Creamy Leek and Parsnip Soup Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

James Spears

Tasty and easy. Caution on quantity of leeks and parsnips. New York leeks and parsnips may work but West Coast veggies in these numbers would feed 12.

Greg Paolino

Agree. I'm scaling it to 1 lb of parsnip, peeled and diced, 1 large leek (2" diameter x 8" of usable white and light green), EVOO, i medium onion, 1 large carrot, salt and pepper, and a cup or so of bird stock. Dice all veggies and sweat at very low heat until tender with minimal fond on the pot bottom. This should take 40 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer 20 min, then hit it with a boat motor (stick blender) until creamy, maybe adding a bit more EVOO, but not too much. YUM!

Kate

Second James’s comment, it made a big batch, added another ~3 cups water to get the consistency right. Subbed shallot for garlic. Sweated the veggies for 2x time to fully caramelize. Liberal use of Omnivore Salt and pepper. Family’s happy, adding to the rotation!

Suprita

This was super easy (and rewarding). I found the parsnips and leeks caramelized a little too well and the soup became too sweet. However, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice fixed that quickly! Also, I used an immersion blender and of course forgot to take out the bay leaves. Rest assured, the soup was still absolutely fine.

Sandra Stevens

I love reading the recipes that the NY Times publishes, but do so wish that the nutritional information were included with each. With many readers struggling with being overweight (or obese), diabetic etc., such information would be truly helpful. Thank you for your attention to this request.

pH

How do you caramelize the vegetables without them browning?

Toni Capozzi

Don't forget to remove the bay leaf before pureeing the soup

ccfca

Elegant enough for guests and easy enough for a weeknight dinner. I used 50-50 chicken stock & water and 50-50 potatoes & parsnips.

Sara C

Given the differences in sizes of such ingredients as leeks and parsnips, it would be really helpful if the weight were given in the recipe.

JeanR

-Instant Pot for 10 minutes after sauteeing vegetables with 4C veg stock, QR-Added zest and juice of a lemon -Immersion blender, adding 2C veg stock

William Wroblicka

I would use just the (well washed) white and light green parts of the leeks. Save the dark green leaves for stock.

Ed Plaisance

I often make leek & potato soup and will try this variation...love parsnips. Reading the comments on size of leeks/parsnips, I wish American cooks and recipes would use weights instead of giving volume or stating"small/medium/large leeks". I refer to French websites often and they virtually always use weights. It makes everything so much easier. I have seen leeks vary from 1/2 inch diameter to almost 2 inches.

William Wroblicka

Good question. Step 2 in the recipe makes no sense. I think it should read "let vegetables sizzle and cook until softened but not browned."

D Taylor

I often make leek and parsnip soup more or less as per this recipe. It also works well with pureed fresh ginger and/or some spices, eg cumin, coriander, cardamom, to taste.

Greg Paolino

James Spears, you got that right! I'm out here in Cali with ONE large leek and 6 small parsnips and this will feed six as a first course or four with crusty bread and salad. I also added a small amount of some duck stock I made from some bones, and just a wee pat of butter for richness.Great recipe, though. Nice for our little pandemic family (me, wife and daughter)

Leslie

This soup came out a bit thick (I think my parsnips were a bit big) so I added some cream to thin it out

Eve

It was delicious but to give the time as 25 minutes is ludicrous.Just prepping 8 cups of the vegetables probably took 20. It's a huge amount to caramelize in a pot and I eventually moved everything to a wok. Next time I will cut the parsnips very small in hopes of speeding up the process. I would say cooking time was over an hour.

Eve

Adding - we tried it with lemon zest and lemon juice, and then with pumpkin seeds, and finally with Balsamic glaze. All were good but the lemon zest turned it from good to delicious. Will make it many times.

Jacquie

I love parsnips and was looking forward to this soup. Prepared exactly as described. The result was cloyingly sweet soup. Perhaps the parsnips I used were exceedingly sweet. I couldn’t eat it. If you like sweet soups, you may love this one.

Kath

Used 3.5 C leeks & 4 cups parsnips. Was way to Leek-y. Won't make again

Melinda

Meh:I made it exactly, using my own veggie stock. It's just okay . . I used the 4 cups of leeks and 4 of parsnip as listed, but agree weight would be best.When served with a squeeze of le.om juice and a dollop of Greek yogurt and grated tart apple it is much improved. If l made it again, l would consider adding ginger, cumin etc.

Christmas Variation

We simmered the soup with a generous half cup of walnuts before we pureed it in the vitamix . Instead of turmeric we used nutmeg and a teeny bit of cinnamon . We garnished it with walnuts and blue cheese. Showstopper for featuring our bumper crop of parsnips from the garden this winter

jeff in windsor, Ontario

I added one gala apple, and three sage leaves. The parsnip flavour blossomed.

PJ

I made this using parsnips we grew, used water instead of stock and added diced celery and carrot to make up for no stock flavor. The parsnip/leek/tumeric combo is really great, and a dollop of yogurt at the end really makes it.

