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Roasted Parsnip Soup with Caramelized Leeks

Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 8 cups of soup

Ingredients

Roasted Parsnip Soup with Caramelized Leeks

  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 2 teaspoons turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 pounds parsnips peeled and cut into roughly 1-inch chunks
  • 1 yellow onion cut into sixths
  • 5 cloves garlic peeled
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 1/4 pounds leeks
  • 1 cup cashews soaked in water overnight or at least 4 hours
  • 5 cups vegetable stock
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup full fat Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Toppings

  • 1/2 cup hazelnuts cut in half
  • 4 green onions very thinly sliced
  • Remaining half of caramelized leeks
  • Toasted sesame oil optional
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Roasted Parsnip Soup with Caramelized Leeks

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, turmeric, garlic power, oregano, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt until combined. In a large bowl, toss together the parsnips, onion, and garlic with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle half of the spice mixture over the bowl and toss to coat. Set the remaining half of the spice mixture aside for later.

  2. Empty the veggies out onto a lipped baking sheet and roast in the oven until the parsnips are fork-tender, about 35-40 minutes.
  3. While they’re roasting, you can prepare the leeks. Cut the top ¼ of the green stem off the leeks and compost or discard it. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, peel back the few most external layers of the leek and rinse out any dirt. Then cut them into into ¼-inch thick half moon slices.

  4. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add the sliced leeks and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir to coat in hot oil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring every couple minutes (leeks will dry out and burn faster than onions since they have less moisture, so they need to be stirred more often). Reduce heat to low and cook until golden and faintly sweet-smelling, about 15 minutes more, stirring every 3 minutes or so. Remove from heat and set aside.

  5. Drain the cashews and place them in a blender along with 1 cup of the vegetable stock. Blend until silky smooth. Add the roast veggies, **half** of the caramelized leeks, the remaining half of the spice mixture, and the remaining vegetable stock. Blend at medium speed until combined, then add the white wine and honey blend at high speed until silky smooth.

  6. Empty into a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a low boil over medium heat, covering with a lid partially to keep it from splattering. Cook for another 10 minutes or until heated through, stirring every few minutes. Remove from heat, wait for the boiling to stop, and stir in the Greek yogurt. Add salt to taste and serve with toppings as directed below. Will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Will also freeze well.

Roast Hazelnut Toppings + Serving

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the hazelnuts out on a baking sheet and place them in the oven. Roast until lightly golden and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Dump onto a cotton or linen kitchen towel and bundle them up. Gently rub the nuts through the towel for 30 seconds or so. Open the towel and the skins should have rubbed right off the nuts. Place the nuts in a small bowl and lightly toss with a small drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and set aside.

  2. Dish up the soup into bowls, and top each bowl with a few toasted hazelnuts, some sliced green onions, a generous spoonful of caramelized leeks, a drizzle of toasted sesame oil, a pinch of thyme leaves, and a bit of black pepper. Enjoy!