Description
This hearty Country Harvest Root Vegetable Soup combines a medley of root vegetables simmered with aromatic curry and thyme, then blended into a creamy, comforting soup. Perfect for a chilly day, it’s served garnished with fresh parsley, a drizzle of cream, and a sprinkle of curry powder alongside warm crusty bread.
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 (I like Clive, but any will do)
- 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
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)
To Serve
- 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, cooking for 2 minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent.
- Add Vegetables and Spices – Stir in the root vegetables, dried thyme, and curry powder. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring regularly, until the vegetables just start to soften on the outside and the spices become fragrant.
- Simmer the Soup – Increase the heat to high, then add the water, salt, and black pepper. Stir and bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-high. Allow the soup to simmer rapidly without a lid for 15 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife.
- Add Cream – Stir in the thickened cream into the soup and simmer gently for an additional 1 minute to blend the flavors and add richness.
- Blend the Soup – Remove the pot from heat and use a stick blender to blitz the soup until completely smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding water if too thick, and season with additional salt, pepper, or cream according to taste.
- Serve – Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with extra cream, and sprinkle with a pinch of curry powder, freshly chopped parsley, and black pepper for garnish. Serve immediately with warm crusty bread on the side.
Notes
- Using high-quality curry powder enhances the depth of flavor, but any mild curry powder will work well.
- Dried thyme adds earthiness; if unavailable, substitute with fresh thyme leaves or omit for a milder taste.
- The cream enriches the soup; you can substitute with coconut cream for a dairy-free version, but flavor will vary.
- Be careful not to overcook the vegetables before simmering to preserve texture and nutrients.
- A stick blender works best in this recipe for smooth texture; alternatively, a regular blender can be used in batches.
- Halve salt quantity if using table salt instead of kosher salt to avoid over-salting.