Great Soup

I followed the directions and made a half batch with 2.5 cups of parsnips and leeks. Came out great and not the gallons of soup that people mentioned, I would do a full batch next round. Evo on top made it a keeper.

Ariel Tindolph

I thought this was pretty bland so I added some lemon juice at the end. The yogurt definitely helped.

Cynthia

This is easy and delicious!!!

John

This is a wonderful and quite versatile soup. I used onion instead of leeks. No problem, though carrot and celery were also added for more depth. I also used half turmeric and half curry powder for a deeper flavor. The parsnips were too sweet for my taste, so I thinned the soup with milk and some cream.

Anne of Gaithersburg

@pH The recipe doesn't say to caramelize the vegetables. It says "...cook, stirring frequently until nearly caramelized, but without browning". In other words, you're supposed to stop cooking them before they become brown/caramelized.

sb

Do you cover pit when simmering?

lenaA

Delicious the way recipe is listed. Did not change anything. Stayed in the Fridays for about a week. Are little bit everyday. Very light and can be vegan.

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Creamy Leek and Parsnip Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you need to core parsnips for soup? ›

Look for medium sized parsnips at your grocery store – the larger parsnips can sometimes have a thick woody core that is not edible and needs to be removed. A lot of the parsnip flavor is close to the skin, so I recommend scrubbing your parsnips well instead of peeling them!

Is parsnip soup good for you? ›

Parsnips provide many nutrients as well as a good amount of fibre, vitamins and minerals. A serving of 1/2 cup of sliced parsnips will give you 3g of fibre and only 55 calories. It makes it a popular vegetable to use in lieu of potatoes or carrots.

How do you reduce the sweetness in parsnip soup? ›

Once this does happen, you can tone down the sweetness by adding spices like cumin, nutmeg or lemon juice. Deviate from the recipe to reduce sweetness. Instead of adding 4 parsnip to the recipe, reduce the number of parsnip by half.

Why is my parsnip soup bitter? ›

If you don't peel them, you'll likely be adding a bitter taste to the soup. Why is my parsnip soup bitter? If you leave the peels on the parsnip, it can cause your soup to taste bitter. Ensure you rinse the parsnips well and prep them before adding them to this recipe.

How do you cook Gordon Ramsay parsnips? ›

Cooking instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan, then add the carrots and parsnips and toss to coat in the oil. Add the thyme, cinnamon, star anise and some seasoning. Cook over a medium heat for 15-20 minutes, turning the vegetables frequently, until golden brown and almost cooked through.

When should you not eat a parsnip? ›

If a raw parsnip becomes soft and squishy, this is a sign of rot and it should no longer be eaten.

Why should you not peel parsnips? ›

Remember, once you peel them, you'd have to cook them–or the parsnips will start to discolour. If you're cooking with old, large parsnips, you should also discard any very fibrous centres that you find, as those might be bitter and unpleasant to eat.

How do you thicken parsnip soup? ›

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

What are the side effects of parsnip? ›

In some cases, people consuming parsnip for the first time may also experience allergic conditions like dermatitis, bloating, gas, stomach cramps, and food allergy symptoms like burning, itching, and swelling of lips and tongue, redness in the eyes, and breathing difficulty.

What is the healthiest soup you can eat? ›

6 delicious and healthy soups
  • Chicken Vietnamese Pho.
  • Green spring minestrone.
  • Herb and yoghurt-based soup.
  • Lamb shank and barley soup.
  • Pumpkin soup with star croutons.
  • Lentil and vegetable soup with crusty bread.
Apr 26, 2020

Which is healthier, potato or parsnip? ›

In fact, if you opt for parsnips over potatoes you'll get nearly four times the amount fibre per serve. Along with this, they are also a good source of folate, potassium, and Vitamin C. Parsnips have a sweet flavour and can be cooked in a variety of ways.

How do you deepen vegetable soup flavor? ›

A squeeze of citrus, a dollop of yogurt or a drizzle of cream, a dusting of cheese or a good chile powder, a sprinkling of some herbs or croutons — all can take a perfectly fine soup into the realm of the delectable. Even a spiral of good olive oil to finish and some coarse sea salt can do wonders.

How do you make parsnip soup less bitter? ›

Re: Bitter parsnips

If that still doesn't help, then you can simply trim the outside and discard the woody core before cooking (that's the bitter part). Or you can add a few pinches of sugar to the cooking water and that eliminates the bitterness.

Why is my parsnip puree gummy? ›

Parsnips are a starchy root vegetable and running them through the food processor too long or at too high of a speed can cause the starches to congeal. I recommend pulsing the parsnips with additional coconut milk or water to prevent an undesirable gummy texture.

How do you cook Jamie Oliver parsnips? ›

Scrub the parsnips, then blanch whole in a large pan of boiling salted water for 5 minutes, then drain and steam dry. Tip into a large roasting tray, dot over the butter and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, toss to coat and arrange in a single layer, then roast for 1 hour.

Do you peel parsnips before boiling? ›

To prepare: Very small parsnips don't need peeling, just wash them and top and tail. Medium to large parsnips should be peeled and chopped into even-sized chunks, halves or quarters. To cook: Cook in boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes until tender.

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