Parsnip and Pear Soup: An Easy Soup Recipe

A parsnip and pear soup contains ingredients that complement each other perfectly. The parsnips have an earthy yet sweet flavour, while the pears add a tangy and fruity taste. These two ingredients are both best when they are in season during the autumn months. However, modern food production methods mean you can make pear and parsnip soup year-round.

Both parsnips and pears have a smooth consistency that is ideal for making a blended soup without lumps. Therefore, we recommend thoroughly blending the soup with a food processor or stick blender to achieve a smooth consistency.

It is a straightforward parsnip soup recipe to make, so even kitchen novices can have a go at making this soup. It is also a budget-friendly soup, as the cost of the ingredients is low. Furthermore, it is a dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan soup that everyone can enjoy, regardless of their dietary requirements.

Here is how to make a delicious and easy parsnip and pear soup.

Ingredients for Parsnip and Pear Soup

• 6 large parsnip, peeled and chopped
• 4 medium, firm pears, cored, peeled, and finely sliced
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1.5-litres vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

How to Make Parsnip and Pear Soup

1. Prepare all the vegetables first.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat on the hob.
3. Add the onion, and saute for approximately five minutes, or until the onions are soft and golden.
4. Next, add the parsnips and pears to the pan, and cook for a further five minutes.
5. Pour the stock over the ingredients and cover the pan with a lid.
6. Simmer for approximately 35 minutes, or until the parsnips are cooked all the way through.
7. Blend the mixture to your preferred consistency using either a food processor or a stick blender.
8. If you have used a food processor, return the soup to the pan after blending.
9. Season the soup with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
10. Simmer for a further five minutes to ensure the parsnip and pear soup is thoroughly heated.
11. Serve into bowls along with the soup accompaniment of your choice.

Additional Tips

• Serving suggestions: You can serve your parsnip and pear soup with the bread of your choice or croutons for extra texture.
• Cooking: It is possible to cook this soup in a soup maker. If you are thinking of buying one, check out our best soup maker reviews and read how to adapt soup recipes for soup makers.
• Try pear crisps: A tasty garnish to serve with this soup is pear crisps, and these also add some texture. Thinly slice or cut into thin sticks a peeled and cored pear and lay on a baking sheet on a baking tray. Cook on low heat in the oven for 30 minutes while your soup is cooking, then use the pear crisps as a garnish for your soup.
• Adding flavour: Switch the vegetable stock for chicken stock if you are not vegetarian or vegan. Adding a bay leaf to the pan during cooking will add flavour but remember to remove the bay leaf before serving. You can also try a teaspoon of parsley, cumin, or curry powder.
• Bulking up the soup: Try adding a couple of sticks of celery. Add the celery to the pan with the parsnips and pears.
• Making a creamier version: To make a creamier version of parsnip and pear soup, if you are not on a dairy-free diet, replace 300 ml of the vegetable stock with double cream.
• You might also like… If you enjoy this soup, then you might also like our spiced parsnip soup with parsnip crisps and our parsnip and apple soup.
• Bulk quantities– You can make bulk quantities of this parsnip and pear soup for catering purposes to serve in a catering soup kettle by multiplying the ingredients.