Another winter night? Another warm soup. Although this has been a mild winter so far, there have been plenty of nights we crave a warm hearty soup. However, this is not your typical root vegetable soup that is so common in winter.
By pairing the sweetness of apples and parsnips with the acidity of apple cider vinegar this soup is both creamy and light. In fact, we were surprised by how creamy it was even without adding any dairy. As an added bonus, the entire soup (if you use an immersion blender) is a one pot meal and can be prepared well ahead of time. It also freezes well, so make extra for your next quick meal.
Serve this soup with a crusty bread or homemade croutons (diced bread sauteed in garlic and olive oil until crispy). Enjoy and let this meal warm you up.
Parsnip and Apple Soup
Adapted from You Can Trust a Skinny Cook by Allison Fishman
1 pound parsnips, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch rounds
2 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch wedges (semi-sweet, tart apples are best, like fuji, granny smith, or golden delicious)
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tbs butter
2 shallots, chopped
2 celery stalked, chopped
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tbs cider vinegar
1/3 tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Homemade croutons or crusty bread
Preheat oven to 400*F. Place parsnips and apples in aluminum foil with olive oil and a little salt. Fold foil to create a pouch and bake for 30-40 minutes, until apples and parsnips are tender.
Meanwhile, melt butter in saucepan and add the shallots and celery. Cook, stirring often, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add cooked parsnips and apples and the broth and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 10 minutes, until parsnips are very soft. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar and dried thyme.
Using an immersion blender (or in batches in regular blender) puree soup until smooth and creamy.
Top with croutons.
Serves 4 as a main course, 6 as a starter.
