Hi guys, today’s post is an exciting one for two reasons. 1) This is the first Strictly Seasonal recipe! If you’re unaware of what I’m talking about, you can read about the idea behind this series here. 2) This is my first recipe in a month. Yes, it’s been a month. My last recipe post was my (slightly failed) Christmas cookies on December 11th. My last proper recipe post, you know, one that was actually presentable…was December 2nd. I don’t know how this happened. Actually, I do; I was busy cooking for an ebook, but whatever. That’s still far too long. Today’s comeback recipe is for a smoked parsnip and caramelised carrot soup and it’s actually somewhat inspired by the aforementioned ebook.
It’s been so long that I looked at my recipe plugin and froze for a minute because I’d forgotten how to use it. I don’t know how I let myself get to this point. I’m really sorry if this post turns out to be a mess.
Inspiration?
I have a recipe in the ebook for caramelised squash on toast and I’m a little bit obsessed with it. But there’s a slight issue with that, I’m the only one who likes squash. No one else I cook for on a regular basis likes one of my favourite foods. I know, I feel cheated too. So, not wanting to be defeated, I tried to cook something else the same way as I make the squash and hoped it turned out well.
Strictly Seasonal
If you read my post about what’s in season in winter, you’ll know that I was planning on using parsnips today and I didn’t want to simply roast them. The caramelised carrot alone would be too sweet as a soup base, so I decided to add a smokey flavour to the parsnips. The smoked parsnips and sweet carrots complement each other perfectly to make a lovely balanced soup.
I know the caramelised carrot probably sounds like a lot of effort but it’s actually really simple. It requires very little attention once everything is in the pan, then you can leave it to simmer until it’s time to blend.
This recipe is gluten free, dairy free, soy free, nut free and vegan.
Smoked Parsnip and Caramelised Carrot Soup
Ingredients
For the carrots
- 2 medium carrots chopped into small chunks
- 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
For the parsnips
- 3 medium to large parsnips roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp chilli powder optional
- Black pepper to taste
- Pinch of salt
To blend
- Up to 4 cups vegetable stock
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 190c then spread the oil evenly across a baking tray and place in the oven for 5 minutes to warm up.
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Meanwhile, add the carrots and onion to a large saucepan/ stock pot with a small amount of water, enough to cover the base of the pan, and cook uncovered for 3-5 minutes.
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Add the parsnips to the baking tray and sprinkle the smoked paprika, chilli powder (if using), salt and pepper evenly over them. Place in the centre of the oven for approximately 25 minutes until cooked but not golden.
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Then add the maple syrup and apple cider vinegar to the carrot and onions, stir to fully combine then reduce the heat, cover the pan and leave on a low simmer for 15 minutes. After that, the carrots should ‘mash’ easily with a fork when touches and mixture should have a jammy texture. When this stage is reached, remove from the heat and set aside until the parsnips are cooked.
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When the parsnips are ready, remove from oven and add them to the carrot pan along with two cups of vegetable stock.
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Blend with a hand blender. At this stage, it will have a paste-like texture. Add the remaining stock half a cup at a time, continuing to blend until you reach your desired consistency. I ended up using just over 3 cups for mine.
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Place the pan back on a low heat and warm through for a few minutes before serving.
Serve and enjoy!
How are you liking Strictly Seasonal so far? Do you like the sound of the sweet and smokey combination here? What are your favourite winter soups?
Until next time,
Sophie
You can find out which fruits and vegetables are in season right now here and catch up with strictly seasonal here.
For the squash on toast recipe, you can purchase my ebook here.
This looks really delicious! I’ve been looking for something relatively easy to cook for next week and here it is 🙂
This looks so easy and yummy! I’m definitely saving this recipe!
I love carrot and carrot soup! And caramelised it must be even better. I don’t eat much parsnip, not a fan of the taste, but in soup i am sure i cant take it! what a perfect recipe for winter!
I didn’t even know smoked parsnip was a thing, you learn something new every day! I’m such a sucker for hearty soup, especially with a big chunk of buttered bread to dip in. And honestly, orange ones are usually my favourite! Butternut squash often being the winner. Sweet and smokey tied together sounds gorgeous and honestly anything caramelised is super yummy in my eyes. Can’t believe it’s been so long since you posted a recipe!! I’ve now pointed my mum towards your blog too as she’s looking into doing some more healthier cooking, hehe.
Alice Xx
This sounds really nice, I know that my Mum would love it!
This sounds amazing! I’m trying to make more soup so I’ll be trying this out soon!
From the moment I read carrot soup, I got excited ❤️❤️
Let me start off by saying I’m going to try this at home myself because it sounds and looks delish! Thank you for taking the time out to write this post up for us! So helpful.❤️
I absolutely love soup but I never eat it that often and I have NEVER tried to make it. I’d love to give it a go though, from reading this it doesn’t actually sound too complicated, I’m sure even I could manage it! Do you think this would work with sweet potatoes instead of parsnips too? I look forward to some more soup recipes in the future, thanks for sharing lovely!
Jess // foundationsandfairytales.wordpress.com
xx
This sounds like such a tasty soup! I love caramelised veggies in general, especially onions so I wonder how this combination would taste. I also really like how you include all the nutritional information and put such effort into your recipe posts. Thanks for sharing as always!
Oooh this looks amazing! I do something similar with sweet potatoes and it’s honestly my favourite thing in the world!
Love, Amie ❤
The Curvaceous Vegan
Ooh this sounds like the perfect Winter dish and great that the ingredients are in season right now. It looks so nutritious and nourishing, ideal for a health kick after all those Christmas calories. Thank you for sharing the recipe Sophie, I’m actually craving soup right now! <3 xx
Bexa | http://www.hellobexa.com
Ooo that looks and sounds delicious! I’m sick right now, so maybe some soup would help 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
This soup will be great for the weather we’re having! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I need to try this recipe out asap as it looks and sounds amazing! Especially as I live in a vegan gluten free household so am always looking for a recipe that will work for everyone x
Ooh, you’re doing an ebook? Great idea! Your recipes never fail to make me hungry!
This sounds absolutely amazing and I love that there isn’t a massive amount of prep it makes it more realistic for me to have the time to make it! Thanks for sharing x
Kayleigh Zara
I absolutely love soup and this sounds right up my street.
Thanks for the recipe, I’m adding it to my 2019 list of foods I want to cook.
Kate | cakeandcoast.com
Oh wow this sounds really nice! Will definitely need to try this recipe… thanks for sharing!
Louise
I absolutely love a soup dish, especially for lunch in work and this sounds delish! I need to try it out! ♥︎
This sounds like the best & yummiest recipe ever! I was actually thinking to myself earlier what I was going to cook for dinner and this is PERFECT! I couldn’t have read this at a better time!
Omg this recipe looks so amazing! I can’t wait to make it.
This ia a great idea! Combining smoking & caramelization would no doubt lead to delicious results
I’m not usually one for parsnips but this looks delicious!! May have to try this as a lover of soup!!
Vikki | http://planetvikkiblog.wordpress.com
Wow, this sounds delicious! I will definitely be adding this to my winter recipe list. I love parsnips and this is a great way to include them in something other than a Christmas dinner!
I absolutely love soup, honestly when people ask that question “if you could only eat one food recipe for the rest of your life, what would it be” I will always say soup. For one there’s so many different types and flavours that you’ll never get bored but it’s always just so good <3 My favourite soup at the moment is Butternut Squash soup, and I do love the usual carrot and coriander soup. But this sounds absolutely delicious! I'm going to have to try this recipe out, I make so much soup so this is going on the list.
Chloe xx
http://www.chloechats.com
This sounds absolutely amazing, and it’s the perfect time of year for it! I will definitely be checking it out!
Britt | http://alternativelyspeaking.ca
Your Smoked Parsnip and Caramelised Carrot Soup sounds wonderful now that it is cold outside. I would love to have it for lunch with a sandwich.
Has it really been that wrong since you posted a recipe?! It doesn’t feel like that long… wow. I’m not actually a big soup eater, but this sounds like such a lovely mix of flavours (I’ve never smoked parsnips or caramelised carrots, but both sound absolutely delicious!) Would love to try caramelised squash on toast though – that sounds great and I’m not a squash hater 😉
Jas xx | https://thoughtsfromjasmine.co.uk
I want to try this soup ❤
Oh this looks delicious! A great meal for winter nights. Do you think pumpkin would also work well as a substitute for parsnip?
