Carrot Parsnip Soup

This creamy carrot parsnip soup is cozy, flavorful and has the most vibrant orange color. Loaded with fiber and protein, this vegetarian soup is satisfying and delicious.

When fall/winter weather kicks in, I could live off of cozy soups and stews. Soup screams healing comfort food to me and that’s exactly what we all crave during the fall and winter months… especially right now.

To be honest, when developing this recipe I was craving pumpkin soup but didn’t have any pumpkin puree on hand (surprising… I know), so I rolled with a blend of carrots and parsnips and then added a little quinoa to bump up the protein.

The end result was a cozy and delicious soup that was comforting and super delicious. Isaac and I both kept going on and on about how tasty it was the whole time we were eating it. It’s sweet from the carrots, but not too sweet, and has a great flavor from all the herbs and spices. Quinoa is the perfect addition because it makes this soup a little heartier so that it can be served as a meal and not just as an appetizer or side item.

Ingredients & Substitutions for This Soup:

• vegetables – onion, shallot, garlic, carrots, parsnips, fresh thyme and fresh sage. Don’t skip the fresh herbs because they add so much flavor to this soup.
• olive oil
• vegetable broth – water works as well, but I like using broth for more flavor!
• uncooked quinoa – you could substitute for a different grain if you prefer.
• miso paste – either red or white miso works for this recipe! I highly recommend using this because it adds a wonderful umami flavor, but if you don’t have miso or can’t find it, you can omit it and season with additional salt.
• seasonings and spices – cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper, black pepper and sea salt.
• optional toppings – scallions and gruyere cheese are the perfect toppings, but parmesan cheese also works well.

How to Make Carrot Parsnip Soup

Sauté – Sauté the onion, shallot and garlic in a large stock pot over medium heat. Cook until onions are translucent. Add in herbs and spices to the pot and stir.

Add vegetables – Mix in the carrots, parsnip, quinoa and vegetable broth or water to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20-40 minute until veggies are tender.

Blend – Remove the soup from the heat and let it cool slightly. Use an immersion blender to blend the contents of the pot until a smooth, even consistency is reached. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can blend the soup in a blender in small batches.

Add miso – If you’re using miso, dissolve in warm water and stir it into the soup. Garnish with scallions and shredded gruyere cheese and serve immediately.

What to Serve with Carrot Parsnip Soup

Some people enjoy soup as a meal on its own, but I love pairing soup with a side (or two!) for variety in texture and flavors. My go-to pairings for soup include bread, crackers and salad. Here are some things that would go really well with this soup:

• Whole Wheat Honey Brown Bread
• Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
• Almond Crackers
• Kale Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash
• Fuji Apple Salad
• Pear Salad

More Parsnip Recipes to Try

• Vegetable Tagine with Apricots and Rosemary
• Roasted Root Vegetables
• Sweet Potato and Parsnip Spiralized Latkes

More Vegetarian Soup Recipes to Try

• Lightened Up Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Slow Cooker Quinoa Vegetable Soup
• Lentil Stew with Kale
• Sweet Potato Soup
• Curried Pumpkin Soup
• Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
• Black Bean Soup
• Cabbage Lentil Soup
• Classic Minestrone Soup

Carrot Parsnip Soup

4 from 13 votes

This healthy carrot and parsnip soup is both earthy and (a tad) sweet in flavor. Not only is it delicious, but it packs a punch of protein from the quinoa, and is full of fiber, too! Vegetarian and gluten-free.

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Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 shallot, chopped finely
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 lb. carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 lb. parsnips, peeled and chopped
• 5 cups of vegetable broth or water
• 1/3 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 3 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• sprinkle of cayenne pepper
• ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 Tablespoon miso paste, dissolved in 1 Tablespoon warm water
• sea salt, to taste
• scallions, as garnish
• 1 ounce gruyere cheese, optional

Instructions

 

• In a large stock pot, heat oil on medium heat. Place onion, shallot and garlic into the pot and sauté for about five to seven minutes or until onions are translucent.
• Once the onions are translucent, add the herbs and spices (thyme, sage, cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper and ground pepper) to the pot and stir.
• Add chopped carrots, parsnip and quinoa to the pot, pour in vegetable broth or water and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for about 20-40 minutes until veggies are tender.
• Remove from heat and let stand 3-5 minutes until cooled slightly. Using an immersion blender, blend the contents of the pot until a smooth even consistency is reached. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can blend the soup in your blender in small batches.
• Dissolve miso in warm water and stir it into the soup. Miso gives the soup a wonderful flavor, but if you don’t have miso, simply season the soup with a little sea salt.
• Serve immediately garnished with scallions and shredded gruyere cheese and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 recipe Calories: 266kcal Carbohydrates: 44g Protein: 9g Fat: 7g Saturated Fat: 2g Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g Cholesterol: 8mg Sodium: 1800mg Fiber: 9g Sugar: 16g

Author: Brittany Mullins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: carrot parsnip soup

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