Apple and parsnip soup

This soup is sweet and creamy, and one of the best ways to use parsnips in my humble opinion. Make apple and parsnip soup from scratch in 30 minutes with this healthy, low calorie recipe.

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Ingredients for apple and parsnip soup

Apples: Apples are great, and the main event in this recipe. I prefer using green apples. Bramley apples are my favorite in this recipe, but Granny Smith or any other green apples are great too.

Parsnips: This underutilized vegetable has a sweet, hearty flavor that really shows its best side in a soup. They are best when in season, which is during late autumn and winter.

Onion and garlic: This magic combo brings a debth of flavor to any soup. The yellow onion can be substituted with shallots for a milder taste.

Double cream: Cream gives this dish the perfect texture. At just 25 ml per portion, we only need a little to make a large impact. Use a vegan version to reduce the calories and make the dish dairy free.

Nutmeg: You only need a tiny bit of nutmeg to bring big flavor. Nutmeg is amazing in hearty, creamy dishes, and a staple in creamy autumn soups.

Sage: Dried sage compliments the flavors of parsnip and apple so well. Perfect combination!

Mint: A little dried mint does not make the soup taste minty, but gives the dish a nice little kick. I used to make this recipe without the mint for a long time, and it does taste nice even if the mint is omitted, but I highly recommend adding it as it just gives it that little extra something.

How to make apple and parsnip soup

Peel the apples, remove the cores and dice into similar sizes. Peel the parsnips and dice them into slightly smaller pieces than the apples. Then, finely dice the onion and garlic, and measure up or prepare your other ingredients.

Heat some oil, butter or one calorie cooking spray in a large pot with a lid. Add the onion, and saute until translucent and soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Then, add the nutmeg, sage, mint, parsnips and apples. Stir to cover the vegetables in the herbs. Saute for 3-4 minutes to allow the flavors to blend together.

Add 700 ml of vegetable stock, or 700 ml water and two stock cubes. To speed up the cooking process, you can use boiling water from a kettle. Stir to combine in the pot, then place the lid and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. To check if the vegetables are cooked, put a fork through a piece of parsnip. The fork should go through it with little resistance. If necessary, cover and cook for a few more minutes.

When the vegetables have softened enough, remove the pot from the heat, and use a hand blender to blend the soup smooth. Add the double cream, and some salt and pepper to taste.

Other creamy soups

• Spicy butternut squash soup
• Slow cooker broccoli cheddar soup
• Potato and carrot soup
• Spicy Parsnip Soup

Tips for a great soup

• The cream is important for a creamy flavor, and you definitely don't want to omit it. You can replace it with vegan cream or creme fraiche if you want to lower the calories.
• This recipe is slimming world and weight watcher friendly, and also fit many other diets.
• Don't omit the herbs! They bring so much flavor to the dish. If you want, you can try to substitute the sage and mint for other herbs, but you will be disappointed if you make the dish without herbs.
• I would not recommend freezing the soup, as the cream can split. If you want to make the soup ahead as a freezer meal, you can follow the recipe but omit the cream, and freeze for up to 3 months. Add the cream when you thaw and reheat the soup. You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

Here are some other interesting soups with apples

Try roasted apple and white cheddar soup or butternut squash and apple soup if you want to check out more creamy soups with apples. They are absolutely delicious, especially during autumn when apples are in season.