This Roasted Cauliflower Parsnip Soup recipe is healthy, creamy, and full of flavour! It is also super easy to make! Roast parsnip, cauliflower and white beans are blended to create a smooth and velvety soup that can be dairy free and vegan friendly. An easy, rustic and wholesome soup that is the perfect dinner solution on a cold winter night!
Why you'll love this Roasted Cauliflower Parsnip Soup
There are some recipes that are amazing without being overly complicated, and this is one of them. The flavour of this soup is rich and buttery but without the need for butter or cream, so it scores extra points for being healthy!
It is also very simple to make! This is just a great EASY cauliflower and parsnip soup recipe, as pretty much all of the cooking is done in the oven. You can even put it in a slow cooker!
This soup is fantastic for those who want a recipe with big flavours whilst also being budget friendly. As an estimate, this soup cost me AUD$12.20(~USD$8.12), without specials or peak cauliflower and parsnip season prices (it will be much cheaper then!). Which is not bad for feeding a family of 4-6.
After trying this Cauliflower Parsnip Soup recipe, it has quickly become one of my favourite vegie soups and will be a regular in my dinner rotation! It was so good that even my mother liked it, even though she does not like thick soups.
Unlike other vegetable soups, this one won’t leave you feeling empty after a few hours. The vegetables and white beans add a lot of protein and dietary fibre. So there will be no unwanted snack attacks, as this soup will keep you feeling good, full and satisfied.
Nutrition
This Roasted Cauliflower Parsnip Soup ticks all the right boxes. It is very high fibre, with almost 10g per serve (without any bread), making it a fantastic choice for supporting your gut health. With almost 13g per serve, it is also high in protein, . This soup is low in fat (including saturated fat), cholesterol and sodium, which makes it heart friendly. It is also gluten free and vegetarian and can easily be made vegan.
What you need for Roasted Cauliflower Parsnip Soup
KEY INGREDIENTS
- Cauliflower – The base flavour for the soup. This may surprise you, but Cauliflower is loaded with vitamin C, which our bodies use to make new tissues and blood vessels. Vitamin C also supports immune system function, and acts as an antioxidant to prevent cell damage. They also contain vitamin B5, which helps our bodies break down carbohydrates and fats for energy (fuel for our bodies) and is used to make some hormones.
- Parsnip – Gives the buttery flavour! Parsnips are a great source of vitamin K, which helps make proteins needed to form blood clots and healthy bone tissue. They also contain vitamin B9 (Folate), which is needed to make DNA for new cell growth and cell function.
- Cannellini / white beans – Preferably no added / reduced salt canned white beans. Cannellini / white beans are loaded with protein, which helps repair and build body tissues and maintain fluid balance. They also contain a lot of dietary fibre, which promotes digestive health, keeps us regular, may help regulate cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and many other benefits.
- Onion – The main micronutrient you’ll find in onions is potassium, which is essential for nerve, muscle, and body cell function. They also contain many antioxidants, such as ‘quercetin’, which research suggests may help reduce high blood pressure and inflammation.
- Garlic – Adds a sweetness when roasted. Research suggests that regularly eating garlic may help lower blood pressure, LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and reduce the overall risk of heart disease.
OTHER INGREDIENTS
- Milk – Preferably low fat.
- Chicken stock – Preferably salt reduced / low sodium. I used 2 Massel 7 Chicken Style stock cubes dissolved in 2 cups of hot water.
- Chives – Fresh is best for this recipe.
- White pepper – Has a smooth and subtle heat compared to black pepper.
How to make Roasted Cauliflower Parsnip Soup
- Preheat your oven to 220°C / 430°F.
- In a large bowl, add the chopped cauliflower, parsnip, onion, and garlic cloves (skin still on). Add the white pepper and extra virgin olive oil to the bowl, toss the vegetables to ensure they are coated.
- Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Pour the chopped vegetables into the lined baking tray and roast in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring halfway. Use a fork to test if the vegetables are cooked. You want the vegetables to be soft; otherwise, you will end up with uncooked lumps when it comes time to blend them. If not cooked, put the tray back into the oven for another 10 minutes and test again.
- Once cooked, remove the baking tray from the oven, peel the skin off the garlic and transfer the cooked vegetables to a large pot. Add the milk, chicken stock and cannellini / white beans to the large pot. Place the pot over medium-high heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the large pot from the heat. Using a stick blender, blitz the soup until it is thick and creamy.
