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This root vegetable soup can be quickly made in one pot on the stovetop, or the medley of vegetables can be roasted together with the aromatics before being blended into a dreamy creamy soup. Good for you, naturally vegan and gluten-free.
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Root Vegetable Soup
This simple soup is at its best during the winter and spring months when root veggies are in season. Healthy and hearty, the flavor profile is a perfect balance of savory sweetness and earthiness. I love it pureed into a silky perfection in my Vitamix, but it can be kept chunky and finished with a heavy pouring of cashew cream, more like a chowder.
The Root Vegetables for Soup
- Onion or Leek – Onions are probably the most common root vegetable and it works great as a flavor base for this soup. If i happen to have leeks handy i tend to prefer those, just make sure to slice and rinse them well. Use only the white and pale green parts or it will affect the golden color of your soup.
- Celery Root or Turnip – I love celery root, it simply makes a soup better. It’s important that you use the right amount, about one cup of diced celery root is perfect here. If for whatever reason you dislike the taste just use more celery stalks instead or swap for a turnip which is a milder vegetable.
- Carrot – Adding sweetness and balancing out the earthiness of the other veggies. Peel first for brightest color. If desired a baseball size golden beet root can be used instead.
- Parsnips – They look like a cream colored carrot and are a member of the parsley family but with a milder flavor. They can be swapped with a parsley root, remember to peel them both.
- Potatoes – Golden potatoes are my favorite, rinse and chop, no peeling required so less work and more nutritious.
- Thyme or Rosemary – Choose your favorite here or combine them. I used about 12 sprigs of thyme but you can use 2-3 rosemary sprigs depending on how intense of a flavor you are after.
- Cashews – totally optional but they do help thicken the soup naturally while giving it a luxurious silkiness.
Recipe Tips
- Variation – Go for a spiced version of this soup with a couple of inches of both turmeric and ginger root root + up the garlic. Or give it some Italian flair by adding a fennel bulb into the medley.
- Add Ins – for a heartier meal serve with some cooked beluga lentils mixed in, wild rice, barley or farro. Top with roasted broccoli or cauliflower florets, sweet potato cubes or torn up pieces of garlicky Italian bruschetta. To boost your antioxidant and micronutrient content wilt in a bunch of dark leafy greens like baby kale, spinach, dandelion or mustard greens.
- Storage – This soups keeps well in the refrigerator up to a week and since it’s dairy-free it can also be frozen in lidded containers up to 4 months. Thaw out in the fridge before reheating on the stovetop or microwave oven.
Soup Recipes
- Chickpea Stew
- Vegan Noodle Soup
- No Clam Chowder
- Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Wild Rice Mushroom Soup
- Peanut Stew
- Chunky Potato Dill Soup.
- Summer Soup
- Sweet Potato Soup.
how to make root vegetable soup
Root Vegetable Soup
This root vegetable soup can be quickly made in one pot on the stovetop, or the medley of vegetables can be roasted together with the aromatics before being blended into a dreamy creamy soup. Good for you, naturally vegan and gluten-free.
Print Recipe
Prep Time:10 minutes mins
Cook Time:40 minutes mins
Total Time:50 minutes mins
Ingredients
- 1 onion or leek chopped
- 4 cloves garlic lightly crushed
- 2 carrots peeled + diced
- 1 parsnip peeled + diced
- 1 celery root or 3 celery stalks, peeled + diced
- 1 lb golden potatoes rinsed + diced
- 1/2 cup raw cashew pieces optional
- 10 sprigs of thyme or 2 sprigs rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups water
- 1-2 tsp white miso paste optional
- S + P to taste
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
Preheat a heavy bottom soup pot over medium heat. Add a light drizzle of olive oil (or water) and saute the chopped onion or leek with a pinch of salt until wilted and start to get some color around the edges.
1 onion or leek
Stir in the carrot, parsnip, celery root, garlic cloves, bay and thyme. Toss to coat well and cook a few more minutes until the veggies start to soften.
4 cloves garlic, 2 carrots, 1 parsnip, 1 celery root, 2 bay leaves, 10 sprigs of thyme
Add the diced potatoes (+ cashews if using), pour in the water and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and simmer away for about 20 minutes or so until the potatoes are cooked through. Discard bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
1 lb golden potatoes, 1/2 cup raw cashew pieces, 6 cups water
Transfer the soup to a powerful blender together with the miso paste if using. Carefully blend until silky smooth. Work in batches here as needed according to the blender size. Transfer the pureed soup back into the pot and adjust seasonings to taste with salt and pepper.
S + P to taste
Serve hot garnished with fresh herbs, a drizzle of cashew cream, crispy onions, or make it heartier with a pile of roasted veggie like sweet potatoes and broccoli.
Oven Roasted Method
If opting for roasting your root vegetables first, make sure to cut them into larger 1 inch chunks or so. Combine all the chopped veggies with the bay and thyme then toss with a light drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper until coated all over. Transfer to a large roasting tray.
1 onion or leek, 2 carrots, 1 parsnip, 1 celery root, 1 lb golden potatoes, 2 bay leaves, 10 sprigs of thyme
Preheat your oven to 400”F. Roast the veggies for 40 minutes or until softened and they have a nice golden color. Toss half way.
Transfer your roasted veggies to a blender together with the water (+ miso & cashews if using) and process until silky smooth.
6 cups water, 1-2 tsp white miso paste, 1/2 cup raw cashew pieces
Notes
- The Roasted Method - If going this route you may want to reserve some of the roasted veggies to use as a garnish. Or roast a separate batch of sweet potatoes and broccoli if desired.
- Variation - Go for a spiced version of this soup with a couple of inches of both turmeric and ginger root root + up the garlic. Or give it some Italian flair by adding a fennel bulb into the medley.
- Add Ins - for a heartier meal serve with some cooked beluga lentils mixed in, wild rice, barley, farro, roasted broccoli florets, sweet potato cubes or torn up pieces of garlicky bruschetta. To boost your antioxidant and micronutrient content wilt in a bunch of dark leafy greens like baby kale, spinach, dandelion or mustard greens.
- Storage - This soups keeps well in the refrigerator up to a week and since it's dairy-free it can also be frozen in lidded containers up to 4 months. Thaw out in the fridge before reheating on the stovetop or microwave oven.
Nutrition
Calories: 307kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 272mg | Potassium: 1385mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 5222IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 147mg | Iron: 4mg
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American, European
Keyword: plant based, root vegetable soup, vegan soup
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 307kcal
Author: Florentina
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