By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Rating
- 5(154)
- Notes
- Read community notes
A fragrant soup that lets the flavor of the vegetables shine through.
Parsnips contribute sweetness and texture to this fragrant soup. I used water, not stock, and the flavor of the vegetables shines through.
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Ingredients
Yield:16 demitasse servings or 8 bowls
- 1tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1medium onion, chopped
- 1leek, white and light green part only, halved lengthwise, cleaned and sliced or chopped
- Salt to taste
- 1pound carrots, peeled and diced
- 1pound parsnips, peeled, quartered, cored and diced
- ½pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2quarts water, chicken stock, or vegetable stock
- A bouquet garni made with a bay leaf and a couple of sprigs each tarragon, thyme and parsley
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 2tablespoons finely chopped tarragon
- Plain yogurt for garnish
Garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
163 calories; 3 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 33 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 1266 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot over medium heat and add the onion, leek and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, parsnips and a generous pinch of salt, cover partially and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender and fragrant. Add the potatoes, water or stock, salt to taste, and the bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender and the soup is fragrant. Remove and discard the bouquet garni.
Step
2
Blend the soup in batches in a blender (cover the top with a towel and hold it down to avoid hot splashes), or through a food mill fitted with the fine blade. The soup should be very smooth. Return to the pot. Stir and taste. Adjust salt, add freshly ground pepper, and heat through. Serve in small bowls or espresso cups with a drizzle of yogurt swirled over the top and a sprinkling of tarragon.
- Advance preparation: You can make this a day or two ahead and reheat. The soup can be frozen, but you will need to blend it again when you thaw it.
Ratings
5
out of 5
154
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Cooking Notes
Robert
To add flavor, add a chopped bulb of fennel to the mix of vegetables. Soups like these generally need some acid to bring out the flavor. I recommend a couple splashes of red wine vinegar or juice from a lemon, or both.
JaVa
Nothing o write home about, until you add the fresh tarragon and yogurt; brought a tear to my eye, DELICIOUS!
meinmunich
Not much effort and so much healthy and light flavor of the fall vegetables! Dinner party guests raved. Perfect for multi course dinner in cold weather, without being heavy. I added a chopped apple while sautéing and think it was a good idea.
JRj
I made this to keep guests at bay at Christmas dinner. They came back for more, as did I. Made it with a stick blender rather than a tamis, and the rougher texture was an interesting addition. Five q
Mark R
I've made this several times, always to rave reviews.
Dan
The siren call of 5 stars drew me to this recipe, but I thought it was just okay. Parsnips are such an assertive taste that this just tasted like parsnips with no nuance at all. The yogurt and fresh tarragon were just lost to me as the parsnips overwhelmed them. Fun to try something different, but I won't make this again.
Jarvis
Super yummy! Recipe worked perfect. Added one Aleppo red pepper early in the process and the juice of a lemon at the end.
Michelle
The only addition I made was some fennel that I had in my fridge, but otherwise kept this to the recipe. It’s much lighter than I was expecting. It tastes even better the day after! I paired it with a grilled cheese—chef kiss!
Molly
Great as written but very open to changes and seasons. I have made it with just leeks, carrots and parsnips plus an apple instead of a potato. Used boxed chicken stock. Whatever herbs you like but I like it plain and COLD. Everyone who has tasted it this summer has been wowed. I puree it until very smooth and refrigerate until very cold. The most refreshing soup of summer. Semi sweet and very interesting.
ruthie
I would use 4-6 cups of liquid instead of eight. Mine wasn’t as thick and creamy as I would have liked or like in the pic.
Misha
This is a subtle and elegant soup. I thought it needed some more umph, and played with adding a drizzle of truffle oil, lemon oil, chopped hazelnuts. Everything spoiled the delicate balance between the carrots and parsnips and the lovely texture. In the end all I did was add some orange juice and a few saffron threads, and I used crème fraîche instead of yoghurt, which I found overpowering.
Beverly Bullock
It was a great starter for Thanksgiving and I'll be making it all winter. Don't omit the yogurt (well, I used sour cream) and the tarragon to garnish - it really adds a delightful kick.
meinmunich
Not much effort and so much healthy and light flavor of the fall vegetables! Dinner party guests raved. Perfect for multi course dinner in cold weather, without being heavy. I added a chopped apple while sautéing and think it was a good idea.
Robert
To add flavor, add a chopped bulb of fennel to the mix of vegetables. Soups like these generally need some acid to bring out the flavor. I recommend a couple splashes of red wine vinegar or juice from a lemon, or both.
JaVa
Nothing o write home about, until you add the fresh tarragon and yogurt; brought a tear to my eye, DELICIOUS!
Mark
While the soup was good, it wasn't great and ultimately I didn't think it was worth the effort. It was perfectly fine carrot soup, but there was nothing that it made it particularly original or delicious.
Mark R
I've made this several times, always to rave reviews.
JRj
I made this to keep guests at bay at Christmas dinner. They came back for more, as did I. Made it with a stick blender rather than a tamis, and the rougher texture was an interesting addition. Five q
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