Creamy, warm, and comforting, Curried Parsnip Soup is a 30-minute dinner that celebrates our favorite winter veggies! It’s simple, easy to make, versatile, and oh-so-healthy.
Winter is quickly approaching, and though I’m not the biggest fan of the season itself, I am stoked about all its produce! Tubers, root veggies, citrus, pomegranate, and more — the cornucopia of delicious eats add flavor, variety, and nutrition to our favorite cool-weather meals.
Parsnips and carrots top my list of most delicious root vegetables, so I created this creamy parsnip soup recipe. Seasoned with curry powder, onions, and garlic, the vegetable and spice blend is a match made in heaven! Coconut milk adds fat and moisture, and toasted pumpkin seeds give the soup a satisfying, crunchy finish. The result is a comforting and nutritious soup, perfect for warming up on cool days and making the most of winter’s bounty!
Looking for more parsnip recipe ideas? Check out my Sweet Potato Parsnip Soup and Herb Roasted Vegetables.
Ingredients
Parsnips: These root vegetables look like pale-colored carrots. They are often thicker and have a starchy texture and earthy-sweet flavor. Choose 1.5 pounds of medium parsnips (about 3) that are firm and dense for their size. I peel mine, but you can leave the skin on if you’d prefer.
Carrots: For earthy sweetness, nutrition, and flavor. Likewise, choose 1.5 pounds of medium carrots (about 5) that are firm for their size. Peel or scrub them well. If needed, you can swap 2 1/2 cups of baby carrots.
Curry Powder: Adds spicy warmth to the cream of parsnip soup. Use your favorite store-bought blend or make your own.
Coconut Oil: This is used to sauté the aromatics and add nutty notes. You can use any variety of coconut oil, though raw and virgin will add the most nutty flavor. Or use a neutral oil like avocado oil.
Onions: Adds caramelized notes to the soup upon sautéing. You will need one yellow onion. If needed, swap a sweet or white onion.
Garlic: Three cloves of minced garlic contribute aromatic, sweet nuttiness, adding delicious depth to the creamy parsnip soup. If needed, you can used bottled minced garlic but fresh really is best!
Coconut Milk: The fat in this milk adds a luscious mouthfeel and satisfaction. Use full-fat milk if possible.
Vegetable Bouillon Paste: For savoriness and salt, enhancing all the flavors of this parsnip recipe. I use vegan Better Than Bouillon (Amazon, , Walmart).
How to Make Parsnip Soup
- Sauté Aromatics. Heat the oil in a large, deep pot over medium heat. Add the curry powder and fry, stirring as it cooks, for about 30 seconds. Stir in the onions and garlic and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add and Simmer Vegetables. Add parsnips, carrots, coconut milk, and water to the pot. Bring to a simmer then add the bouillon paste. Cook covered until vegetables are tender and well cooked, about 20 minutes.
- Season and Blend. Season the soup to taste with more curry powder and salt if necessary. Cool the soup for 5-10 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup. If you do not have one, carefully transfer it in batches to a high-speed blender. Remove the venting lid, drape it with a clean towel, and puree until smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the black pepper, and season to taste with more salt if needed.
- Garnish and Serve. Serve the soup hot, garnished with parsley, pumpkin seeds, black pepper, and cayenne pepper if desired.
Recipe Pro-Tips
- Simmer covered. Cook the vegetables covered to retain the carrot and parsnip soup’s moisture. If needed, you can add more water and bouillon paste before blending to thin the soup to your preference.
- Cover the blender vent. Prevent a mess and dangerous hot splatters by removing the vent from the blender lid and placing a clean dish towel over the opening. The hot mixture will expand while it blends, so allowing venting will prevent the lid from bursting off.
- Season to taste. Add extra curry powder if desired. I recommend starting with a teaspoon and seasoning with extra bouillon paste if salt is needed. Salt is essential for flavoring soup because it enhances the vegetables’ flavor.
