Description
Country Harvest Root Vegetable Soup is a hearty, comforting soup made from a medley of root vegetables sautéed with fragrant curry powder and thyme, simmered to tender perfection, then blended smooth with a touch of cream for a rich, velvety texture. This nourishing and naturally creamy soup is perfect for cozy meals and served best with warm crusty bread and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
Ingredients
Scale
Fats and Oils
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp (15g) unsalted butter
Vegetables
- 1 onion, chopped into large dice
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 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)
Seasonings and Herbs
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
- 2 tsp cooking salt or kosher salt (halve for table salt)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Liquids
- 1 1/2 litre (6 cups) water
- 1/2 cup thickened cream (heavy cream or regular), plus extra for garnish
To Serve
- Warm crusty bread
- Parsley, finely chopped
- Pinch extra curry powder
- Pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: 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 aromatic.
- Add Vegetables and Spices: Add the cubed potato, sweet potato, carrots, parsnip, and celeriac along with the dried thyme and curry powder. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring regularly, allowing the outside of the vegetables to soften slightly and the spices to bloom.
- Simmer: Increase the heat to high and pour in the water. Add salt and black pepper. Stir well and bring the mixture to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-high and let it simmer rapidly, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender and easily pierced with a knife.
- Add Cream and Briefly Simmer: Stir in the thickened cream, then simmer gently for 1 minute to incorporate the cream into the soup.
- Blend Smooth: Remove the pot from heat. Using a stick blender, carefully blitz the soup until completely smooth. Adjust seasoning by adding water if you prefer a thinner consistency, or more salt, pepper, and cream to taste.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle with extra cream, sprinkle with a pinch of curry powder, freshly ground black pepper, and finely chopped parsley. Serve alongside warm crusty bread for a perfect meal.
Notes
- This recipe’s name celebrates the rustic roots and flavor of the soup, even if you’re not harvesting from a country garden.
- Root vegetables inherently add natural creaminess due to their starch content; the added cream enhances richness without overwhelming the dish.
- Using water instead of stock keeps the soup light while curry powder boosts its flavor depth, preventing it from tasting flat.
- You can substitute curry powder with your favorite blend; thyme adds earthy undertones that complement the root veggies beautifully.
- If you don’t have a stick blender, you can use a regular blender in batches; just be careful with the hot soup to avoid splashes.
- This soup is low calorie, nourishing, and perfect for flexible ingredient swaps depending on what root vegetables you have on hand.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 362 kcal
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 1140 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 33 mg
