Parsnip and Herb Soup (Printable)

Sweet roasted parsnips blended until velvety with a zesty herb finish for ultimate comfort.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1.76 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
05 - 1 celery stalk, sliced

→ Pantry

06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 4 cups vegetable stock
08 - 1 teaspoon sea salt, adjusted to taste
09 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Dairy

10 - 3.4 fluid ounces double cream or crème fraîche, or plant-based alternative

→ Fresh Herbs

11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
12 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
13 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, optional
14 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Toss parsnip chunks with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt on a baking sheet. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once, until golden and tender.
03 - While parsnips roast, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, celery, and potato. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until softened but not colored.
04 - Add roasted parsnips to the saucepan. Pour in vegetable stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until all vegetables are very tender.
05 - Remove from heat. Blend soup using an immersion blender until silky smooth, or carefully blend in batches using a countertop blender.
06 - Stir in cream or plant-based alternative. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Reheat gently if needed. Ladle into bowls and finish with generous sprinkle of fresh herbs.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like autumn comfort but comes together faster than you'd expect, leaving your kitchen smelling like toasted honey and earth.
  • The roasting step is a small act of patience that pays off enormously—there's no way to rush the sweetness that caramelization brings.
  • Once blended, it becomes a canvas for whatever fresh herbs you have growing or sitting in your fridge, so it never tastes quite the same twice.
02 -
  • Don't skimp on the roasting time; undercooked parsnips won't develop that sweetness you're after, and your soup will taste one-dimensional and bland by comparison.
  • Add the herbs at the very end—cooking them into the soup kills their brightness and turns them muddy, which defeats the whole purpose of that final flourish.
03 -
  • Don't let the soup boil vigorously once the cream is in—a gentle heat keeps it creamy and prevents the cream from breaking or splitting.
  • If you want extra depth, roast a whole garlic clove alongside the parsnips instead of adding it to the base; the sweetness mellows and becomes almost mellow.
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