Recipe Variations
Make any of the below swaps to make this parsnip soup recipe your own!
- Sweet Potato: Make parsnip sweet potato soup by swapping chopped sweet potatoes for the carrots.
- Thai: Use yellow or red Thai curry paste instead of curry powder to make a Southeast-Asian-inspired dish.
- Spicy: Up the heat factor by sautéing a sliced Thai chili or Serrano pepper with the onions and garlic. Garnish with extra cayenne pepper or a drizzle of chili oil.
Serving Suggestions
Serve parsnip carrot soup hot, garnished with freshly cracked black pepper and toasted pumpkin seeds, slivered almonds, cashews, or pistachios. For those who enjoy some heat, sprinkle it with cayenne pepper. For extra plant protein, sprinkle on some crispy Roasted Chickpeas or serve it with a Chickpea Tuna Salad or BBQ Tempeh Sandwich for a complete and filling meal.
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration: Leftover carrot parsnip soup keeps covered in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: You can also freeze the soup in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 weeks. Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight or warm it from frozen.
- Reheating: Warm defrosted soup in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave on gentle heat, stirring it occasionally and adding a splash of broth if needed to reconstitute it.
Frequently Asked Questions
I peel my parsnips before adding to this vegetarian parsnip soup. Peeled parsnips make for a creamier soup, and more subtle earthy flavor. However, their skins do contain many nutrients, so feel free to keep them on if you’d like. Just be sure to scrub the parsnips well to remove any dirt or debris before chopping.
Yes, for a thinner soup, add more water and vegetable bouillon paste to the parsnip and carrot mixture before blending. Start with 1/2 cup and add more as desired.
Toast the pumpkin seeds (or any other nut or seed) in the oven at 325° for 8 minutes or until they smell fragrant. Let them cool for a few minutes before garnishing.
More Vegan Soup Recipes
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, or avocado oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 (1.5lbs) parsnips, peeled, and cut into ½-inch rounds
- 5 (1.5lbs) carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch rounds
- 3 cups water
- 1 can full fat coconut milk (13.5oz can)
- 1 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tbsp vegetable bouillon paste , Better Than Bouillon
- 1 tsp black pepper, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds, to garnish
- cayenne pepper, for garnish
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Prevent your screen from going dark
Heat the oil in a large deep pot over medium heat. Add the curry powder and fry, stirring as it cooks, for about 30 seconds. Stir in the onions and garlic and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
Add parsnips, carrots, water, coconut milk, and salt to the pot. Bring to a simmer. Add the vegetable bouillon paste, and continue to simmer covered until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
Season the soup to taste with more curry powder (start with 1 tsp) and salt. Cool the soup for 5-10 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree until creamy. If you do not have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the soup in batches to a high-speed blender. Remove the venting lid, drape it with a clean towel, and puree until smooth and creamy.
Stir in the black pepper, and season with more salt to taste, if needed.
Serve the soup hot, garnished with pumpkin seeds, black pepper, and cayenne pepper if desired.
- Refrigeration: Leftover carrot parsnip soup keeps covered in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: You can also freeze the soup in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 weeks. Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight or warm it from frozen.
- Reheating: Warm defrosted soup in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave on gentle heat, stirring it occasionally and adding a splash of broth if needed to reconstitute it.
- Simmer covered. Cook the vegetables covered to retain the carrot and parsnip soup’s moisture. If needed, you can add more broth before blending to thin the soup to your preference.
- Cover the blender vent. Prevent a mess and dangerous hot splatters by removing the vent from the blender lid and placing a clean dish towel over the opening. The hot mixture will expand while it blends, so allowing venting will prevent the lid from bursting off.
- Season to taste. Add extra curry powder if desired. I recommend starting with a teaspoon and seasoning with extra bouillon if salt is needed. Salt is essential for flavoring soup because it enhances the vegetables’ flavor.
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