Looking for a scrumptious soup to warm the heart and soothe the soul this winter? My carrot and parsnip soup is everything you need and more, with a taste that dances on your tongue, a smoothness that satisfies with every spoonful and a richness that leaves you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside!
So, do you want to know how to make this incredibly simple soup? There’s nothing much to it!
Products you need for this recipe
- Large saucepan – never be without a large saucepan, for all your casseroles, sauces and soups
- High powered food processor – a soup maker’s best friend! When you have the right equipment, making delicious soups is so very easy. You can also use a stick blender for this recipe
- Kitchen knife – a sharp knife is needed to chop up your veg
- Chopping board – never be without a good chopping board
- Measuring jug – get your measurements spot on
- Storage containers – want to make a big batch of soup? Get yourself some airtight storage containers and keep the leftovers fresh, either in the fridge or in the freezer (freezing instructions are below)
- Soup ladle – serve it in style with a soup ladle!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
If you love carrot soup, you have to try this recipe! The addition of parsnip brings such wonderful flavour, which takes a simple carrot soup to a whole new level.
The two vegetables really are made for each other. There’s something so delightful about the combination of the two flavours… especially on a cold winter’s day. This soup really warms the cockles!
What makes it even more special is the addition of some subtle spice. A sprinkle of cinnamon and a touch of nutmeg add that little extra depth of flavour that hits the spot.
With minimal prep time and less than 30 minutes cooking time, it’s perfect for those busy weeknights when you need something healthy, quick, tasty and with minimal fuss and few ingredients. Everything is cooked in one pan, then tipped into the food processor for the final blitz. Simple!
When it comes to an easy soup with plenty of character, this carrot parsnip combo takes some beating!
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Food processor or stick blender?
Personally, I wouldn’t be without my food processor. It’s like the Swiss army knife of the kitchen, playing a key role in so many of my favourite recipes. With this carrot and parsnip soup recipe, it whips your soup up into a delicious smooth texture.
Make sure you go for a high powered one though, as some food processors aren’t great at whizzing up carrots or parsnips for soups.
Of course, if you prefer a stick blender, they do the job just as well, with slightly less clean up to contend with.
Do you have to puree this soup?
Not at all! If you prefer a chunky soup, blitz it for a few seconds or not at all.
What other flavours can I add?
If you want to add a touch more spice and heat, sprinkle some chilli flakes into the mix. A twist or two of black pepper will also add some earthy heat to your carrot parsnip soup, as will a pinch of cumin.
Add fresh thyme, oregano or coriander as a garnish.
You can use olive oil in place of vegetable oil, although I prefer the neutral flavour of olive oil in this recipe.
Another idea is to add more vegetables into the mix. Carrot, parsnip and turnip go very well together, so try adding turnips to your chopped parsnips and carrots. If you want a really interesting flavour, add a fennel bulb and an apple, which will take this carrot, parsnip soup into a completely new flavour dimension.
How do you store leftovers?
This recipe is great for making big batches. Simply double or treble the ingredients below, then you can store the leftovers to enjoy at a later date.
The best thing is, this soup doesn’t suffer when stored. In fact, the spices have time to develop their flavour, so it might even be tastier a day or two later.
To store your carrot and parsnip soup for a later date, allow it to cool and place it into an airtight container. If you have a lot of soup left over, you might need to use several containers.
Your carrot and parsnip soup will stay fresh for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Can you freeze carrot and parsnip soup?
If you want to keep your soup for longer, you can freeze it. This soup freezes really well – just place the leftovers in an airtight freezable container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
What’s the best way to reheat it?
First of all, if it’s frozen, allow it to defrost in the fridge overnight. The best way to reheat your carrot and parsnip soup is to place it in a saucepan and heat it on a medium heat, stirring continuously, until piping hot. This should take 5–7 minutes.
If you want to reheat it really quickly, the microwave will do the job. Place it in a microwaveable container and heat on medium for 3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
What to serve with this soup
When it comes to a simple serving suggestion for this soup, it’s hard to beat a nice piece of crusty bread!
