Creamy Parsnip and Apple Soup Recipe

Published: March 14, 2019 Updated: May 30, 2022 / By: Dawn | Girl Heart Food 25 Comments

This creamy parsnip and apple soup is a delicious one pot recipe with minimal ingredients, but loads of flavour! Garnished with fresh chives, it makes for one delicious lunch or side to dinner.

Bowl of creamy parsnip and apple soup next to a parsnip.

This parsnip and apple soup is quite unique and really parsnip forward. I don’t mean “forward” like this is some kinda hip recipe. I’m definitely not that cool.

What I mean is this parsnip apple soup is really parsnipy (is that even a word?), you do get a little sweetness and tartness from the Granny Smith apples.

It’s kinda unassuming.

I mean, it’s some root vegetables with apple. Simple, right?

It is simple. However, when you taste it, you realize just how delicious it is. Parsnip soup with apple is where it’s at!

Fan of parsnip recipes? You may enjoy this mashed parsnips!

Why We Love This Parsnip Apple Soup Recipe

This soup is made with only 10 ingredients that you probably already have on hand in your pantry and fridge.
It comes together in relatively quickly.
Like most soup recipes, it’s made in one pot for easy cleanup.
Of course, it taste delicious!

Ingredients for an apple parsnip soup recipe.

What Parsnips Taste Like and How To Cook Them

Parsnips looks quite similar to carrots. However, they have a distinct flavour, kinda grassy. When you eat parsnips, you know it. They’re a little sweeter than carrots but can be cooked much in the same way you would cook carrots.

For cooking parsnips you can:

Roast or bake (which really intensifies their flavour)
Boil them (super popular around here, especially with a traditional Newfoundland dish called “Jiggs Dinner”)
Steam them or
Fry (I’ve had parsnip chips and they’re so good)

They can be enjoyed as is or made into a puree or soup, like this parsnip soup recipe.

How To Make This Soup

Full details are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:

In a large pot, heat olive oil, then cook onion until softened. Stir in garlic.
Add parsnips, apples, thyme, salt and pepper.
Pour in broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until parsnips and apples have softened.
Blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth.
Stir in heavy cream.

Best Cooking Apple to Use

For this creamy parsnip apple soup, I like to use Granny Smith apples. I love their tartness and they pair beautifully with the sweet parsnips. Don’t have those? Sub with Pink Lady or Braeburn.

Garnish Ideas

Enjoy this parsnip apple soup as is or top with any of these:

Sliced chives or green onion
Little drizzle of heavy cream swirled over top
Crumbled goat cheese
Grated Parmesan cheese
Homemade croutons
Drizzle of olive oil (garlic olive oil is lovely)

Tips for Making This Recipe

Heavy cream is used, but if you like to lighten things up an equal amount of plain whole milk Greek yogurt could be used instead.
White pepper is used in this parsnip soup, but if you don’t have that on hand, regular black pepper would work too.
Cut the parsnips into small chunks so they cook quickly.

Two bowls of creamy parsnip apple soup, one in front of the other.

More Easy Soup Recipes

And if you’re looking to add even more apple or parsnip recipes to your menu, check out this apple pizza and curried carrot and parsnip soup.

If you make this parsnip apple soup recipe, be sure to leave a comment below!

This parsnip and apple soup recipe was original posted in July 2015 and has been updated with new photos and recipe details.