Description
A hearty and flavorful country harvest root vegetable soup featuring a blend of potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnip, and celeriac, gently spiced with curry powder and thyme, finished with cream for a rich, comforting texture. Perfect to serve with warm crusty bread for a satisfying main or starter.
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
- 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 root vegetables, thyme, and curry powder. Cook for three minutes stirring regularly, until the outside of the vegetables starts to soften.
- Simmer: Turn stove up to high. Add water, salt, and pepper. Stir, then once it comes to a simmer, lower heat to medium-high and simmer rapidly for 15 minutes (no lid) until all the vegetables are soft when tested with a knife.
- Add Cream and Simmer: Stir in cream, then simmer for 1 minute to blend flavors.
- Blitz: Remove from heat and use a stick blender to blitz the soup until smooth. Blend in batches, removing the lid insert and covering the hole with a folded tea towel to avoid splatter. Adjust thickness with water, seasoning with salt and pepper as needed, and add extra cream for a richer finish if desired.
- Serve: Pour soup into bowls, drizzle with extra cream, sprinkle with curry powder, parsley, and black pepper. Serve with warm crusty bread.
Notes
- Use regular grocery store Western curry powder for a neutral flavor that adds interest without overpowering the vegetables.
- Alternative herbs such as fresh thyme leaves, dried oregano, Italian seasoning, or herbes de Provence can be used.
- For a lighter cream substitute, use 1/3 cup milk plus 2 tbsp unsalted butter.
- Feel free to swap or increase root vegetables; pumpkin is a great substitute. Parsnip and celeriac have stronger flavors and can dominate if increased too much. Swedes or turnips are good substitutes.
- Potatoes should be all-purpose or starchy variety like Sebago for best results.
- Non-root vegetables can be used but will result in a thinner, less creamy soup.
- When blending, do so in batches and cover the blender hole with a folded kitchen towel to prevent splashing.
- Leftovers keep for 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 350 ml)
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
