One-Pot Wonders

Pear, Parsnip + Thyme Soup

October 31, 2024
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Photo by Jessica Schroeder
  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Cook time 30 minutes
  • Serves 4 to 6
Author Notes

This inspiration for this soup hails from a veg-forward restaurant in Edinburgh called Henderson's.

A gem my husband and I found while traveling in celebration of my successfully defended doctoral dissertation. We only had about 24 hours in Edinburgh, but we enjoyed our food so much that we returned the next day for lunch!

This is very much an autumnal and winter soup. While most soups, by nature, are best for the cold months, the ingredients feel particularly "fall-ish." In months like October and November, pears and parsnips are in season, resinous herbs like thyme are quite suitable, and cozying up to a bowl of this—alongside some hearty bread—just feels right. —Jessica Schroeder

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Ingredients
  • Pear, Parsnip + Thyme Soup
  • 0.5 pounds Shallots, cut into a medium dice
  • 1.5 pounds Parsnips, cut into a medium dice
  • 1 pound Pears, cut into a medium dice
  • 1 teaspoon Olive oil
  • 1 quart Water
  • 0.25 ounces Fresh thyme, tied into a bouquet garni
  • 2 tablespoons Vegan bouillon powder (see recipe below)
  • 1/4 teaspoon Mushroom powder (or 5 g dried mushrooms, dehydrated)
  • Salt, to taste
  • White pepper, to taste
  • Lemon juice, to taste
  • Vegan Bouillon Powder
  • 4 tablespoons Nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon Poultry seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon Onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
Directions
  1. Heat a pot over medium heat. Once heated, add the oil, diced shallot, and about 1/2 tsp. of salt. Cook until shallots begin to soften.
  2. Add the parsnips, water, thyme, bouillon powder, mushroom powder, and a few dashes of white pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered for 15 minutes.
  3. Add the the diced pear and cook for another 10 minutes, bringing back up to a boil and reducing again to a simmer, if needed.
  4. After the ten minutes are up, test the parsnips with a sharp knife to see if tender. If so, turn off the heat and remove the bouquet garni of thyme before blending.
  5. Carefully transfer half of the soup to a blender to blend until smooth. Pour the first batch into a large bowl before adding the second half of the soup to the blender. Once blended, mix the second batch into the first in the bowl, and add lemon juice (start with about 1 T., adding more as desired). Taste for salt, white pepper, and lemon. Adjust as needed.
  6. Serve in warmed bowls alongside hearty bread such as a dense, seeded rye. Salad would be a nice addition, too. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week (or freeze for later).

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