- Add the fresh chives to the large pot and mix well. If the soup has cooled down too much, just put it back on medium high heat until it starts to bubble.
- Divide the soup among serving bowls, top with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve while hot with some crusty bread. Enjoy!
Storage
This Roasted Cauliflower Parsnip Soup will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge, or it can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Tips & Substitutes
Fresh chives are ideal for this recipe, but dried can be used as an alternative. Or you could substitute chives with thyme for a more French-style soup.
To make this Roasted Cauliflower Parsnip soup vegan, swap the milk for an unsweetened plant-based milk (preferably calcium fortified)
If you cannot get parsnips, other suitable vegetables may be celeriac or turnips, however, I have not tried these combinations and cannot comment on the flavour profile. Otherwise, you can substitute the parsnip for more cauliflower.
If you want to take this soup to the next level and budget is not a deciding factor, try adding a teaspoon of truffle paste or a drizzle of truffle infused extra virgin olive oil before serving.
If the soup is too thick, add a touch more water. If it is too thin after blending, just let it simmer on the stove for a while to let it reduce – this will help thicken it.
This recipe can easily be adapted to make in a slow cooker. Follow steps 1 through to 3, then in step 4, add all your ingredients into your slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 2-4 hours. Blend any chunky pieces after cooking.
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Ingredients
- 1/2 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
- 2 medium parsnips, roughly chopped (Note 1)
- 1 medium brown onion, cut into quarters
- 4 cloves garlic, skin on
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 dashes white pepper
- 1 can (400g / 0.8 lb) cannellini / white beans, drained and rinsed (Note 2)
- 2 cups milk, low fat
- 2 cups chicken stock (Note 3)
- 3 tbsp fresh chives, finely diced (Note 4)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 220°C / 430°F.
- Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Pour the chopped vegetables into the lined baking tray and roast in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring halfway. Use a fork to test if the vegetables are cooked. You want the vegetables to be soft; otherwise, you will end up with uncooked lumps when it comes time to blend them. If not cooked, put the tray back into the oven for another 10 minutes and test again.
- Once cooked, remove the baking tray from the oven, peel the skin off the garlic and transfer the cooked vegetables to a large pot. Add the milk, chicken stock and cannellini / white beans to the large pot. Place the pot over medium-high heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the large pot from the heat. Using a stick blender, blitz the soup until it is thick and creamy. (Note 6)
- Add the fresh chives to the large pot and mix well. If the soup has cooled down too much, just put it back on medium high heat until it starts to bubble.
- Divide the soup among serving bowls and top with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve while hot with some crusty bread. Enjoy!
Notes
- Parsnip - Other suitable vegetables may be celeriac or turnips, however, I have not tried these combinations and cannot comment on the flavour profile. Otherwise, you can substitute the parsnip for more cauliflower.
- Cannellini / white beans - Canned beans tend to be quite high in sodium. Where possible, choose salt reduced / low sodium canned beans. If you want to use dried beans, cook them according to packet instructions, then add to the soup in step 4 (will increase cooking time by an hour!). I used 'no added salt' cannellini beans from Woolworths.
- Chicken stock - Is very well known for being high in sodium. Where possible, choose salt reduced / low sodium canned beans. I used 2 Massel 7 Chicken Style stock cubes dissolved in 2 cups of hot water, which is also vegan.
- Fresh chives - Fresh chives are ideal for this recipe, but 3 teaspoons of dried can be used as an alternative. Or you could substitute chives with thyme for a more French-style soup.
- Vegan - Swap the milk for an unsweetened plant-based milk (preferably calcium fortified).
- Soup thickness - If the soup is too thick, add a touch more water. If it is too thin after blending, just let it simmer on the stove for a while to let it reduce – this will help thicken it.
- Slow cooker - Follow steps 1 through to 3, then in step 4, add all your ingredients into your slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 2-4 hours. Blend any chunky pieces after cooking.
- Other additives - If you want to take this soup to the next level and budget is not a deciding factor, try adding a teaspoon of truffle paste or a drizzle of truffle infused extra virgin olive oil before serving.
- Nutrition - Calculated per serve, assuming 4 very generous serves (not including crusty bread).