Parsnip and Pear Soup

Savoury and sweet, this roasted Parsnip and Pear Soup is made with simple ingredients and highlights the sweet, caramelized flavour of roasted pears and tender parsnips. It’s dairy-free and vegan and can be enjoyed as an appetizer or main meal with some savory granola sprinkled on top.

If you enjoy soup season as much as we do and love a cozy, creamy soup, I highly recommend this parsnip and pear soup!

I first shared this recipe in March 2019 but decided to update it with new photos and text, including minor adjustments to the recipe and helpful tips for readers.

Why you’ll love this parsnip and pear soup

• Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of parsnips, which pairs well with the sweet baked pears.
• This soup is thick and creamy without any cream so it’s dairy-free and vegan.
• It’s a roast and blend soup, so while it takes over an hour to make, it’s a pretty simple recipe.

What are parsnips?

Parsnips are a root vegetable that resemble carrots with a long, tapered shape. They have a creamy white colour with a sweet, nutty and earthy flavour. They can be found in grocery stores year round but their peak season is fall through winter.

Details on the ingredients

Parsnips – You’ll need 6 cups of chopped parsnip, cut into roughly 1/2-inch pieces. Smaller parsnips are usually more sweet and tender than larger ones, which can be tough and woody. If your parsnips are large, you can cut out the core and discard it before cutting the parsnip into pieces for roasting.

Pears – This recipe was made with Bosc pears, but you can also use Bartlett or Anjou. I recommend using ripe pears, but not too ripe that they get soft and mushy when roasted.

Onion – Sliced yellow onion is roasted with the pears and parsnips and adds a layer of flavour to this soup as the onion caramelizes a little as it roasts.

Garlic – You’ll need 6 cloves of garlic for this soup, but I promise it’s not overly garlicky. They’re roasted along with the veggies.

Oil – Some extra virgin olive oil is needed for roasting the veggies and pears.

Salt and pepper – Just a little is added to the veggies and pears before roasting. You may wish to add more to taste once the soup is puréed and simmering on the stove.

Bay – A few bay leaves add depth of flavour to the soup. You can use dried or fresh. While I normally use 3-4 bay leaves, feel free to add a few more.

Vegetable broth – I used no salt added vegetable broth in this recipe. If you use regular or low sodium, you may wish to reduce the amount of salt you add to the soup.

Almond Milk – While the puréed parsnips will help create a creamy texture for this soup, a cup of unsweetened almond milk adds extra creaminess. Feel free to use cashew milk or oat milk as a substitute. Just make sure it’s unsweetened and unflavoured.

How to make parsnip soup with pears

Coat the parsnip, pears, onion and garlic with oil, salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on an extra large baking sheet (lined with parchment paper).

Roast for 45-50 minutes, flipping a few times until the parsnip are fork tender and browned on the edges. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

Add the vegetables and pears to a heat safe, high-speed blender, in batches, with the broth and milk. Purée each batch until smooth.

Pour batches of puréed soup into a large pot. Add in bay leaves and any additional salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Remove bay leaves from soup and serve immediately with desired toppings.

Toppings for pear parsnip soup

• Everything bagel croutons are the perfect topping for creamy soups.
• Crispy air fryer chickpeas are a grain-free alternative for croutons.
• A sprinkle of savoury pecan granola is a creative way to change up your soup toppings.
• I think this soup would also be delicious with just some roasted pumpkin seeds or chopped pecans on top.
• You can even add some parmesan or blue cheese, if you don’t need this soup to be vegan or dairy-free.

Frequently asked questions

Storage instructions

Key recipe tips

• You can peel the pears before roasting them, but I like to leave the skins on for added fibre. This will result in some bits of pear skin in the soup, so if you prefer a super smooth soup, go ahead and peel the pears.
• If your larger parsnips seem tough and woody, just cut the cores out before cutting them into pieces.
• If you don’t have a large enough baking sheet to roast all of the parsnips and pears without overlapping them, use two smaller baking sheets instead.
• I used veggie broth, but you can also use chicken broth (just keep in mind it won’t be a vegetarian or vegan soup).
• I like to use no-salt added broth, so if you use regular or low-sodium broth, you may wish to adjust the additional salt you add to the recipe.
• You’ll want to blend the soup in 2-3 batches, depending on the size of your blender. I recommend a heat-proof blender as the roasted parsnips and pears will be hot.
• You can also add all of the veggies, pears, broth and almond milk to a large pot and use an immersion blender to purée the soup. In my experience, however, a high-speed blender is easier and results in a smoother soup.

More dairy-free creamy soups

• Roasted Red Pepper and Butternut Squash Soup
• Golden Beet Soup
• Roasted Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup
• Tomato Chickpea Soup
• Green Pea Soup

More pear recipes

• Air Fryer Pears
• Gingerbread Cups with Spiced Pears

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below!

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