Apple and Parsnip Soup
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Apple and parsnip soup combines sweet root vegetables with tart apple, sage and a little cream. The parsnips give it a thick texture, while the apple adds a contrasting tart taste. Whole cloves simmer in the pot with the sage, giving the soup a gentle warmth without making it spicy.
I love baguette slices with this soup, whether they come fresh from the bakery or from a pack of partly baked bread. It makes a lovely fall appetizer, and you can serve a larger bowl with bread for lunch. I like to add some croutons on top just before serving.
Apple and Parsnip Soup at a Glance
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: About 50 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6 appetizer servings
Cuisine: British
Main Ingredients: Parsnips, tart apple, broth and light cream
Best Cooking Method: Stovetop, then blend
Storage: Refrigerate promptly and use within 2 days
Why You’ll Love It
- One-pot cooking: Cook the apple and parsnips in butter, then add the broth to the same pot. An immersion blender lets you finish the soup without having to transfer it to another container.
- A savory apple recipe: If you have tart apples to use, this soup gives you a change from pies and crumbles. The apple cooks with parsnips and herbs in chicken or vegetable broth.
- Easy to prepare ahead: Cook and blend the soup the day before, then reheat it and add the cream right before serving.
Ingredient Notes
- Parsnips: Choose firm parsnips for parsnip and apple soup. Peel and trim them before weighing, and cut away any hard, woody cores. Chop the remaining flesh into evenly sized pieces.
- Apple: Use a tart apple such as Granny Smith or Bramley.
- Broth: Chicken broth [aka stock] is what I usually use. Vegetable broth is another option if you want a vegetarian soup. Use whichever you prefer and wait until the end to adjust the salt.
- Cream: Light cream [single cream] gives the soup richness. I add it after blending and heat theh soup up gently.
- Sage and cloves: Use whole cloves so you can remove them before blending. Fresh sage leaves also come out of the pot; dried sage remains in the soup.
Tips for a Smooth Soup
- Check the parsnips: They should be soft enough to crush easily with a fork before you blend. Keep simmering if the middles are still quite firm.
- Find both cloves: Scoop them out before blending. Count them as you remove them so neither ends up in the finished soup.
- Adjust the consistency: Start with the measured broth, then add a little extra after blending if the soup is thicker than you want. Taste again before serving.
Substitutions and Variations
- Vegetarian: Use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth. Keep the butter and cream.
- No cream: Omit the cream and adjust the consistency with a little extra broth if needed.
- Dairy-free: Use 2 tablespoons of olive oil in place of the butter and omit the cream. Use vegetable broth as well for a vegan soup.
- Richer cream: Use the same amount of heavy cream [double cream] if that’s what you have.
- Gluten-free: Check the broth label and use gluten-free croutons or leave them out.
Kitchen Equipment
- 6-quart stockpot: A great pot with a lid for cooking the vegetables in butter and simmering them in broth.
- Variable speed immersion blender: To blend the soup in the pot after taking it off the heat. Make sure you keep the blade head submerged to reduce splashing. Yes, I learned that from experience!
- Swivel peeler: Peel the parsnips and apple before trimming and chopping them.
Serving Suggestions
Baguette slices or buttered toast are my first choice. You can also serve croutons on the soup and offer bread separately. If you’re serving it as an appetizer, keep the portions modest before a main dish such as my stuffed squid with Parmesan and pine nuts.
Serve smaller portions in porcelain soup bowls if you’re offering soup before a main course. Add the croutons just before serving so they don’t soften in the broth.
How to Store
- Refrigerate: Divide leftovers into shallow containers, cool promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours. Keep covered and use within 2 days.
- Reheat: Warm only the portion you need over gentle heat, stirring often, until steaming hot throughout. Add a splash of broth if necessary and avoid a hard boil.
- Freeze and thaw: Freeze the cooled soup in airtight containers before adding cream and aim to use it within 2 to 3 months. Leave room for expansion. Thaw in the refrigerator, use within 24 hours of fully thawing and add the cream when reheating.
- Make ahead: Cook and blend the soup a day ahead. Chill promptly, then reheat gently, stir in the cream and continue heating until steaming hot throughout.
Apple and Parsnip Soup FAQs
Yes. Double the ingredients and use a larger pot with enough room to stir. A larger batch may take longer to reach a simmer, so allow extra time and check the parsnips for tenderness.
Yes, as long as the manufacturer permits the temperature and quantity of liquid you’re using. Follow its liquid-fill limit, cool the soup as required and process small batches. Some food processors can leak if you fill them too high with liquid.
Yes. Omit them if you don’t like the clove flavor. Keep the sage and season with salt and black pepper at the end.
Yes, provided it’s been cooked and chilled safely. Stir the soup before serving and add the croutons at the table. Serve it straight from the fridge.
Apple and Parsnip Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ pounds (700g) parsnips, peeled, trimmed and chopped, prepared weight
- 9 ounces (250g) tart apples, peeled, cored and chopped, prepared weight
- 4 fresh sage leaves or ½ teaspoon dried sage
- 2 whole cloves
- 4 ¼ cups (1 liter) chicken broth [stock], plus extra if needed
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (150 ml) light cream [single cream]
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Croutons
- Fresh parsley or finely sliced sage leaves
Equipment
- Large saucepan or stockpot with lid
- Vegetable peeler
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Kitchen scale
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
- Slotted spoon
- Immersion blender, countertop blender or food processor approved for hot liquids
- Ladle
Method
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan or stockpot over medium-low heat. Add the chopped apple and parsnips, cover and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Avoid browning them.
- Add the sage, whole cloves and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for about 30 minutes, or until the parsnips are soft enough to crush easily with a fork. Continue simmering if needed.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Scoop out both cloves and the fresh sage leaves, if using. Leave dried sage in the soup.
- Blend until smooth with an immersion blender. If using a countertop blender or food processor, follow the manufacturer’s temperature and liquid-capacity limits. Cool as required, blend in small batches and return to the pot. Never use a sealed blender that isn't approved for hot liquids.
- Stir in the cream and reheat gently, stirring, until hot without boiling hard. Add a little extra broth if needed to adjust the consistency. Taste and season with salt and black pepper.
- Ladle into bowls and add the optional croutons and parsley or finely sliced sage just before serving.
Notes
- Weigh the apple and parsnips after peeling and trimming, and the apple after peeling and coring.
- For a vegetarian soup, use vegetable broth. For a dairy-free soup, use 2 tablespoons of olive oil in place of butter and omit the cream; use vegetable broth too for a vegan soup.
- Refrigerate promptly within 2 hours and use within 2 days.
More Soups to Try
My carrot and chestnut soup is another blended soup with fall ingredients. If you have pumpkin to use, this creamy pumpkin soup has a touch of maple syrup and is one of my go-tos. British onion soup with cider offers a different way to combine fruit flavors with a savory broth.
