We think that this Parsnip and Apple soup with Parsnip Crisps has been one of the tastiest this winter we’ve had. And with this cold snap, we hope you'll think so too!
It’s made with roasted parsnips, apples and various spices and uses vegan single cream which just makes it so smooth and warming. This is contrasted so well with the parsnip crisps which we sprinkle on top which are so simple to make. (and are SUPER delicious too!)
There’s sometimes a danger with apples in soup that the soup turns out a bit like pureed baby food, so it needs to be paired with the right savoury ingredients, herbs and spices. Parsnips are a great healthy root vegetable with a distinctive sweet and earthy taste which goes brilliantly with apples. Both are seasonal in this cold weather, so are easy to get hold of and will be at their tastiest.
For most of my soups recipes I roast the vegetables first. This helps bring out their flavour and almost makes them caramelise a bit. This recipe has less apples than parsnips in it so the apples don’t overpower the taste; the apple in this soup is a bit more subtle but gives that edge of sweetness.
The spices compliment and bring out the flavour of the parsnips so well. I used nutmeg and cumin. Nutmeg is traditionally used for sweets, and cumin for savoury, and together they make a great combination. The secret ingredient in this soup is probably the Dijon mustard, which gives a fun and spicy kick, and just that small bit of sharpness.
For the single cream, there are now lots of brands available in supermarkets and health food shops, made from plant foods like oats, soya or almonds. Don't worry about not using it all up, whatever you don’t use can go into the freezer for next time.
The parsnips crisps were a great hit. What I love most is that they are so simple. You just need a few parsnips, tiny bit of olive oil and some seasoning. A regular peeler will do to get yummy thin strips, but if you have a fancy swivel peeler, then use that for some more fun shapes. The key is spreading them thinly on baking trays (a bit of overlap is fine as they shrink in the heat), and they come out wonderfully crispy. They will last for at least a week in an airtight container. Cooking takes all the moisture out of them which means they last longer!. You can make crisps with other root vegetables like sweet potato, beetroot or carrots - soon you’ll be topping all your soups with veg crisps!
Roasted Parsnip and Apple Soup with Parsnip Crisps
Ingredients
Soup
- 500 g parsnips, peeled and chopped
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- 25 g vegan butter / olive oil
- 2 medium onions
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cumin
- 200 g apples of choice, cored and chopped
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1.2 litres Vegetable stock
- 3 tsp Dijon mustard
- 100 ml vegan single cream or coconut cream
- Drizzle of truffle oil (optional)
Parsnip Crisps
- 300 g parsnips
- ½ tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
Soup
- Pre heat oven to 200 C.
- Place chopped parsnips on a baking tray and cover with the olive oil. Bake for 45-50 mins or until they have started to brown a bit.
- Heat the olive oil / butter in a large saucepan, add the onions and cook until onions are translucent.
- Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes. Then add the cumin and nutmeg.
- Add the apple and cooked parsnips and stir for a minute or so.
- Add the stock, salt and pepper.
- Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, then simmer for 25 minutes with the lid on.
- Using a food processor or hand held blended, blitz the soup into a liquid.
- Put the soup back on a gentle heat and add the single cream and mustard. Cook for another 5 minutes before serving (or reheat for later).
- Serve with a drizzle of truffle oil (optional) and parsnip crisps sprinkled on top.
Parsnip Crisps
- Preheat oven to 150 C.
- Peel the outer skin off the parsnips, and chop off each end. Discard these bits.
- Using a peeler, peel off thin pieces of the parsnip. Long or short, or a mix of the two.
- Put all the peelings in a bowl and massage the oil in with your hands. Add the salt and pepper.
- Spread the peelings across baking trays. It’s ok if they overlap a bit but to get them really crispy you just want one layer.
- Cook for 25 minutes, turning half way through. They are done when they are crispy pieces with no moisture.
- They can be kept for a week in an airtight container.
Brilliant. I had a pot on the go when I messaged you. I did just that. It’s a very special recipe. Absolutely delicious. Thank you