A creamy vegan and gluten-free sweet potato parsnip soup with shiitake mushrooms is rich, hearty and ever so slightly sweet.
I have been eating a lot of soup lately.
But not the good kind. Not the healthy, light, feel good, nourish your body kind of soup. I’ve been eating clam chowder. The heavy cream and milk laden thick chowder.
It seems to be everywhere here on the Northwest coast of the US. It is advertised everywhere and I just can’t help myself.
What I really want though, is some feel good soup. A healthy and nutritious soup that is good for both body and soul.
Well here it is right here folks, my creamy sweet potato parsnip soup.
Packed full of delicious ingredients including parsnips, shiitake mushrooms, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic and vegetable broth.
Nothing too heavy here. Just feel good ingredients for a winter time meal.
Soup is my ultimate comfort food in the winter time. Even though right now out here in Seattle (where D and I are currently on our US road trip) it’s a mere 55 degrees F and is not quite the winter monstrosity the Northeast is experiencing, it’s still winter and still soup time. And there is really nothing like curling up on the couch with a steaming fragrant bowl of comforting soup. If you’re sick, if you’re well, it doesn’t matter, when it’s winter time you need to be in close proximity of soup at all times. At least I know I do!
I made this sweet potato parsnip soup while staying with one of my closest friends in San Fran and loved the strong flavors of both the parsnips and shiitakes in this soup.
First I tried a bowl of it without pureeing it, and then I decided the immersion blender would be best put to work. I enjoyed this sweet potato parsnip soup more as a pureed creamy soup but that part is entirely up to you. Also if you do not have any shiitake mushrooms feel free to omit them, this soup will be delicious with just the parsnips and sweet potatoes. I have made it both with and without the shiitake mushrooms so you’re good either way!
On a side note can we talk about how I misspell the word parnsip every time? See, just did it again. I keep putting the n before the s.
Parn-sip.
Doesn’ have quite the same ring as pars-nip.
Either way you spell it, this sweet potato parsnip soupย is a great winter root vegetable that is delicious roasted, and pureed in a soup. Ever so slightly sweet with a very distinct taste, you’ll know you’ve got some parsnips in here right away.
I always think of parsnips as being super underutilized and underrated in the kitchen and I’m trying to change that by cooking with them more! You’ve probably had parsnip chips before in one of those big bags of root veggie chips, but it’s time to expand the parsnip cooking horizons and start adding them into more recipes; starting with this soup!
A creamy vegan and gluten-free sweet potato parsnip soup with shiitake mushrooms is rich, hearty and ever so slightly sweet.
- 1/2 onion
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms sliced
- 5-6 cloves chopped garlic
- 1 diced sweet potato
- 3 parsnips sliced on diagonal
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- salt/pepper to taste
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Heat pot over medium heat. Add oil and cook onion until translucent.
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Add shiitake mushrooms. Cook for a few minutes. Add more oil if needed.
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Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
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Add sweet potato and cook for a few minutes.
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Add parsnips and cook for a few minutes.
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Add vegetable broth, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until parsnips and sweet potatoes are soft.
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Remove from heat and puree soup with immersion blender, regular blender or food processor.
Kiryl says
Hey! What kind of onion are you using? Also, is pure-ing necessary? Also, what do you garnish it with? I want it to look like in the picture……. Also, what does sliced mean? Like small cubes? Also, can I add coconut milk to this? Will it still taste good? Thaaaaaaanks!
Vicky says
Just a standard yellow onion. I personally prefer this soup pureed. I garnished it with parsley and a bit of oven roasted sweet potatoes that I had left over from the other night. Sliced means just just cut once, so no not small cubes. And yes you can add coconut milk to it too!
minnie@thelady8home says
This soup does look gorgeous! Parsnip and Shitake, so clever.
Vicky says
Thanks!
plasterer bristol says
This sounds lovely. Going to give this a go. thanks for sharing this recipe.
Simon
Vicky says
Hope you enjoy it!
Robert says
Tried it and regret it. Tastes like dirt. Healthy though.
Vicky says
I’m really sorry you didn’t like the soup and that it didn’t turn out the way you had hoped.
Cynthia says
WHAT DOES DIRT TASTES LIKE?
Vicky says
Not quite sure myself.
Robert O'Neil says
Hey, what happened to my negative comment ? Sad thing is I doubled the recipe hoping it would be good. I think three flavor contributors cancel each other out. In your defense I used a dried, reconstituted mushroom melange de le foret. Perhaps using only shiitake would have been better but I only had the mix. Thanks though.
Vicky says
Your initial comment is posted below. I have only made this soup with fresh shiitake mushrooms so really have no idea how it would taste made with another other mushrooms, especially dried. Shiitakes, I find have a very distinct taste that doesn’t compare to others so I am not sure how the dried mix of mushrooms would have changes the flavors of the soup.
Robert O'Neil says
Hi, again.
Strike my comments.
I don’t need to spread negativity.
Rough day.
Will try some day with fresh shiitakes.
Then, I’ll let you know. Good or bad.
Thanks.
Vicky says
Ok. No worries. Either way I’m sorry the soup did not turn out as you had hoped. Hope you’re having a better day today!
Maggie says
Fantastic! I did not have a sweet potato and so used three carrots instead I also used fresh shiitake. Excellent! Will make again.
Vicky says
Love the idea to use carrots instead! So happy you liked this soup!
Sam says
Loved it such deep flavours. I love onion so I added an extra one. Did not have shiitake so I used 8oz of button. Tastes earthy but on the sweeter side. A big bowl of yum! I am going to let it simmer a while longer just to thicken it a little.
Vicky says
Happy to hear you enjoyed my recipe!