Roasted Pear and Parsnip Soup with Crispy Edamame

March 4, 2019 By Leanne 64 Comments

Roasted Pear and Parsnip Soup with Crispy Edamame covers all the cozy soup essentials. It’s thick and creamy, sweet and savoury, and loaded with good-for-you fibre. It’s also dairy-free and vegan!

So it’s March, but winter continues around here, and so does my soup obsession. There is no sign of spring yet, so as long as it’s cold and windy, I’ll be whipping up batches of soup for warming dinners and quick lunches.

If you missed it, this Chicken Fajita Soup is new-ish on the blog and has been on repeat this winter. It’s chunky, spicy and loaded with lots of veggies and hearty beans.

But sometimes you just crave a thick and creamy soup. One that coats your insides, and feels like a big hug in a bowl. Well, say hello to this roasted pear and parsnip soup. This one hits all the right notes. And when topped with savoury and crunchy roasted edamame, the contrast in taste and texture definitely takes this soup to a whole new level!

This soup was actually inspired by a friend of mine. She mentioned she saw a pear and parsnip soup on a restaurant menu recently, and it peaked my curiosity so much, I had to give it a try.

And like most soups on Crumb Top Baking, I tried to keep this one pretty simple with minimal ingredients.

How do you make Roasted Pear and Parsnip Soup with Crispy Edamame?

This is a roast and purée situation. Pretty simple. The pears and parsnip are chopped and roasted on a baking sheet, along with some onion, garlic, oil and seasonings.

While the veggies are roasting, you can make your crispy edamame, or you can just open up that bag of crispy edamame you purchased at the grocery store. Your choice. I’ve included instructions in the recipe for roasting edamame in both the air fryer and oven.

Once roasted, let the veggies cool slightly before adding them to a blender to blend in batches, along with some veggie broth and nut milk. The puréed soup is added to a pot, along with some bay leaves, and simmered for 20-30 minutes. Easy peasy!

What are the best pears for making Roasted Pear and Parsnip Soup?

Whenever I roast pears for a recipe, I like to use Bosc pears as they don’t get too soft or mushy when roasted. They also have a delicate sweet flavour, which works well in baking and cooking.

If you’d like to read more about different pears and which ones are best for eating and cooking, The Spruce Eats has a helpful article.

Tips for making Roasted Pear and Parsnip Soup with Crispy Edamame:

Roasting brings out the sweetness of the parsnip, so make sure you roast them until they start to caramelize around the edges.

You can peel the pears before roasting them, but I like to leave the skin 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 you don’t like your soup thick, just add more broth and/or nut milk.

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.

The recipe calls for almond milk, but you can also use another type of nut milk, dairy milk or coconut milk.

You’ll want to blend the soup in 2-3 batches, depending on the size of your blender. And be careful, as the veggies and pears may be hot.

I don’t recommend using an immersion blender to purée the soup. It will be easier if you use a high-speed blender.

If you’re making your own crispy edamame to garnish the soup, I’ve included oven and air fryer instructions in the recipe. Be sure to enjoy the edamame immediately after roasting. They will lose some of their crispness if made ahead and stored in a container.

How can you garnish Roasted Pear and Parsnip Soup?

Crispy edamame (obviously my choice!)
Blue cheese
Walnuts
Sunflower seeds
Arugula
Croutons
Crusty bread

If you make this Roasted Pear and Parsnip Soup with Crispy Edamame, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Or take a pic and share it on Instagram by tagging @crumbtopbaking.

Some other creamy soup recipes you might like: