Spicy parsnip soup

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starter | serves 4
Heat a splash of olive oil and the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and garam masala. Gently fry for around 10 minutes, until the onions are soft and sweet.

Drop in the chopped parsnip and stir together so that everything gets coated in the oil and flavours. Pour in the milk and stock, season well and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes with a lid on.

After half an hour, check that the parsnips are cooked by sticking a knife in. If you’re happy, remove them from the heat and carefully whiz up using a hand blender or liquidizer. Taste the soup to see if it needs a little more salt or pepper.

Serve with a sprinkling of sliced red chilli, a few coriander leaves if you like, and a good chunk of crusty bread.

Tip: Use coconut milk instead of regular milk for a twist.

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ingredients

• olive oil
• knob of butter
• 1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 6 parsnips, peeled and chopped into chunks
• 500ml milk
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
• optional: a handful of fresh coriander leaves
• crusty bread, to serve

user comments

24 comments

1. HollyGoLucky Sat 02 Jan 2010 @ 16:36 Just made this with my dads home grown parsnips, very delish!!
used baby leeks instead of the onion and used skimmed milk just to be extra healthy! and i only realised at the end i forgot to put the butter in, never mind.......
didn't have any chillii and i dont like corriander anyway and to be honest i dont think the soup needs them.
going to eat half and freeze half, thanks Jamie!! X

2. shammrok Thu 05 Nov 2009 @ 09:15 I made this recipe a while back with the little one simple and delicious, same recipe works well with pumpkin also.

3. S Crane Sun 11 Oct 2009 @ 00:29 Delicious! I used coconut milk and coconut fat instead of butter to make it dairy free, I also used a mild leek instead of onion, and made it with more water as we don't like very thick soups. The taste was really great, delicately spicy and delicately parsnipy, and very 'creamy' - though be careful with the chili strips on top, ours were small red thai chilis that were very firey, just coriander leaf is better - and a glass of red wine really does work well! I made a rocket, clementine and raw peanut salad as a side as well as the fresh homemade bread. Will definitely make again and would serve to guests too.

4. Mark McK Wed 22 Apr 2009 @ 18:12 Soup was loverly, but much of it ended up on my kitchen ceiling!
Wife arrived home early, so I decided to utilise the pressure cooker with disasterous results :(
What remained in the pot & not on the kitchen units, ceiling and floor, went down very well indeed with a few slices of multi-seed bread. Will definitely make this again, but in a normal por next time :)
Incidentally, I used Korma powder in lieu of garam masala of which I had none & finished with a topping of finely chopped fresh garden chives. Pukka!

5. Laurie/Cindy Thu 26 Mar 2009 @ 12:33 Absolutly fab, this soup has rocketed to the top of my favourite soups, recomend a very dry red wine to complement this deliciouse experience. Well done Jamie.

6. Angela Wed 04 Mar 2009 @ 19:25 I have just made this soup - even before adding some natural greek yoghurt instead of milk (about half a small tub). It tasted fantastic so I may well try without the milk/yoghurt. However once this batch was whizzed up (with the yoghurt) it became frothy and wonderful what a delish soup yummy!!!!
My mind is racing now thinking what else I can do with parsnips!
thanks for a great recipe Jamie

7. Romana Sun 08 Feb 2009 @ 19:23 To Sally
Hi Sally,
I have just made the soup and used skimmed milk and it's absolutely stunning. So don't be afraid and go for it!!!

8. Sally Godfrey Sun 01 Feb 2009 @ 16:31 Hi
Am desperate to try this receipe as Parsnip soup is one of my faves..
Just wondered if anyone could advise whether it is ok to use semi skimmed milk or does it have to be full fat? Thanks very much

9. Clover Sat 31 Jan 2009 @ 13:38 This is really delicious. I usually make it once a week. I use reduced fat coconut milk and add some extra chilli before blending. Very satisfying soup!!

10. Adelaide Mon 05 Jan 2009 @ 22:24 Hi Jamie I'm from Portugal and I like very much your tv programs, my name is Adelaide, and I would like ask you, if It's possible to translate you site to portuguese. You have a lot of people here in Portugal that loves you tv programs.

Best regards.

Adelaide.

11. daniela Mon 05 Jan 2009 @ 15:35 Hello, I am in gabiela got 12 years and I love your recipes and how well galley you, I also want to be very head of kitchen, we wanted you can tell us.
kisses

12. john young Wed 24 Dec 2008 @ 20:27 nice one fella, tried this one while er-indoors went shopping and the kids loved it ! just swapped the drizzle of oil 4 honey with the peppers and 2nd's was ordered !! thanks m8 jon from rotherham. oh yeah pass it on !!!

13. Faye Mon 22 Dec 2008 @ 19:33 Well I was going to make this on Xmas Day but tried before hand. Well what can I say Jamie................JUST WONDERFUL!!! I am just wondering who Carla is talking about...................Oh yes, it's that chef who is in the papers, well what can I say, not for his cooking............OOPS!!...Merry Christmas xxxx

14. Rozy Sat 20 Dec 2008 @ 20:24 I've just made this soup for dinner, and it is delicious! I found it extremely easy to make and very tasty, nourishing and soothing (I had two helpings!). I did introduce a small additional ingredient when I added the stock etc. This was a chunky bark of cinnamon which was removed before the soup was pureed. I recommend this as a simple supper or a starter during the festive period. Thank you Jamie!

15. faye Sat 20 Dec 2008 @ 09:36 Looks like a verrrry tasty soup for christmas day. Will let you know how I get on. You are the best...........Merry Christmas to you all x

16. Rachel Fri 19 Dec 2008 @ 03:23 Hi,

We loved this recipe. I did a half regular milk and half coconut milk variation, and the results were very pleasant and subtle!

Thank you for an awesome recipe. :)

17. BlaZe Thu 18 Dec 2008 @ 17:13 Wonderful. Didn't measure anything out - never do for soups, just adjust to taste. Only needed some inspiration, and this turned out to be perfect. The fresh ginger in particular is a nice touch.
Can't wait to try it with coconut milk.

I'll be planting even more parsnips next year... :-)

18. Charlie k Wed 17 Dec 2008 @ 13:52 if this tastes as good as your spicy chorizo from ministry of sound I will be very happy!! Thank you.

19. sam robb Wed 17 Dec 2008 @ 09:03 i have your book i love your cooking

20. Mooosy Tue 16 Dec 2008 @ 12:32 Sounds lovely. Especially as it's milk not cream (cheaper and lower fat!) Will definitely be making this come new year :)

21. finley honeyball Mon 15 Dec 2008 @ 18:26 me and my sister tried to copy it but by brain. it went a sik sou[ a new name will call it it was NASTY BY BRAIN.

TRING AGAIN BUT BY PRINTING AND COPING BY READING

LOVE YOU XXXXXXXX

22. cara Mon 15 Dec 2008 @ 11:46 i found this soup very tasteless and prefer gordon ramseys cooking.

23. beth d Tue 09 Dec 2008 @ 12:12 hello my granny makes this all the time on christmas day its amazing im helping her this year and i will be followin your method because it sounds so much easier than my granny thanks

24. Roger Davis Thu 04 Dec 2008 @ 20:30 Sounds very nice and simple to make. I'm providing the starter at a Christmas lunch for seven adults at my sister's house some seven miles away, so I shall have to transfer the soup into vacuum flasks for transport. My trusty breadmaker will provide a nice granary bread to accompany it too. Excellent! Thank you.