Parsnip & Sweet Potato Soup

This may be the tastiest soup I’ve ever made.

It’s sweet, spicy and nourishing - perfect for a quick lunch, or alongside a hunk of crusty bread for dinner.

I’ve got back into making soup recently; I think because we’re even more keen than usual to not waste food due to the limited shopping trips, I’ve been digging through the vegetable drawer, determined to find a use for that odd wrinkly carrot or shrivelled potato!

It’s also easy to batch cook soup, and fill up the freezer with a few portions for days when you can’t be bothered to make dinner from scratch. Heating up some homemade soup which you know is packed full of healthy veg is very satisfying, and I’m definitely planning on making lots of portions in the weeks leading up to Baby Maggie May’s arrival...

This creation came about following the discovery of some parsnips - leftover from our Sunday roast - and half a tin of baked beans in the fridge. An odd combination, I agree - but one which works perfectly in this recipe.

You could adjust the quantities of potatoes for all white if you don’t have any sweet, but it really works best if you use a combination. Equally you don’t need the coconut milk for this soup to work, but I recommend that you keep it in if you can, as it makes it so much creamier and delicious. I first tried using it in soup when following a Madeleine Shaw* recipe, and haven’t stopped since - if I do make it without, both Mr MM and I can tell it’s missing!

So without further ado, here is my recipe for parsnip and sweet potato soup. There’s a handy Pin image at the end of the post, so be sure to save it to your recipe boards on Pinterest for future reference. And let me know what you think! Keep sending me your snaps on Instagram and Twitter. 

Ingredients - Makes 4 servings

- 1 parsnip, peeled and sliced
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped into bite-sized chunks
- 1 baking potato, peeled and chopped into bite-sized chunks
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped roughly
- 2 fat cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1/2 400g tin haricot beans, or baked beans with the tomato sauce rinsed off
- 400g coconut milk
- 400ml vegetable stock
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 dried chilli flakes
- Salt and pepper
- Coconut oil {or vegetable oil but coconut adds extra flavour}

Equipment

- Saucepan
- Wooden spoon/Spatula
- Hand blender {I have an older version of this one* and it's very good}

Method

1. Fry the onion and garlic in a large saucepan with the coconut oil and a pinch of salt until soft and starting to brown.

2. Add the chunks of parsnip, sweet potato and white potato and sauté for a few mins until they start to soften.

3. Add the beans, followed by the cinnamon, dried chilli flakes and cumin, and stir until the spices are coating the vegetables.

4. Add the tin of coconut milk and stir in, followed by the vegetable stock. Bring the mixture to the boil. Season with salt and pepper, and reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes.

5. Blend together using a hand blender, and add extra salt and pepper to taste if needed. Enjoy!

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