This post has me so hungry! What a well written recipe. I love the pictures. Great post!
I have to confess I’m not a fan of carrot soup, mainly because I find it so watery, but yours looks really nice and thick (in a good way!). I’m also very intrigued by smoked parsnip, I think this looks like a delicious combination. Perfect for the chilly weather I’m not enjoying at the moment, haha! xx
Lisa | http://www.lisasnotebook.com
I make a roasted carrot and parsnip soup which is similar to this but I’m going to have to try your method as its quicker and looks so good! I’m loving this series, I try to eat seasonally for both the environment and my budget. Can’t wait to see more =)
Hayley x
Your soup looks absolutely delicious and right up my street. I love carrot soup so this is a lovely twist with smoked parsnip. I’m making a note of the recipe! x
Samantha | https://thebeautyspyglass.com
I love soup so much, this looks brilliant, will have to give it a try. Happy Friday x
Oooh this sounds so good and perfect for the weather we’re having at the minute- I’m not the biggest lover of soup but on cold days I’m converted! There’s something really nice about caramelised carrots, my Dad roasts them in maple syrup when we have a roast and they’re the best carrots I’ve ever eaten!
Soph – https://sophhearts.com/ x
This sounds amazing! x
Sophie what an excellent idea! I need had parsnips before so this is a cool vegetable to learn about for winter. I like the concept of you sharing what’s in season during winter, I know root veggies and not much else. It’ll b good exciting to see what else you come up with
Natonya | https://www.justnatonya.wordpress.com
This soup looks and sounds so yummy, and really easy to make which is always a plus. I’ve never attempted to make one myself, but parsnips are my favourite and would love to try this one.
Thanks for sharing (:
Alys / withlovealys.com
This sounds SO up my alley, I am a huge fan of parsnips and soup is just the best winter warmer ever. I love the sound of the combination of sweet carrot and smokey parsnips. I’m going to try and make this over the weekend, it looks relatively easy to do so hopefully I’ll achieve it! (Also, who doesn’t like squash?! Madness).
Beth x Adventure & Anxiety
Stuck in hospital at the min will deffo be trying this when I get home!!! Thanks for the inspiration
This looks so yummy! Soup is one of my favourite dishes to have during the winter especially when it’s been cold, I love parsnips but have never actually tried it as soup! Xx
This sounds delicious! I always buy soup for work but I’ve been meaning to try and make my own for the longest time so this might be the one. Sounds like a great one for while the weather is still chilly
gosh i can’t believe it’s been so long since you posted a recipe, i guess with all you other wonderful posts it didn’t even occur to me that it had been that long! honestly don’t even know where in our grocery stores you would find parsnip, that’s a flaw on my part. however, the winter is the perfect time for a yummy soup. it’s gotten really cold here in my part of the US so soups sound incredible. i love this series, i actually noticed myself looking at prices of fruits and vegetables the other day wondering if they were in season or not! xx
mich / simplymich.com
Great recipe, love soup. Will add this to my recipe list can’t wait to try it x
This sounds gorgeous and since I was gonna make soup for supper tomorrow, I think I’m gonna make this! Thanks for sharing lovely
With love, Alisha Valerie x | http://www.alishavalerie.com
I love carrots and parsnips so I think this is something I would really enjoy.
I love the way you cooked the parsnips for this soup! Do you think it might work in a slow cooker too? I’ve no oven at the moment so have to improvise some cooking methods!
I’ve never heard of smoked parsnips!! Or… caramelized carrots? Haha there’s a lot I don’t know regarding food, apparently! But it’s nice to know there’s not too much preparation involved. It looks like a delish soup for a cold day like today! Thank you for sharing Sophie 🙂 xx
Geraldine | https://geraldinetalks.com
Your soup looks delicious! There aren’t a lot of vegan or vegetarian options in France so when growing up, my mum would only make soups for me and I loved it! I still love them haha! I’m so glad I found your blog, I’m going to note all your recipes – they are all right up my street! x
New Lune | http://new-lune.com
I’m adding this to my recipe list. I love parsnip, so this is definitely going to be made a lot! I’m really making an effort to eat more vegan food, and I can really notice a change!