Warm up with this creamy parsnip soup topped with crispy Brussels sprouts! A cozy, nutritious soup that’s high on flavor. We love how the crispy Brussels work with the rich and velvety soup (and so does our community, see comments below!)
Next time you’re craving soup, cozy up with a bowl of this pureed parsnip soup! Despite only taking about 45 minutes to cook, start to finish, it has so many elements going on with it that I adore:
- The velvety texture thanks to the addition of white beans and a splash of cream
- The crispy Brussels sprout topping that balances out the sweeter flavors of the parsnips
- The parsnip flavor, a cross between nutty and earthy and sweet and spicy
Basically, I just love this soup and I think you will to! Let’s cook.
Reader rating
“Sarah, this is such a lovely post and recipe! I love this soup, and I’m going to share it… Thanks!” —Tamara
Ingredients
We’re keeping the ingredients list short for this parsnip soup! You’ll just need:
- Flavor Base: Onion and garlic lay the foundation for our parsnip soup.
- Parsnips: The star of the show! you’ll need 3 to 4 medium parsnips (find them near the carrots and root veggies in the grocery store).
- Vegetable Broth: Use a carton, bouillon, or make your own veggie broth (my personal favorite!)
- White Beans: We’re adding beans for texture (so creamy when pureed) and nutrition (hello plant-based protein!)
- Half and Half: I like making this soup ultra cream with the help of some half and half. This can be omitted for a lower fat version of this soup (just add a bit more broth in its place).
- Brussels Sprouts: We’ll be separating the leaves and cooking them for a few minutes until crispy. Such a fun little topping!
What does parsnip taste like?
Parsnips are a root vegetable related to carrots and celery! It tastes nutty, sweet, and a bit peppery. It’s often used in savory dishes, where salt and other savory flavors help to bring out its unique flavor.
Did you know?
Before sugarcane was readily available, Europeans would use parsnip as a sweetener!
Let’s talk about these Brussels sprouts
Alright we’ve got to talk about my favorite component in this soup, the Brussels sprouts.
I firmly believe that every soup needs a “salty crunchy”. Think croutons or crispy roasted chickpeas or even popcorn on soup.
Today, that salty crunchy is Brussels sprouts! I’ve included directions below on how to air fry or oven bake these. They end up tasting like kale chips, with the bitter, salty flavors balancing out the sweet parsnip soup. (You could also top it with our viral Smashed Brussels Sprouts!)
Ingredients
Parsnip Soup
- 2 Tbsp olive oil 30 mL
- 1 medium onion chopped, white or yellow
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 6 cups peeled and chopped parsnips about 3 to 4 medium parsnips
- 6 to 8 cups vegetable broth 1.4 to 1.9 L
- 1 15-oz can white beans drained, 425 g
- ½ to 1 cup half and half or heavy cream, 120 to 236 mL
- ¼ tsp each salt and pepper to taste
Crispy Brussels Sprout Topping
- ½ lb Brussels sprouts 226 g
- 1 Tbsp olive oil 15 mL
- ¼ tsp each salt and pepper
Instructions
- Flavor Base: Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium in a large pot. Add 1 medium onion and 2 cloves garlic, cooking until onion is soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Simmer: Add 6 cups peeled and chopped parsnips and 6 to 8 cups vegetable broth (start with 6 cups and add more later if needed). Cover and let simmer for about 30 minutes, or until parsnips are fork-tender.
- Prep Brussels Sprouts: While soup cooks, clean ½ lb Brussels sprouts well then separate the leaves by trimming off the stem. Pluck off leaves then trim more of the stem as needed until you separated as many leaves as possible.
- Cook Brussels Sprouts: Toss leaves with 1 Tbsp olive oil¼ tsp each salt and pepper, using your fingers to work the oil into the leaves. Arrange them in a single layer in either your air fryer or oven and cook until the edges of the leaves begin to brown and become crispy.For air fryer: Cook for 5 to 7 minutes at 350°F (176°C).For oven: Cook for 7 to 10 minutes at 350°F (176°C).
- Puree Soup: Once the parsnips are tender, add 1 15-oz can white beans, ½ to 1 cup half and half (start with ½ cup), and ¼ tsp each salt and pepper to the pot. Using a handheld immersion blender (or by carefully transferring to a countertop blender*), puree the soup until smooth, adding a bit more broth or creamy if needed to reach a consistency to your liking.
- Serve: Lade into serving bowls and top with your crispy Brussels sprouts!
Kelly @ TastingPage says
I love Jamie Oliver too, and dang, this soup looks amazing! I love veggie on veggie dishes. Going to have to give this one a try!
Rhiannon says
This soup would be perfect for a rainy day like this. Going to attempt to make this tomorrow.
Sarah says
It definitely is! And there’s really no way to mess it up, happy cooking! 🙂
Anne Murphy says
That sounds delicious!
I’ve been loving how creamy the pureed white beans soup can be – and parsnips – so sweet – that must be fantastic. (And it may be what I do with the parsnips I just picked up at the farmer’s market…)
Ludmilla says
I never had this combination before!! Parsnip and white bean together sounds delicious!!
Tamara says
Sarah, this is such a lovely post and recicpe! You “hit the nail on the head” when it comes to finding time to cook, connect, and eat good food, and yes, we are almost always too busy to spend hours! I love this soup, and I’m going to share it… Thanks!
Sarah says
Thanks so much for sharing, Tamara! We definitely can have great, healthy food without spending loads of time on it 🙂
Sara says
This looks amazing!!! Will definitely have to try since I’m attempting to incorporate more veggie fueled meals into my household. Sprouts fo lyfe!
Have you checked out the Minimalist Baker for quick, easy, good-for-you meals? She typically uses 10 ingredients or less and most are plant based. My meat loving husband requests her Mediterranean Baked Sweet Potatoes recipe, which take only half an hour from start to finish. 🙂
I LOVE making healthy food, but hate when it takes all day. Keep these recipes coming!
Sarah says
Yes I LOVE Minimalist Baker!! I get so much inspiration from her style and food and well everything. So happy I could help you find more veggie-filled meals! 🙂
Dee says
Does anyone know how many servings this recipe makes?
Sarah says
Good question, Dee! Sorry it wasn’t more clear. The recipe serves 4 🙂
Carmen says
The white beans are cooked before, right?
Sarah says
Correct! I like to buy them canned but if you buy them dry then they’ll need to be soaked and cooked.
Rachel says
Hello – wondering about the milk and whether it will curdle when boiled? Looking forward to making!
Sarah says
Hi Rachel! Thanks for pointing this out. Usually cooking milk will curdle it, but because we add it in with the vegetables (so it’s not plopped into a hot soup immediately) + emulsify it by blending with beans, the milk shouldn’t be a problem. I have changed the instructions slightly and recommended simmering rather than boiling (just to be safe), and will be testing this recipe again soon to be sure it all works as it’s supposed to! 😀
Kristen Loudermilk says
Can this recipe be made with lupini beans?
I am looking to lower the carb count. Thanks!
Sarah says
While I haven’t tried this, I think it would work well! 😀 Would love to hear how it goes!