Parsnip and Pear Soup

Savory and sweet, this roasted Parsnip and Pear Soup is made with simple ingredients and highlights the sweet, caramelized flavor of roasted pears and tender parsnips. 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. You can enjoy it as an appetizer or main meal with some savory granola sprinkled on top.

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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.

Ingredients and substitutions

Below is just an overview of ingredients. For the full list and quantities used, please refer to the recipe card at the end of this post.

• Parsnips - You'll need 6 cups of chopped parsnip, cut into roughly ½-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 flavor 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 flavor 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 unflavored.

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 savory 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
• Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup

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

📖 Recipe

Parsnip and Pear Soup

Parsnip and Pear Soup is an easy dairy-free and vegan soup with simple ingredients including sweet, caramelized roasted pears and parsnips.

5 from 26 votes

Print Pin

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 bowls

Author: Leanne Combden

Ingredients

• ▢ 6 cups chopped parsnips
• ▢ 2 Bosc pears, halved and cored
• ▢ 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• ▢ 1 medium-sized onion, sliced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ 4 cups no salt added vegetable broth
• ▢ 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• ▢ 3-4 bay leaves, dried or fresh
• ▢ Additional salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

• Preheat oven to 400F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Coat the parsnips, pears, garlic and onion with oil, salt and pepper.
• Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 45-50 minutes, flipping a few times until the parsnips are tender and browned on the edges. You should also be able to easily slide a knife through the pears. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Add the vegetables and pears to a 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.

Notes

1. You can peel the pears before roasting or leave them on for added fibre. For a super smooth soup, you can peel the pears.
2. If your larger parsnips seem tough and woody, just cut the cores out before cutting them into pieces.
3. If you don't like your soup thick, just add more broth and/or nut milk.
4. If you use regular or low-sodium broth, you may wish to reduce the amount of salt you add to the recipe.
5. The recipe calls for almond milk, but you can also use another type of non-dairy milk such as cashew or oat milk.
6. You will need to blend the soup in 2-3 batches, depending on the size of your blender. As the roasted ingredients will be hot, I recommend using a heat-proof blender.

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Nutrition Facts per Serving

Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 464mg | Potassium: 617mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 47IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 1mg

Disclaimer

Nutrition information is an estimate only and will vary depending on the substitutions made and the brands used.

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