Description
This Country Harvest Root Vegetable Soup is a comforting and creamy blend of seasonal root vegetables gently simmered with fragrant curry powder and thyme, finished with a touch of cream for a silky smooth texture. Perfectly hearty and nourishing, it’s an ideal warming meal served with crusty bread on chilly days.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp (15g) unsalted butter
- 1 onion, chopped into large dice
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
- 1 1/2 litre (6 cups) water
- 2 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt (halve for table salt)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup thickened cream (heavy cream or regular), plus extra for garnish
Root Vegetables
- 1 large potato (~300g/10oz), peeled, cut into 2.5cm (1″) cubes
- 1 medium sweet potato (350g/12oz), peeled, cut into 2.5cm (1″) cubes
- 2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 1.5cm (0.5″) pieces
- 1 small/medium parsnip (150g/5oz), peeled, cut into 1.5cm (0.5″) pieces
- 1 small celeriac (600g/1.2 lb), peeled, cut into 1.5cm (0.5″) pieces (~2 heaped cups)
Serving/Garnish (Optional)
- Warm crusty bread
- Parsley, finely chopped
- Pinch extra curry powder
- Pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Sauté: Heat the olive oil and butter in a large heavy-based pot over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the chopped onion and garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes until the onion softens and becomes fragrant.
- Add Vegetables and Spices: Stir in the root vegetables, dried thyme, and curry powder. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring regularly, until the edges of the vegetables begin to soften.
- Simmer: Increase the heat to high and add the water, salt, and black pepper. Stir well. When the liquid reaches a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-high and let it simmer rapidly, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and easily pierced with a knife.
- Add Cream: Stir in the half cup of thickened cream and allow the soup to simmer gently for 1 more minute to combine the flavors and enrich the soup.
- Blend: Remove the pot from heat. Using a stick blender, carefully blitz the soup in batches until very smooth. Use a folded tea towel to cover the blender hole to prevent splatter. Adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, cream, or water to reach your preferred consistency and taste.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with a drizzle of cream, a pinch of curry powder, freshly chopped parsley, and black pepper. Serve alongside warm crusty bread for a delightful meal.
Notes
- Curry Powder: Use a mild Western curry powder for subtle flavor that complements rather than dominates the vegetables. No need for vegetable stock.
- Herbs: Fresh thyme leaves, dried oregano, Italian herb mix or herbes de Provence can be used instead of dried thyme.
- Cream Substitution: Substitute cream with 1/3 cup milk and about 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter for a lighter but still rich finish.
- Vegetable Variations: Pumpkin works well as a substitute for any of the root vegetables. Increase parsnip or celeriac sparingly as they have strong flavors and can dominate. Swedes or turnip are good alternatives if you want to cut costs.
- Blending Tips: Blend in manageable batches, cover blender hole with a folded tea towel to avoid splashes, and blend until fully smooth.
- Storage: Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 generous bowl (approximately 350ml)
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
