Spiced Parsnip and Apple Soup

You know what I was saying about always having too many apples knocking about at this time of year? Well I think I've found a recipe that might help us to use up some of our bountiful harvest.

I stumbled across this yummy idea on Pinterest the other day and instantly pinned it because, unlike a lot of cooking apple recipes, it calls for more than two or three apples- meaning I can use up some of our stock at a much faster pace!

It's also a very seasonal recipe. I don't know about you but I've been craving a warm bowl of soup for lunch practically everyday since the start of September! It turned chilly quite suddenly down here in Cornwall, so I think this soup (and a little bit of homemade bread for dunking!) might just become a staple for me in the weeks to come.

I've adapted the Hairy Biker's recipe to suit my own taste's (leaving out the garlic and adding some extra rosemary and spices for a fiercer kick) but feel free to refer to the original instructions if that's the sort of soup you prefer!

For my spicy + warming take on the recipe, you will need:

- 25g/1oz butter
- 1 tbsp. sunflower oil
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 600g/1lb 5oz parsnips, not peeled but cut into 2cm chunks
- 600g/1lb 5oz cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
- 1 litre/1 3/4 pint vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 tsp. of curry powder (+ a pinch of chilli powder if you're feeling daring!)
- 150ml/5 fl oz milk (optional)
- pinch of salt and pepper
- a few sprigs of rosemary
- chopped + roasted hazelnuts


Top tip before you start- I found it really helpful to cut up all the veg beforehand and then divide it into separate bowls so it was easy to pour into the pan when needed!   

1.  Melt the butter and the oil in a large saucepan or casserole dish. You're going to have heaps of veg going into this pan so make sure it's a large enough- I used a big old Le Creuset casserole dish for this and it worked perfectly. 

2. Gently fry the onions and parsnips for around fifteen minutes, or until the onions have softened. Then add the apples, curry powder and chilli and cook everything for a further two minutes, stirring regularly so the onions don't get stuck to the bottom of the pan!

3. Pour over the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and then cook for a further twenty minutes until the parsnips and the apples are super soft. Then, remove the pan from the heat and season with salt and pepper.

4. Pour the mixture into a blender and blitz until super smooth. You can add the milk in once you've blended everything together to create a creamier and thinner soup, but I preferred the taste of the mixture without.

5. Finally, season to taste with salt and pepper, sprinkle over some chopped hazelnuts and garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

And that's it!

I love the spicy kick that undercuts the sweetness and softness of the apples and parsnips here. It makes for a really warming and filling soup that's perfect for the chilly spells we've been having!


I really hope you give this one a go! Do you have any yummy, cosy recipes you turn to at this time of year? I'd love to hear about them in the comments below!


In the meantime,
All the love,

Sian x