Creamy Roasted Parsnip Soup with a good helping of parmesan, a delicious and comforting soup for chilly days. Roasting the parsnips brings out their sweet, nutty flavour, making it wonderfully rich and hearty. It's simple to make, hearty, and always a big hit with the whole family.
This is one of those recipes you know you can't possibly go wrong with. And even fussy eaters would give it a try. Creamy parsnip soup was actually the first food my first daughter had when we started solids. Obviously minus the salt, which I did not add to her foods till a lot later.
In fact, this soup needs so little seasoning, just because its flavourful enough to be fine without much else added.
And, of course, adding parmesan cheese also helps, it gives it a bit of sharpness which balances the natural sweetness of the parsnips. You can add cream for a much silkier texture, but I find that milk works just fine, so I left it out.
You could boil the parsnips if you are in a rush and would rather have the soup on the table a lot quicker, but, if you do have time, I absolutely recommend roasting the parsnips first. They don't need preboiling, just toss them with olive oil and a bit of seasoning, and pop them in the oven for 20 until golden.
You will be able to tell the difference in taste straight away, it's got a much richer aroma that no store-bought soup can possibly match. Not to mention it works out a lot cheaper too. Cream of parsnip soup, although ridiculously simple to make, it's quite a posh dish that can be safely served to those picky guests too.
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Go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions!
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Ingredients overview
- parsnips - I used fresh parsnips for this recipe
- onion - it can be either yellow or red onion, shallots also ok
- vegetable stock/broth - you can also use chicken stock if you aren't too bothered about the soup being vegetarian
- olive oil - it might sound like a cliche, but the better quality, the tastier the soup
- grated parmesan cheese -it adds a wonderful sharp touch to the soup
- milk - full-fat is the best
- salt and black pepper -to taste
- parsley or thyme - to garnish, optional
Variations
I like my parsnip soup quite simple, I think it's so delicious as it is. I actually love parsnips, and my Baked Parsnip Fries are my second best favourite fries after the good old potato fries.
But, if you'd like something more, you can always use a bit more ingredients to make a more nutritious, filling soup. Root vegetables make a great match together, so you can combine the roasted parsnips with roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots or swede.
For a bit of a heat, curried parsnip soup sounds just great to me, so you can add some curry powder to the soup, like I did it my curry butternut squash soup.
If you have any other root vegetables left from your roast dinner, you can also turn them into a delicious leftover roasted vegetable soup.
Step-by-step photos and instructions
You can have the soup as thick and chunky or a creamy and thin as you like, just add less or more stock/broth or milk.
- peel and chop the parsnips, toss with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and arrange on a baking tray in one even layer
- bake at 200 degrees Celsius (390 Fahrenheit) for 20 minutes until golden- the time depends entirely on how thin/thick the parsnips are cut
- peel and chop an onion, and fry until golden
- add the roasted parsnips, stock/broth, milk, parmesan and seasoning and leave to cook with the lid on for 10 minutes
- use a hand blender or blitz it in a kitchen aid to the desired consistency
- return to the heat, and leave to bubble it away for 1-2 minutes, then turn the heat off
- serve with with extra parmesan cheese, croutons, chopped parsley and black pepper
Expert tips
You could just boil the parsnips, but roasting them takes this soup to the very next level. They get a lovely caramelized hint which truly transforms the soup from a bland dish to a delicious meal that everyone loves.
If you don't necessarily want a vegetarian soup, you can also add chicken or beef stock/broth for some extra flavour, the colour of the soup might change depending on the stock used.
Use parsnips that are firm and fresh, rather than soft or shrivelled, the better quality, the tastier the soup. You can adjust the thickness of the soup by adding more or less stock.
If you’ve liked my ROAST PARSNIP SOUP or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.
Creamy Roasted Parsnip Soup
Ingredients
- 4 large parsnips
- 1 medium-sized onion
- 500 ml vegetable stock/broth ( 2 cups)
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- 125 ml milk ( ½ cup)
- salt and black pepper
- parsley or thyme to garnish optional
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (390 Fahrenheit).
- Peel and chop the parsnips into sticks.
- Toss the parsnips well with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season with a pinch of salt, and arrange on a baking tray in a single layer.
- Roast for 20 minutes until golden.
- Peel and chop the onion, add remaining oil to a pan set over a medium heat, and fry until golden.
- Add the roasted parsnips, stock, milk, half of the parmesan, season with salt and pepper, and leave it to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Use a hand blender to blend to the desired consistency.
- Serve with extra parmesan cheese, croutons, chopped parsley and freshly-ground black pepper.
Video
Notes
- You could just boil the parsnips, but roasting them takes this soup to the very next level. They get a lovely caramelized hint which truly transforms the dish.
- If you don't necessarily want a vegetarian soup, you can also add chicken or beef stock/broth for some extra flavour.
James F says
Thick, hearty, and gorgeous. I actually roasted the onion with the parsnip, and the overall flavour was just exquisite.
Daniela Apostol says
Wonderful, thank you for your feedback!
Janet Shankweiler says
This soup was so delicious and delightful to make. I don't ever make parsnips but they will know become a part of my diet. I roasted them for the soup, I ould jut eat the like that. I did add a little to curry to it too.
Very nice 🙂
milliethom says
I've had several versions of parsnip soup - some thick, some thin - but I've never made it myself. I like most of my soups thick and hearty and this one looks just that.
Lina says
Delicious and inviting! I don't like soups, but this one is so amazing! Awesome!