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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)!
save this recipe!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, earthy, sweet, and spicy
Basically, I just love this soup, and I think you will too! 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
grab these ingredients
We’re keeping the ingredients list short for this parsnip soup! Jump to the recipe card for the full quantities.
- 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-creamy with some half and half. For a lower-fat version, you can omit this (just add a bit more broth in its place).
- Brussels Sprouts: We’ll separate the leaves and cook them for a few minutes until crispy. This is such a fun little topping!
How to make parsnip soup
This is just an overview. Jump to the recipe card for the full instructions.
- Make the flavor base by sautéing the onions and garlic in oil.
- Simmer together the broth and the parsnips until soft.
- Cook the Brussels sprouts until crispy in the air fryer.
- Soupify the parsnips with an immersion blender or countertop blender.
- Top with crispy Brussels and enjoy!
Safety tip!
When blending with a countertop blender, it’s super important to leave a gap in the lid. This allows hot air to escape. Otherwise, the hot air will cause pressure to build up and possibly cause the soup (or blender) to explode. Trust me – I’ve been there.
plays well with
This soup is the perfect pairing with almost any other recipe, but here are some of my go-to’s.
- Tomato Mozzarella Caprese: This is a simple and refreshing sandwich that makes a stellar soup and sandwich combo.
- Sunshine Salad: The light flavors of the parsnip soup are delicious with this refreshing tahini Israeli salad.
- Vegan Garlic Bread: For dipping, of course!
Creamy Parsnip Soup With Crispy 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 stems. Pluck off leaves, then trim more of the stem as needed until you have separated as many leaves as possible.
- Cook Brussels Sprouts: Toss leaves with 1 Tbsp olive oil¼ tsp each salt and pepper (each), 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 cream if needed to reach a consistency to your liking.
- Serve: Ladle into serving bowls and top with your crispy Brussels sprouts!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
This soup would be perfect for a rainy day like this. Going to attempt to make this tomorrow.
It definitely is! And there’s really no way to mess it up, happy cooking! 🙂
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…)
I never had this combination before!! Parsnip and white bean together sounds delicious!!
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!
Thanks so much for sharing, Tamara! We definitely can have great, healthy food without spending loads of time on it 🙂
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!
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! 🙂
Does anyone know how many servings this recipe makes?
Good question, Dee! Sorry it wasn’t more clear. The recipe serves 4 🙂
The white beans are cooked before, right?
Correct! I like to buy them canned but if you buy them dry then they’ll need to be soaked and cooked.
Hello – wondering about the milk and whether it will curdle when boiled? Looking forward to making!
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! 😀
Can this recipe be made with lupini beans?
I am looking to lower the carb count. Thanks!
While I haven’t tried this, I think it would work well! 😀 Would love to hear how it goes!