Today’s featured recipe from my kitchen is Roasted Parsnip and Pear Soup. The combination of the somewhat nutty flavor of the parsnips pairs well with the sweetness of the Bosc Pears. They balance each other well in this savory soup.
My grandparents always left a clump of parsnips in the garden over the winter, claiming they tasted sweeter when harvested the following spring after the cold winter weather turned some of their starch into sugar. In any event, no parsnips in their garden were to be harvested until at least after the first few frosts in the late fall. Today, parsnips are available in supermarkets and at farmers’ markets year-round.
The ivory-colored root vegetable is a member of the carrot family but parsnips have a distinctly different flavor from carrots. Some claim parsnips have an almost spicy earthy flavor, bordering on a hint of spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. Parsnips can be prepared in numerous ways and they are a staple in my household. I use some parsnip in many of the soups I make, including Turkey Vegetable, as it imparts wonderful flavor. In my opinion, roasting parsnips will add depth to their flavor profile which is why I am roasting them for this particular soup in which they are the primary ingredient.
In terms of health benefits, parsnips are high in fiber and are considered to be a good source of Vitamins C, E, and K as well as folate and manganese.
This soup freezes very well, provided no fat-reduced milk is used in it – just don’t do that to any cream-based soup, regardless if it is to be frozen or not. Cream-based soups are meant to have a velvety, creamy texture that just simply cannot effectively be achieved when low-fat or skim milk is used.
Roasted Parsnip and Pear Soup, while it can certainly be served on its own with a favorite bread, makes a wonderful addition to the soup course of a meal. The soup also makes a fine accompaniment as a side to a sandwich for a great lunch or light supper.
[Printable recipe follows at end of post]
Roasted Parsnip and Pear Soup
Ingredients:
1 lb parsnips, peeled and coarsely chopped into 2” chunks
½ garlic bulb
1½ tbsp olive oil to toss with parsnips and garlic
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp coriander
Salt and Pepper
2 Bosc Pears, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
1-2 tsp olive oil to toss with the pears
1½ tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter
1 leek (white and light green parts only), sliced about 1/8” thick
1 cup potato, peeled and diced
2/3 cup celery, chopped
1/3 cup shallots, finely chopped
4 cups chicken or turkey stock
1 bay leaf
1 star anise
½ tsp dried Rosemary, crushed
¼ – ½ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp cardamom
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp lemon juice
2/3 cup whipping cream
½ cup whole milk
2/3 cup medium Cheddar cheese, shredded
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Method:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with tin foil and spray with cooking spray. Peel and chop parsnips into 2” chunks and place in medium-sized bowl. Add the half garlic bulb. Toss with olive oil, nutmeg, coriander, salt, and pepper. Spread parsnips and garlic, single layer on baking sheet. Roast, uncovered, 18-20 minutes. Meanwhile, peel, core, and coarsely chop the Bosc pears. Drizzle with just enough olive oil to coat pears. Turn parsnips over and add pears to the roasting pan. Roast 15 minutes longer or until parsnips are tender. Remove from oven and set aside.
While the parsnips, garlic, and pears are roasting, heat 1½ tbsp olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the butter. When butter is melted, add the leek, potato, celery, and shallots. Cook, stirring constantly, for 4-5 minutes. Add the chicken or turkey stock, bay leaf, star anise, Rosemary, turmeric, and cardamon. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to simmer and cook slowly, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and discard the bay leaf and star anise. Stir in the roasted parsnip, garlic, and pears, along with the maple syrup and lemon juice. Cool for about 30 minutes.
Working in batches, purée mixture in blender until smooth. Transfer mixture back to soup pot. Stir in whipping cream and milk. When heated, stir in cheeses until melted. Season further with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish if and as desired. Serve hot with bread or rolls of choice.
Yield: Apx 5-6 servings
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Printable Recipe:
Roasted Parsnip and Pear Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb parsnips, peeled and coarsely chopped into 2” chunks
- ½ garlic bulb
- 1½ tbsp olive oil to toss with parsnips and garlic
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp coriander
- Salt and Pepper
- 2 Bosc Pears, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
- 1-2 tsp olive oil to toss with the pears
- 1½ tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 leek, white and light green parts only, sliced about 1/8” thick
- 1 cup potato, peeled and diced
- 2/3 cup celery, chopped
- 1/3 cup shallots, finely chopped
- 4 cups chicken or turkey stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 star anise
- ½ tsp dried Rosemary, crushed
- ¼ - ½ tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp cardamom
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2/3 cup whipping cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2/3 cup medium Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3 tbsp Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with tin foil and spray with cooking spray. Peel and chop parsnips into 2” chunks and place in medium-sized bowl. Add the half garlic bulb. Toss with olive oil, nutmeg, coriander, salt, and pepper. Spread parsnips and garlic, single layer on baking sheet. Roast, uncovered, 18-20 minutes. Meanwhile, peel, core, and coarsely chop the Bosc pears. Drizzle with just enough olive oil to coat pears. Turn parsnips over and add pears to the roasting pan. Roast 15 minutes longer or until parsnips are tender. Remove from oven and set aside.
While parsnips, garlic, and pears are roasting, heat 1½ tbsp olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the butter. When butter is melted, add the leek, potato, celery, and shallots. Cook, stirring constantly, for 4-5 minutes. Add the chicken or turkey stock, bay leaf, star anise, Rosemary, turmeric, and cardamon. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to simmer and cook slowly, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and discard the bay leaf and star anise. Stir in the roasted parsnips, garlic, and pears, along with the maple syrup and lemon juice. Cool for about 30 minutes.
Working in batches, purée mixture in blender until smooth. Transfer mixture back to Dutch oven. Stir in whipping cream and milk. When heated, stir in cheeses until melted. Season further with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish if and as desired. Serve hot with bread or rolls of choice.
Recipe Notes
Yield: Apx 5-6 servings
[Copyright My Island Bistro Kitchen]
For Other tasty Soup, Stew, Chowder, Chili, and Stock Recipes from My Island Bistro Kitchen, click on the links below:
Chili
Classic Chili
Chicken and Pumpkin Chili
Cream-based Soups
Classic Cream of Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Classic Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Cream of Roasted Asparagus Soup
Cream of Roasted Cauliflower Soup
Cream of Roasted Tomato Soup
Cream of Winter Root Vegetable Soup
Homemade Cream of Celery Soup
PEI Potato Leek Soup
Broth-based Soups
Minestrone
Classic Homemade Turkey Vegetable Soup
Cock-a-Leekie Soup
Ham Lentil Soup
Hamburger Soup
Old-fashioned Boiled Ham Dinner
Stews
Irish Stew
Rich and Hearty Goulash
Stocks
Homemade Turkey Stock
Homemade Beef Stock
Chowders
PEI Mussel Chowder
PEI Lobster Chowder
Turkey Chowder
Last updated October 6, 2023
