Spicy parsnip soup

This deliciously creamy, spicy parsnip soup is warm and comforting and bursting with sweet, earthy flavours. Parsnips are a simple and delicious way to add some variety to your winter vegetable rotation. Low in calories yet high in nutrients and flavour, this easy-to-make, vegan curried parsnip soup can be as simple or as elaborate as you want to make it! Oven-roast the parsnips for a special occasion result, or cook them on the stovetop for a simple weeknight dinner.

This creamy spiced parsnip soup is quick and easy to make, with very little hands-on time involved. If you’re in a hurry, you can have it on the table in 30 minutes. However, this spicy parsnip soup can be transformed into quite a spectacular dish if you’re entertaining. A few special finishing touches will elevate it to restaurant standards. Firstly, roasting the parsnips instead of boiling them will confer a greater depth of umami flavour to this already delicious, creamy soup. Secondly, use homemade vegetable broth instead of shop-bought powder or cubes – you’ll taste the difference! Garnish it creatively, like the picture below. Parsnip chips, a pinch of ground cumin, a dash of coconut milk, a drizzling of extra virgin olive oil, and fresh green coriander leaves will make it look extra special if you have guests for dinner.

In the recipe card below, you’ll find easy step-by-step instructions for both variants.

About parsnips

Parsnips are a winter root vegetable and are usually easy to find during the winter months in the UK and the US. Here in Switzerland, it’s a vegetable that’s made a recent (re)appearance at greengrocers and supermarkets. I say reappearance because this extraordinary little root vegetable used to be commonplace all over Europe. With the introduction of processed foods, many vegetables, whole grains and legumes became less popular and gradually disappeared from our shelves.

Luckily, nowadays, people seem to be coming to their senses and going back to their roots (pun intended). Lots of unfamiliar beets and root vegetables are finding pride of place on the veg stands in supermarkets. When you go and look up their names, golden beets, violet carrots etc, you realise they’re not a recent product of some cross-breeding, but rather an ancient vegetable that has made a comeback. In Italy, parsnip is still quite hard to find. It’s called “pastinaca” in Italian, and sometimes, when I ask for it, supermarket workers say they have never heard of it.

I grew up eating it in England. I love its nutty, earthy and slightly sweet flavour. Roasted parsnip was always on the Christmas menu, along with Brussels sprouts and all the other trimmings. And like Brussels sprouts, most people either love them or hate them. If you’re reading this, I guess you must be a fan.

Parsnips are a good source of fibre, vitamin C, folate, and potassium, and they are low in calories. Read more about the nutritional facts and health benefits of eating parsnips here.

What to look for when buying parsnips

Look for light cream-coloured parsnips that are firm to the touch and not shrivelled or bendy. There should be no sign of sprouting, rot or brown patches. Very large parsnips tend to be a bit woody, so choose small and medium-sized ones where possible. End-of-season parsnips will also be tougher.

About this recipe

You’ll love this easy spicy parsnip soup recipe! Its warm, earthy flavours are irresistible, and it has just the right amount of spiciness. It’s deliciously creamy and comforting and really simple to make. Just put the raw or roasted parsnip in a pan with the other vegetables, broth and curry powder and simmer until cooked through. Blend with an immersion blender, stir in the tamari and coconut milk, and enjoy!

How to make spicy parsnip soup

In the recipe card below, you’ll find the list of ingredients, the exact quantities you’ll need, as well as step-by-step instructions with photos. The quantities are adjustable.

Ingredients

• Parsnips
• Olive oil
• Onions
• Celery
• Vegetable broth (or water + vegetable stock powder or cube)
• Hot Madras curry powder (Use shop-bought or make your own. Alternatively, you can use a different kind of curry powder if you want.)
• Tamari soy sauce
• Coconut milk
• Unrefined sea salt
• A tablespoon of coconut milk, crispy parsnip slices, extra virgin olive oil, ground cumin seeds and green coriander (cilantro) leaf for garnish (optional).

Method

• Trim and peel the parsnips and cut them into similar-sized pieces. If you are roasting the parsnips, proceed as follows: put them in a bowl, add a tablespoon of olive oil, season them with salt and pepper and toss them until they’re thinly coated in oil. Tip them onto a tart tin or baking sheet (without baking paper) and spread them out in a single layer. Roast them on the 3rd shelf of the oven at 220 °C for 30 minutes. For more details, check out my post for oven-roasted parsnips. While the parsnips are in the oven, proceed with the next step.
• Put the chopped/sliced onion and celery in a large pan with the olive oil. Sweat gently on a low heat with a lid on for about 10 minutes until softened and translucent.
• If you are using raw parsnips, add them at this stage along with the vegetable broth (or water + vegetable stock powder/cube) and hot Madras curry powder and bring to a boil. Turn the heat right down and simmer for about 30 minutes until the parsnips are tender.
• If you are using roasted parsnips, add them to the pan along with the vegetable broth (or water + vegetable stock powder/cube) and hot Madras curry powder. There is no need to cook them further.
• Blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy.
• Prepare the garnish (optional): Roast or fry thin rounds of parsnip. Wash some coriander leaves and pat them dry. Reserve a tablespoon of coconut milk for garnish (optional).
• Bring the soup back to a boil, add the Tamari soy sauce and coconut milk and mix well.

How to serve spicy parsnip soup

Ladle the spicy parsnip soup into bowls and garnish to your liking. Add a teaspoon of coconut milk to each bowl and swirl with the back of a spoon. Decorate with crispy parsnip chips and a drizzling of extra virgin olive oil. Add a pinch of ground cumin seeds and a few fresh green coriander leaves, and serve!

This spicy parsnip soup is filling enough to be a complete meal if you serve it with a couple of slices of sourdough bread. The last time I made it, I served onion bhajis with cucumber raita afterwards. Delicious and memorable. The Indian spices in the hot Madras curry powder make it an excellent accompaniment to an Indian snack like bhaji, samosa or pakora!

How to store leftover spicy parsnip soup

Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days or frozen. Make a large batch and freeze it in portions. It’ll keep well in the freezer for a couple of months.

I hope you enjoy this spicy parsnip soup recipe! If you do, it would be great if you could rate it and leave a comment below. Your feedback is valuable! It’s the best way to show your support, and it’s useful for other readers too.

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