Parsnip and Herb Soup (Printable)

Sweet roasted parsnips blended until silky smooth, finished with fresh herbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1.75 lbs parsnips, peeled and cut into 0.75 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 - 4.2 cups vegetable stock, gluten-free
08 - 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
09 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Dairy

10 - 3.4 fl oz 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss parsnip chunks with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt on a baking tray. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once, until golden and tender.
02 - Heat remaining 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.
03 - Add roasted parsnips to the pan. Pour in vegetable stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until all vegetables are very soft.
04 - Remove from heat. Blend the soup using an immersion blender or in batches with a countertop blender until silky smooth.
05 - Stir in the cream or plant-based alternative, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Reheat gently if needed. Ladle into bowls and finish with a generous sprinkle of fresh herbs.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like pure comfort but comes together in under an hour, which means you can make something restaurant-quality on a random Tuesday.
  • The roasting step brings out a natural sweetness in the parsnips that cream alone could never achieve, making this feel indulgent without being heavy.
  • Fresh herbs scattered on top transform it from simple to elegant, so it's equally at home as a quiet lunch or something you'd serve to guests.
02 -
  • Roasting the parsnips is the difference between a soup that tastes fine and one that tastes genuinely memorable—don't skip this step thinking a simple sauté will do the same thing, because it won't.
  • Taste before adding all your seasoning at the end; parsnips vary in sweetness depending on the season, and you might find you need less salt than the recipe suggests, or more pepper than you'd normally expect.
03 -
  • Don't rush the roasting of the parsnips—that extra time in the oven is what builds the caramelized sweetness that makes this soup sing.
  • If your soup breaks or separates after blending, a moment of gentle reheating and a final stir with a splash of stock will bring it back together.
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