I originally made this soup using celery root (which is amazing and I highly recommend) but in east Tennessee, celery root can sometimes be difficult to find. But I really enjoy the rustic soup so I set out to find a replacement and the parsnips did just the trick.
The two recipes are similar but I did find the parsnips were a bit thicker when blended. So I added more stock and milk and it produced a great knock off.
This soup is warm and hearty and makes a lovely appetizer for your next dinner party.
Creamy Parsnip Soup
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 40 min
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 8 large to medium parsnips
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups whole milk
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 + 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Piment d’Espelette or chili powder
- 6 slices bacon, cooked until crisp
Instructions
- Prepare the bacon. I like to lay it on a rimmed cookie sheet lined with aluminium foil and pop it in the oven. 400° F for about 10-20 min until crispy enough to hold its shape.
- While the bacon is baking, in a large pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the chopped parsnips, season with salt and pepper and cook for 5-8 minutes until browned and caramelized a little.
- Pour in the milk and stock and bring the soup to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer until the parsnips are tender about 20 minutes.
- Purée the soup, preferably using an immersion blender. Stir in the mustard and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot, drizzling each portion with a little olive oil and sprinkling with a pinch of Piment d’Espelette. Top each bowl with a slice or two of bacon.
Keywords: Creamy Parsnip Soup
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