Description
This comforting Country Harvest Root Vegetable Soup is a hearty and creamy blend of potato, sweet potato, carrot, parsnip, and celeriac, infused with warm curry powder and thyme. Sautéed aromatics are simmered until tender, then blended for a velvety texture, finished with a splash of cream and garnished with fresh parsley and a dash of curry, perfect for warming up on chilly days.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 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 (any brand, Clive preferred)
- 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
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)
Liquids and Seasoning
- 1 1/2 litre (6 cups) water
- 2 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt (halve amount if using table salt)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 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 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, cooking for about 2 minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent.
- Add root vegetables and spices: Stir in the diced potato, sweet potato, carrots, parsnip, and celeriac along with the dried thyme and curry powder. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring regularly, until the edges of the vegetables begin to soften.
- Simmer the soup: Increase the heat to high and add the water, salt, and black pepper. Stir well and wait until the soup comes to a simmer. Then reduce the heat to medium-high and let it simmer rapidly without a lid for 15 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife.
- Add cream and continue simmering: Stir in the thickened cream and simmer the soup for an additional 1 minute to combine the flavors and heat the cream through.
- Blend until smooth: Remove the pot from heat and use a stick blender to blitz the soup until completely smooth and velvety. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed; add extra water to thin or more cream for richness.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with extra cream, and sprinkle a pinch of curry powder, black pepper, and finely chopped parsley on top. Serve alongside warm crusty bread for a perfect hearty meal.
Notes
- Note 1: Curry powder flavor varies by brand; adjust quantity to your taste preference.
- Note 2: Dried thyme adds earthy herbal notes but can be substituted with fresh thyme if available.
- Note 3: Use heavy cream for a richer soup or regular cream for lighter texture; garnish with extra cream for presentation.
- Note 5: Stick blender recommended for smooth texture, but a countertop blender can be used in batches.
- Halving the salt for table salt helps to avoid oversalting since kosher salt has larger crystals.
- The soup thickens as it cools; adjust consistency with additional water as desired.
