Description
This Country Harvest Root Vegetable Soup is a comforting and flavorful puree packed with a variety of hearty root vegetables, fragrant curry spices, and a touch of cream for richness. Perfect for cooler days, it combines textured vegetables like potato, sweet potato, carrots, parsnip, and celeriac, slowly simmered and then blended to a velvety smooth soup. Garnished with fresh parsley and extra cream, this soup is served best with warm crusty bread for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Fats and Aromatics
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp (15g) unsalted butter
- 1 onion, chopped into large dice
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
Spices and Seasoning
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
- 2 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt (halve if using table salt)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Liquids and Dairy
- 1 1/2 litre (6 cups) water
- 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)
To Serve
- Warm crusty bread
- Parsley, finely chopped
- Pinch extra curry powder
- Pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat the olive oil and butter in a large heavy-based pot over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the chopped onion and garlic, cooking for about 2 minutes until the onion softens and becomes fragrant.
- Add Vegetables and Spices: Incorporate the cubed root vegetables along with dried thyme and curry powder. Stir and cook for approximately 3 minutes, allowing the vegetables’ outsides to soften slightly and the spices to bloom.
- Simmer Vegetables: Increase the stove temperature to high and add the water, salt, and black pepper. Stir well, bringing the mixture to a simmer. Lower the heat to medium-high and let it simmer rapidly without a lid for 15 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife.
- Add Cream: Stir in the thickened cream and allow the soup to simmer for an additional 1 minute to combine flavors and add richness.
- Blend Until Smooth: Remove the pot from heat and use a stick blender to blitz the soup until smooth and creamy. Adjust the soup’s consistency by adding a little more water if desired, re-season with salt and pepper to taste, and add extra cream if you prefer a richer soup.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Drizzle with additional cream and sprinkle with a pinch of curry powder, freshly ground black pepper, and chopped parsley. Serve alongside warm crusty bread for a comforting meal.
Notes
- The choice of curry powder can vary according to taste; a mild or medium blend works well.
- Dried thyme adds an earthy herbal note but can be substituted with fresh thyme if preferred, adding it at the end of cooking.
- Heavy cream enriches the soup but for a lighter option, reduced-fat cream or a cream alternative can be used.
- Ensure root vegetables are uniformly cut to help them cook evenly in the allotted time.
- A stick blender works best for blending directly in the pot ensuring a smooth, creamy texture without transferring hot soup.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Country/Traditional
Keywords: root vegetable soup, creamy vegetable soup, savory soup, country soup, curry soup, warm soup recipe
