Roasted parsnip and pear soup is such a simple, cozy recipe that's literally THE soup to make for colder days. The sweetness of the sautéed pears with the mild, nutty flavor of roasted parsnips make for a smooth and satisfying bite. Made with just a few basic ingredients, it's an easy way to bring warmth and comfort to your table.
Soups just make your entire body feel warm and fuzzy from the inside out, and when made with simple ingredients (like my pantry-friendly matzo ball chicken noodle soup or my better than Panera broccoli cheddar soup), it's even more accessible to make on a weeknight.
TL;DR Recipe Summary
- 👩🏼🍳 Cook Level: Easy
- ⏱️ Cook Time: ~30 minutes
- 😋 Taste: With a touch of sweetness from the pears and the savory, earthy flavors of the leeks and parsnips, you've got a balanced palate.
- 🍽️ Best Served With: Whip up leftover turkey and cranberry sliders to go alongside this soup, or a hearty triple decker turkey club sandwich.
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Parsnip Soup Tips, Tricks, and Reminders
- Cut the parsnips into small pieces so that they roast evenly and blend up well when added to the blender.
- You have the option to roast the pears too, but not necessary as they easily soften when added to the dutch oven with the leeks and olive oil.
- Season the soup as you go! Soups are blank canvases when it comes to intensity on flavors like salt and pepper. Start small, then gradually add in the salt (and pepper if you prefer, but maybe white pepper instead of cracked black pepper) as you taste.
The Main Ingredients
- Parsnips - the cousin of an orange carrot, and actually can be called a white carrot. They have a mild, earthy flavor and when used in soups or even in stews or braises (like my white wine braised lamb loin chips), the parsnips add a creamy texture and absorb all of the other flavors.
- Pears - I just love this combination of flavors because of the delicate balance of flavor profiles. Pears are sweet and add a great texture and flavor to the parsnips without overpowering.
- Leeks - Leeks are of the onion family and are a great swap for traditional onions or shallots. You can even find GARLEEKS, which is a cross between garlic and a leek (which is actually what I used in this recipe test and it was phenomenal.)
- Vegetable Stock - I like using vegetable stock in soups because of the other earthy, savory flavors that come from the simmering vegetables. Easily swap for beef or chicken stock if that's what you have on hand.
- Heavy Cream - I wanted to make this soup super creamy and comforting, and heavy cream does just that. Not a lot of cream is needed to give it that light, pale yellow color and thickened flavor.
- Coriander - Coriander comes from the same plant as cilantro, but is more the seeds versus the leaves. Coriander is also a touch sweeter than cilantro and adds more depth to the pear and parsnip soup.
- Olive Oil - The olive oil is used on the parsnips as they roast, and for the leeks and pears to simmer and sauté on the stove.
Be sure to check out the recipe card at the end of this post for more information about quantities, measurements, and specific cooking instructions.
Recipe Swaps and Substitutions
- This soup is tested off of using parsnips and pears, but if you'd prefer to use traditional orange carrot, you certainly can. It will be a lot sweeter as orange carrots are sweeter.
- Swap out the vegetable stock for chicken or beef stock.
- You can use regular onions if you'd prefer not to go searching for leeks.
- If you'd like to make this dairy free, use a dairy-free milk like oat, coconut, or almond. My suggestion would be coconut milk or coconut cream over the others.
How to make pear and parsnip soup
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400º. Chop the parsnips into small pieces and toss in some olive oil. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes. As the parsnips roast, add the leeks and pears to a medium sized dutch oven or pot and sauté until softened.
Step 2: Once the pears are softened and the parsnips are finished roasting, add everything to a blender, then add the coriander.
Step 3: Pour in the heavy cream and broth. Blend until very smooth. Pour the soup back into the pot or dutch oven and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Serve with a drizzle of oil and rosemary sprig.
Parsnip and Pear Soup FAQs
You can add the leftover soup to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Yes! Add the soup to a freezer-safe airtight container then store flat in the freezer for up to 2 months. Add directly to medium sized pot on medium heat to warm up and serve.
Some of my favorite toppings for this soup include croutons, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), sunflower seeds, fresh herbs, or to make things even more interesting, crumbled feta.
Check out these other incredible soup and stew recipes
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Roasted Parsnip and Pear Soup
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Large Pot
- baking sheet
- blender
Ingredients
- 4 large Parsnips chopped
- 2 medium Pears diced
- 2 large Leeks Sliced; light green and white parts
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 3 cups Vegetable Stock
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- 1 teaspoon Coriander
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 sprig Rosemary garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400º. Chop the parsnips into small pieces and toss in some olive oil. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
- As the parsnips roast, add the leeks and pears to a medium sized dutch oven or pot and sauté until softened.
- Once the pears are softened and the parsnips are finished roasting, add everything to a blender, then add the coriander.
- Pour in the heavy cream and broth. Blend until very smooth.
- Pour the soup back into the pot or dutch oven and simmer on low for 20 minutes.Serve with a drizzle of oil and rosemary sprig.
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