Parsnip Soup with Potatoes – plant based (30 minutes)

Last Updated on February 2, 2021

This simple parsnip soup is perfect for the cold and stormy season. The classic winter vegetable is healthy and very easy to prepare. You can serve the soup as a starter or use it as the main dish with slices of whole grain bread. This is something we enjoy on chilly Saturdays. 

Beside of the simple potato parsnip soup recipe, I will also share with you an easy trick on how to distinguish these white veggies from parsley roots.

What is a parsnip?

I admit that I learned about these root vegetables only when I stumbled over them in my veggie subscription box some years ago. I really had no idea what to do with this strange food. Curious as I am, I did a research and learned some smart ways, how I can use it.

In case you don’t have a clue about them – here comes a small explanation. Parsnips are easily digestible root vegetables that resemble carrots. Back in the Roman Empire, they used to be a staple and one of the most popular root veggies.

This ancient food is perfectly suitable for soups, parsnip puree or roasted. But you can also use it for salads or chips. They have a sweetish, slightly nutty taste like a combination of carrots, celery and parsley roots. They are among those few vegetable types that taste milder and sweeter with the first frost.

As winter vegetables they are available fresh on the market from October until early spring.

In case you want to learn how to distinguish parsnips from parsley roots, then make sure to read till the end of this blog post.

How to cook parsnips?

It’s advised to peel larger roots even if you use organic vegetables. Cut in small chunks, they can be cooked in some water within 20 minutes. Smaller, tender roots can be used with their vitamin and mineral-rich peel.

Some people prefer to steam parsnips and serve them as a side dish. Others bake bread and cakes with these underground taproots. You can eat them even as raw food, grated into a salad. My favorite recipe, however, is the here presented soup meal. Click through for more delicious high fiber meal inspirations.

This is what you’ll need

Ingredients:

• parsnip cubes
• potato cubes
• onions, diced
• soy cream or plant milk
• vegetable broth
• lemon juice
• fresh parsley
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Step by step photos

Step 1: Sweat onions on medium heat in a bit of olive oil for three minutes, until onions turn clear.

Step 2: Add parsnip and potato cubes and let it sweat for another minute.

Step 3: Pour vegetable broth into the saucepan, cover and bring to a boil. Cook stirring occasionally over medium heat for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove from heat.

Step 4: Stir in parsley and soy cream (or plant milk). Puree with a hand blender or in a food processor.

Step 5: Stir in nutmeg + lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 6: Cover and simmer again at low heat for 5 minutes (but do not boil).

Step 7: Serve the soup in plates and garnish with some parsley or sunflower seeds. For best bioavailability serve it with slices of crusty whole grain bread.

Watch to make the recipe

Check out the easy recipe below, I’m convinced that you will love this soup!

Cream of Parsnip Soup

Print Recipe

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5 from 3 reviews

A delicious, filling root vegetable soup – especially for fall and winter

• Author: Gabi Rupp
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 20
• Total Time: 30

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 14 oz./400 g parsnips, peeled and cut in chunks
• 7 oz./200 g potatoes, peeled and cut in cubes
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 27 oz./800 ml vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 7 oz./200 g soy cream (or plant milk for a leaner version)
• some nutmeg, freshly grinded
• some parsley, hacked
• salt, pepper

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Instructions

1. Sweat onions on medium heat in a bit of olive oil for three minutes, until onions turn clear.
2. Add parsnip and potato cubes and let it sweat for another minute.
3. Pour vegetable broth into the saucepan, cover and bring to a boil. Cook stirring occasionally over medium heat for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove from heat.
4. Stir in parsley and cream (or milk). Mix with a hand blender or use a food processor
5. Sir in nutmeg + lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Cover and simmer again at low heat for 5 minutes (but do not boil).
7. Serve on plates and garnish with some parsley or sunflower seeds

Notes

• For best bioavailability serve it with slices of crusty bread, ideally whole grain.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4

Parsnips versus parsley roots

Parsnips and parsley roots are often confused. Both have a cream white root – similar in appearance. The parsley root is often a bit thinner ressembling white carrots. The most remarkable “key differentiator” however is, that parsley roots usually come with the typical herbs at the top, parsnips don’t have.

Hint: The fatter the root the softer its pulp.

Parsnip nutrition facts and health benefits 

Calories in this root vegetable are negligible and yet their complex carbohydrates with soluble and insoluble dietary fiber provide it with a high satiation effect.

In fact, parsnips are one of the vegetables with the most fiber. Their calorie to fiber ratio is really impressive. 100 grams of these roots contain whopping 4.9 grams and only 75 calories!

Probably you’ve heard already that adequate fiber in the diet also helps with obesity and constipation conditions. For more information on food roughage check out my top 100 high fiber foods.

In addition, parsnips are rich in vitamin B, vitamin C and minerals like potassium. As an essential component of cell and body fluids, Potassium aids controlling blood pressure and heart rate by countering effects of sodium.

By the way, this root veggie is a wonderful first food for babies.

OTHER PUREED SOUPS WITH ROOT VEGETABLES YOU MIGHT ENJOY

• parsley root soup
• kohlrabi celeriac soup
• creamy beet soup