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White Bean and Parsnip Soup with Herby Croutons and Parsley Oil
Picture the scene… It’s a cold, snowy evening.
You slip into something comfortable after getting home from work.
You whip up this delicious soup in half an hour. Then you slump into your armchair and switch on your favorite TV show, savoring each hearty spoonful. Your taste buds come alive. A smile sweeps across your face. All is at peace with the world.
That could be you.
And here’s the recipe by Alicja Sieronski to make it a reality.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4-6
INGREDIENTS
For the Soup
- 1 lb parsnip
- 3 tablespoon oil, divided
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon freshly picked thyme leaves
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 1 can cannellini beans
- ⅓ cup white miso
- 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon cayenne, optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 - 5 cups broth, vegetable or chicken stock
For the Croutons
- 4 - 6 slices sourdough bread
- 1 - 2 tablespoons parsley and tarragon, finely chopped
- 1 - 2 tablespoons oil
For the Oil
- 25 - 30 g parsley
- ½ cup mild olive oil
- Sea salt
What else you’ll need
- Blender
- Fine sieve
- Ice cubes
Tip: use a mandoline for slicing the onion, if you have one.
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / gas mark 5.
Wash, scrub and roughly chop the parsnips into 1 inch chunks. Peel the garlic and place in a roasting tin with the parsnip.
Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, season, sprinkle with thyme, place in the oven and cook for 15 - 20 minutes until tender.
Meanwhile, place the thinly sliced onions in a skillet with 2 tablespoons of oil and cook on low for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened and caramelized. Don't let them brown too much.
Drain and rinse the beans, set aside.
When the parsnip is tender and onion caramelized, add both to a blender together with the roasted garlic, beans, broth, miso paste and cayenne pepper (if using). Season well and blend until smooth. Add more broth or water if you want a thinner consistency.
You can use a stick blender for this step too, otherwise place soup in a large pot, ready to heat through.
For the croutons, cut the sourdough slices into ½ inch squares and place in a hot skillet. Toss generously with olive oil, season with salt and toast for 5-7 minutes until golden and crispy. Now, toss in finely chopped herbs.
Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool.
For the parsley oil, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a bowl filled with water and some ice cubes.
Once the water is boiling, add the parsley and cook for about 15 seconds; just until the stems are bright green. Quickly transfer to the ice bath and let it sit for a couple of minutes to cool completely. Transfer the parsley to a dry tea towel and dry, squeezing gently, until most of the moisture is out.
Transfer the parsley to a high-speed blender and add the oil. Puree until completely smooth.
Pour the oil into a fine sieve and let it sit. Do not press the oil through. Once done, transfer to a bottle and store in the refrigerator for a couple of days. When you are ready to serve the soup, heat it through and stir some lemon juice through. Serve with croutons and parsley oil drizzled on top.
Enjoy!
NB. This soup keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days, so why not make a pot and have some during the week? It’s also a perfect starter for Thanksgiving or Christmas lunch.
All photos by Alicja Sieronski.
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Enjoyed this? Check out more recipes by Alicja, featuring Click And Grow produce: