Creamy parsnip and apple soup that’s perfect for fall! It makes a great starter or appetizer, and a beautiful presentation when topped with fresh herbs and pomegranate arils.
2teaspoonsmaple syrupoptional for balancing sweetness
Garnish
Olive oil, sumac, pomegranate arils, and fresh parsley
Instructions
In a large soup pot, over medium heat, add the olive oil and onion. Saute for 6-7 minutes, mixing often, until translucent.
Mix in the garlic, nutmeg, coriander, white pepper and salt. Stir together and cook over medium-low heat until fragrant for 1 minute.
Add the parsnip, apple, potato, broth, water, wine, bay leaf to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cook mostly covered (with the lid just slightly ajar) for 20-25 minutes until all vegetables are softened and fork tender.
Turn the heat off and let the soup sit for 10 minutes, to cool a bit. Remove the bay leaf.
Carefully use a ladle and transfer the soup mixture into a 64 ounce high-speed blender (in 1 batch) or add in 2-3 batches to a medium blender (usually 48 ounce blender), and blend until fully smooth. Be extra careful not to blow the blender lid off with the hot soup. I like to hold the blender cover down with a towel, keeping your hand on it the entire time while blending. Also, some blender lids allow you to release a little of the steam.
Transfer all the blended soup batches back to the pot, and stir together.
Taste the soup, and add maple syrup if you would like the soup to be sweeter (or if the parsnips are slightly bitter). Adjust seasonings to your palate if needed. Mix and heat over a medium flame for a couple minutes until warm.
Serve right away, and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of sumac, pomegranate seeds, and parsley leaves. Or storage options are listed below.
Notes
Make ahead storage: You can make this soup up to 3 days before serving, and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Reheat from the refrigerator: To reheat the entire soup pot, place on the stove, and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until warmed through. Or reheat individual portions of soup in the microwave for about 2 minutes.
Freezer storage: Once cooled, the soup can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for 3-6 months.
Other apple options: If you don’t have a Honeycrisp apple, substitute with Gala, Envy, or similar.