Description
A hearty and creamy country harvest root vegetable soup featuring a blend of potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnip, and celeriac, gently spiced with curry powder and thyme. This comforting soup is perfect for chilly days, finished with a touch of cream and served with warm crusty bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauté Base
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp (15g) unsalted butter
- 1 onion, chopped into large dice
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
Broth and Seasoning
- 1 1/2 litre (6 cups) water
- 2 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup thickened cream (heavy cream or regular), plus extra for garnish
Root Vegetables
- 1 large potato (~300g/10oz), peeled, cut into 2.5cm/1" cubes
- 1 medium sweet potato (350g/12oz), peeled, cut into 2.5cm/1" cubes
- 2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 1.5cm/0.5" pieces
- 1 small/medium parsnip (150g/5oz), peeled, cut into 1.5cm/0.5" pieces
- 1 small celeriac (600g/1.2 lb), peeled, cut into 1.5cm/0.5" pieces (~2 heaped cups)
Serving/Garnish (Optional)
- Warm crusty bread
- Parsley, finely chopped
- Pinch of extra curry powder
- Pinch of black pepper
Instructions
- Sauté the vegetables: Heat the olive oil and butter in a large heavy-based pot over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the chopped onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes until the onion softens.
- Add root vegetables and spices: Add the diced root vegetables, dried thyme, and curry powder to the pot. Stir regularly and cook for 3 minutes until the outside of the vegetables start to soften.
- Simmer the soup: Increase the heat to high and add the water, salt, and black pepper. Stir well and once the mixture comes to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-high and simmer rapidly, uncovered, for 15 minutes until the vegetables are very soft. Check doneness with a knife.
- Add cream and simmer: Stir in the thickened cream and cook the soup for an additional 1 minute to combine flavors.
- Blend until smooth: Remove the pot from the heat. Using a stick blender, carefully blitz the soup in batches until smooth. Adjust thickness with additional water if needed, and season with extra salt, pepper, or cream to taste.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with extra cream, and sprinkle with a pinch of curry powder, chopped parsley, and black pepper. Serve with warm crusty bread on the side.
Notes
- Use any regular grocery store Western curry powder to add subtle spice and interest without overwhelming the soup.
- Other herbs such as fresh thyme, dried oregano, Italian herb mix, or herbes de Provence can be used instead of dried thyme.
- The cream adds richness and a smooth mouthfeel; substitute with 1/3 cup milk plus 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter if desired.
- Root vegetable substitutions are flexible: pumpkin works well, while increasing parsnip or celeriac can intensify the flavor as they are stronger and can be costly; swede or turnip are suitable alternatives.
- Any all-purpose or starchy potato will work for the potato component; Sebago type potatoes are recommended.
- Non-root vegetables may result in a thinner, less creamy soup due to higher water content and less starch.
- When blending, do so in batches. Remove the blender lid insert and cover the opening with a folded kitchen towel to prevent splatters.
- Leftover soup will keep for 4 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 300 ml)
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
