Description
This Country Harvest Root Vegetable Soup is a creamy, comforting blend of seasonal root vegetables infused with curry powder and thyme. Perfect as a hearty main or a starter, it's blended smooth and finished with a swirl of cream and fresh parsley, served best with warm crusty bread.
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
- 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 to the pot. 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 well, then once it comes to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-high and simmer rapidly for 15 minutes uncovered until the vegetables are completely soft and can be pierced easily with a knife.
- Add cream and simmer: Stir in the cream and let the soup simmer gently for 1 minute to combine flavors.
- Blend: Remove the pot from heat and use a stick blender to blitz the soup until smooth. Blend in batches if necessary, covering the blender opening with a folded tea towel for safety. Adjust the consistency with water if needed, and season with extra salt, pepper, or cream to taste.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with a drizzle of cream, a pinch of curry powder, freshly chopped parsley, and a pinch of black pepper. Serve alongside warm crusty bread for dipping.
Notes
- Curry Powder: Use a neutral Western-style curry powder from your grocery store to add flavor without making the soup taste like a traditional curry.
- Herbs: Fresh thyme leaves or alternatives like dried oregano, Italian herb mix, or herbes de Provence work well in place of dried thyme.
- Cream Substitute: For a lighter option, substitute the cream with 1/3 cup milk plus 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter to maintain richness.
- Root Vegetables: Feel free to adjust vegetable quantities. Pumpkin can substitute any root vegetable. Parsnip and celeriac have stronger flavors and can dominate if used in excess; swedes or turnips are good substitutions.
- Blending Tip: Blend the soup in batches. Remove the blender lid insert and cover the hole with a folded tea towel to avoid splattering.
- Storage: Leftovers keep for 4 days in the refrigerator or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
