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Vegetarian, Classics and bistro fare

Parsnip soup with walnut bread toasts

Parsnip soup with walnut bread toasts is a creamy soup for 4, ready in 40 minutes, very easy to make, for about €1.60 per person. The trick is letting the vegetables caramelize slightly before adding the broth, then blending the soup long enough to get a silky texture.

Parsnip is the forgotten vegetable with a hazelnut and caramel taste, so tonight you're turning it into a silky soup with walnut bread on the side.

Parsnip soup with walnut bread toasts
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€1.60
Calories per person
530 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter

Parsnip has a hazelnut and caramel taste that surprises people who rarely cook with it. Once simmered with potato and blended, it turns into a thick, mellow, slightly sweet soup, lifted by a pinch of nutmeg. The cream rounds everything out without hiding the vegetable's flavor, which stays front and center from the first spoonful to the last.

This is a soup for fall and winter evenings, the kind you make as soon as the weather turns, when you want something warming without much effort. The buttery toasted walnut bread brings the crunch a plain soup would be missing, and the crushed walnuts on top finish it off with texture. Mon Chou likes this kind of recipe because it's a nice change from the usual vegetable soup.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Parsnips 800 g
  • Potatoes 200 g
  • Onion 1

Pantry

  • Vegetable brothoften in the pantry 90 cl
  • Shelled walnuts 30 g
  • Nutmegoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Heavy cream 15 cl
  • Butter 30 g

Bakery

  • Walnut bread 8 slices

Allergens Lactose, Gluten, Tree nuts

The step by step recipe

  1. Peel the parsnips and potato, cut them into cubes, and finely slice the onion.

    A quick cut with a knife removes the woody core of large parsnips.

  2. Sweat the onion in half the butter, add the vegetables and cook for a few minutes. 5 min

    Letting them turn lightly golden brings out their caramel side.

  3. Pour in the broth and simmer covered until the vegetables are soft enough to crush. 25 min

    If it looks dry, add a splash of hot water.

  4. Blend with the cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

    The longer you blend, the silkier it gets.

  5. Toast the walnut bread in butter in a skillet and serve it with the soup and crushed walnuts. 5 min

    A drizzle of walnut oil on top, if you have some, ties the whole dish together.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick firm, medium sized parsnips, they're sweeter and less fibrous at the core than the huge ones.
  • Let the soup simmer gently with the lid on instead of boiling hard, the vegetables break down better and the texture stays smooth.
  • Always taste before serving, the nutmeg and salt need adjusting depending on how sweet your parsnips are.

The variations

  • Swap the potato for sweet potato for an even sweeter soup with a deeper orange color.
  • For a lactose free version, use a plant based cream like soy or oat, and plant based butter for toasting the bread.
  • For kids, blend the soup extra smooth and cut the walnut bread into small strips for dipping.

What to serve it with

  • A well dressed green salad
  • A glass of apple juice
  • A few shavings of comté on top

Storage

The soup keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well for up to 2 months, ideally without the cream, which you add back in when reheating. Warm it gently in a saucepan, stirring often, and toast the walnut bread right before serving.

Questions about this dish

Can you make parsnip soup ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it the day before and keep it in the fridge. Reheat it gently in a saucepan and toast the walnut bread just before serving so it stays crisp.

Can you use a different bread instead of walnut bread?

If you can't find walnut bread, a good toasted country loaf works too, with a few extra crushed walnuts to bring back that flavor. The result will be a bit less nutty overall.

Why remove the core from large parsnips?

The core of large parsnips turns tough and fibrous once cooked, and it stays stringy even after blending. A quick cut with a knife is enough to remove it before dicing the vegetables.

Does parsnip soup freeze well?

Yes, it freezes well for up to 2 months. It's best to freeze it without the liquid cream and stir it in only when reheating, to keep the texture silky.

How long does it take to make a creamy parsnip soup with toasted walnut bread?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a creamy parsnip soup with toasted walnut bread?

About 530 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a creamy parsnip soup with toasted walnut bread cost?

About €1.60 per serving, or €6.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose, gluten, tree nuts. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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