Description
A comforting and creamy country harvest root vegetable soup made with a medley of root vegetables, aromatic spices, and finished with cream. Perfect for cozy meals, this soup highlights the natural sweetness and earthiness of potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and celeriac, gently spiced with curry powder and thyme.
Ingredients
Scale
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
Liquids
- 1 1/2 litre (6 cups) water
- 2 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt (halve for table 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 extra curry powder
- Pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Sauté: Put the olive oil and butter in a large heavy-based pot over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, cook the onion and garlic for 2 minutes until the onion is softened.
- Add Vegetables and Spices: Add the root vegetables, dried thyme leaves, and curry powder. Cook, stirring regularly, for 3 minutes until the outside of the vegetables starts to soften.
- Simmer: Turn the stove up to high and add the water, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Once the mixture comes to a simmer, lower the heat to medium-high and simmer rapidly without a lid for 15 minutes until all the vegetables are soft (check with a knife).
- Add Cream and Heat: Stir in the thickened cream and simmer for 1 minute to incorporate the cream and warm through.
- Blend: Remove the pot from heat. Use a stick blender to blitz the soup in batches until smooth and creamy. Adjust the consistency with water if needed and season with extra salt and pepper to taste. Add extra cream for a richer finish if desired.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle with additional cream and sprinkle with a pinch of curry powder, finely chopped parsley, and black pepper. Serve with warm crusty bread on the side.
Notes
- Use regular grocery store Western-style curry powder for mild spice and aroma without overpowering the root vegetables.
- Substitute dried thyme with fresh thyme leaves, dried oregano, Italian herb mix, or herbes de Provence for varied flavor profiles.
- The cream provides a smooth mouthfeel; for a lighter version, substitute with 1/3 cup milk plus 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter.
- Feel free to swap or increase root vegetables like pumpkin, swedes, or turnips, keeping in mind that parsnip and celeriac have stronger flavors.
- When blending, do it in batches. Remove the lid insert from the blender, cover the hole with a folded tea towel to avoid splatters, and blend until smooth.
- Leftovers will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 350 ml)
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