If you’re serving this carrot and parsnip soup up for the kids, make sandwiches. Soup and sandwiches is a winning combo every time – try cheese and ham, cut into triangles.
You can always go for the crunch and serve with croutons. You can even go nuts and serve this carrot and parsnip soup with crushed or toasted walnuts, or slivered almonds.
Have you tried deep frying carrot, parsnip or other vegetable peels? They go all crispy and delicious and make a great soup topping. If you want it easy, buy some root vegetable crisps and serve them on top or on the side.
More sumptuous soups
It’s soup season! Sometimes, when you want to take a break from rich indulgent food, only a healthy soup will do. Luckily, I’ve got a long list of recipes for you to work your way through!
- Sweet potato and red pepper soup – a very tasty, warming soup with subtle spices, this sweet potato and red pepper soup is simple to make
- Jerusalem artichoke soup – if you fancy something a little bit different, this wonderfully warming soup might be the one for you. The jerusalem artichoke is an underused ingredient that works great when made into a soup
- Pumpkin and sweet potato soup – an ideal Autumn soup, this subtly sweet, tasty and simple recipe is great for your post Halloween dinners
- Marrow soup – marrows are so underrated and this recipe proves it
- Avocado soup – healthy soups don’t come much more delicious than this creamy soup
- Leek and onion soup – rich, creamy and utterly irresistible, this leek and onion soup really hits the spot. Herbs like chives add such flavour, as does the almond milk that’s the secret to the creamy texture
- Oxtail pho – if you’re looking for something truly special, you have to try this recipe. It’s not a quick one, by any means, but the flavours are unbelievable
📖 Recipe
Carrot and Parsnip Soup Recipe
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 portions 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Looking for a soup to warm you during the cold winter nights? This Carrot and Parsnip Soup is the perfect answer.
Ingredients
- 30ml (2 tbsp) vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 450g (1lb) carrots, roughly chopped
- 450g (1lb) parsnips, roughly chopped
- 1L (4 cups) vegetable stock
- 2g (1 tsp) ground cinnamon
- 1g (½ tsp) ground nutmeg
- 3g (1 tbsp) chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
- Add the onions and gently fry for 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the carrots and parsnips.
- Gently stir fry the vegetables for 10 minutes.
- Add the stock, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are completely tender.
- Tip the contents in a high powered food processor and blend until smooth. This might need to be done in batches.
- Season to taste then serve immediately. Have fun playing with the different toppings as listed in Notes. Enjoy!
Notes
- For an extra dimension, add 1 chopped fennel bulb and 1 cored and peeled apple to the mix. You will need to up the amount of stock slightly.
- If you don’t have enough carrots and parsnips, you can supplement with turnips.
- You can give this soup extra depth by roasting the carrots and parsnips first. Skip the stir frying of the vegetables and reduce the simmering time to 50 minutes.
- If you love ginger, add 40g (1½oz) grated ginger along with the stock and proceed with the recipe.
- If the soup is too thick for your liking, add a bit of extra water or stock to thin it out.
- You don’t have to puree the soup. You can serve it up chunky or blitz it for a few seconds. You might want to use less stock though.
- For garnishing, you substitute chives with parsley or tarragon, both which complement parsnip and carrot, respectively, equally well.
- You can reserve the carrot and parsnip peels and deep fry them. Perfect for a crunch topping. For a shortcut, buy root vegetable crisps at the shops and sprinkle on top! Fried sage leaves work too.
- For an added crunch, you can top the soup with crushed, toasted walnuts or slivered almonds.
- A swirl of cream or yogurt won’t go amiss!
- Without all the bells and whistles listed above, this soup freezes well.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Starter
- Method: Boil
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 146
- Sugar: 9.6 g
- Sodium: 426.9 mg
- Fat: 5.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25.4 g
- Fiber: 6.4 g
- Protein: 1.9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Judith
A hearty soup to warm you up on a rainy day, perfect!
Michelle Minnaar
There is nothing better! Thanks Judith