Celeriac and Parsnip Soup

This simple vegetarian soup, topped with fried sage and crispy parsnips, is a delicious way to use winter produce.

Course Side Dish, Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 267kcal

When preparing the veggies for this recipe, peel the parsnips with a swivel peeler and save the peels for later use. Peel the celeriac with a paring knife before dicing.
Warm a tablespoon of olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for a few minutes until fragrant. Stir in the garlic, salt, and pepper and cook for a few more minutes.
Add the parsnips, celeriac, and maple syrup (if using) to the pot. Pour in the vegetable broth, and increase heat to bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes until the veggies are tender.
In the meantime, heat the rest of the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once warm, add the sage leaves in a single layer. Let them fry for 30 to 60 seconds until crispy. Transfer them from the pan to a plate lined with a paper towel. Add the parsnip peels to the skillet and cook for a few minutes until crispy. Transfer to the plate with the sage.
When the soup is finished cooking, turn off the heat. Blend it with an immersion (handheld) blender until smooth. See notes for instructions on using an upright blender. Stir in the whole milk.
Ladle the soup into bowls, and top with the crispy sage and parsnip peels. Enjoy!
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If you don't have an immersion blender, blend the soup in batches in an upright blender. Do not fill it all the way to the top. Leave the lid cracked or remove the plastic center from the lid and cover it with a dish towel to let steam escape while blending. Pour the blended soup into a large bowl so you can repeat the process to blend the whole soup.
Leftovers will last for 3 to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in a saucepan or in the microwave.
To freeze, let the soup cool before transferring to freezer-safe containers. Leave an inch of headspace in case the soup expands while freezing. Let the soup thaw in the fridge before reheating or just reheat from frozen. It should last for up to 3 months in the freezer.