own accord again).
Not too long ago we joined another CSA run by Full Circle Farm in Washington. It’s modeled in such a way that we have more choice, however they still will send you a predetermined box of produce if you do not make any changes. A couple of weeks ago I saw that we would be receiving parsnips and I can’t say I was thrilled about them. I had parsnips for the first time in New York, likely thanks to our first CSA, and I recall that I roasted them along with some other vegetables, but I didn’t quite like the combination of flavors and never was inspired to eat them again. (Parsnips, if you have never had them, are similar to carrots in sweetness, but otherwise the flavor is somewhat unusual and savory.) But I realized that I couldn’t let parsnips go by the wayside this time, and so I left them on the list.
I’m so glad I did, because I wound up making this very creamy and delicately-flavored parsnip soup. It’s perfect as a starter to a meal or on its own with some salad or bread. While the curry in this dish does add additional spiciness, it is not hot. To add some heat, sprinkle some red pepper flakes to each individual bowl for a little kick.
Curried Parsnip Soup
Recipe based upon Spiced Parsnip Soup from Allrecipes.com
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 pound parsnips, peeled and cubed
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 3 1/4 cups boiling vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup vegan milk, plain and unsweetened
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes or paprika for garnish
Chop your onions. Melt the vegan butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, and fry the onion in butter until soft, about five minutes.
Sautéing some onions in vegan butter
Peel and chop your parsnips, and chop your garlic.
Chopping parsnips
Add the parsnips, garlic and curry powder to the pan, and fry for a couple of minutes to release the flavors.
Frying parsnips, onion, garlic and curry
Boil the vegetable broth, and pour into the saucepan with the parsnips, onions, garlic and curry powder. Stir to remove any bits of vegetable from the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 15 minutes or until parsnips are soft and easy to break with a spoon.
Simmering parsnips and vegetable broth
Remove from the heat, and blend with a hand mixer, immersion blender or regular blender for a good 30 seconds to a minute.
About to blend parsnips into a creamy soup
Pour back into the large pan (if using a regular blender), then stir in the vegan milk, and heat through, but do not boil.
Stirring in the vegan milk
Taste test, then season with salt and pepper to taste if needed. Serve in individual bowls, then garnish with red pepper flakes or paprika.
So smooth and creamy!
This is definitely a soup I’ll be making again, and I may try some variations with things like cauliflower or potatoes. Do you have any favorite parsnip recipes?
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We’ve been roasting them with other root vegetables and drizzling maple syrup and a splash of apple cider vinegar over them. Keep trying to make a winter veggie soup with those roasted veggies, but family keeps eating them.
I just made some cabbage rolls with a parsnip filling…it was a total fail. I attributed it to the parsnips but maybe I was wrong – I’ll have to give them a second chance with this recipe!
This soup sounds great. I love to roast parsnips with turnips, carrots, red onions, garlic cloves, beets, EVO, agave nectar, salt+pepper to taste. I either serve them like that or run it through a food processor to mash. Could add veg stock and turn into soup as well.
that looks delicious!
This looks delicious, and definitely worth a try! I haven’t done much cooking with parsnips, but I do always add diced parsnip to homemade chicken soup. For some reason it just doesn’t seem finished without it.
Sounds delish! I posted this one on Stir It Up! Also — I noticed this question posted on thekitchn.com that you might want to weigh in on:
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/good-questions/help-looking-for-hearty-glutenfree-and-vegan-recipes-good-questions-137297
Awesome – thanks for the heads up!
This looks positively delicious! I cannot believe how creamy this soup turned out. I’ve never cooked with parsnips before, but I think I may have to give this a try. I was just curious as to what type of Vegan Milk you used when you made this?
Dylan, the original recipe called for heavy cream (!), but honestly, I thought that it was creamy in texture and flavor before adding any additional liquid, so I think that you can get away with most vegan milks. I used a plain soy milk, but you could use most any vegan milk (almond, rice, oat, hemp, etc.), and you could probably even do water. I think the point of the extra liquid is just to make the soup not quite as thick.
Thanks Samantha! I finally got around to making this soup two nights ago and it was fantastic. Amazing flavour for such a simple recipe. This was the first time I’ve cooked with parsnips and I have a feeling it wont be my last :)