Pear, Parsnip + Thyme Soup

This inspiration for this soup hails from a veg-forward restaurant in Edinburgh.

A gem my husband and I found while traveling in celebration of my successfully defended doctoral dissertation. We only had about 24 hours in Edinburgh, but we enjoyed our food so much that we returned the next day for lunch!

This is very much an autumnal and winter soup. While most soups, by nature, are best for the cold months, the ingredients feel particularly "fall-ish." In months like October and November, pears and parsnips are in season, resinous herbs like thyme are quite suitable, and cozying up to a bowl of this—alongside some hearty bread—just feels right.

If purchasing half a pound of shallots (or finding one massive shallot to do the job) is too difficult, you can substitute yellow onion here. The shallot is preferable as it has more finesse, especially in such a delicately flavored soup, but any mellow allium will do (on that thought, leek could be fun to try. . .).

On a similar note, if you don't have exactly 1.5 pounds of parsnips, a small red or yellow potato or two can be added in for additional bulk, if needed.

• 1/2 lb. shallot(s), cut into a medium dice

• 1 .5 lbs. parsnips, cut into a medium dice

• 1 lb. pears, cut into a medium dice

• 1 T. oil

• 1 qt. water

• 0.25 oz fresh thyme sprigs, tied into a bundle with kitchen twine—called a bouquet garni (this amount is half a package from a typical US grocery store)

• 2 T. vegan bouillon powder (*see recipe below)

• 1/2 tsp. mushroom powder (**see note below) OR 5 g dried mushrooms rehydrated in boiling water

• white pepper, to taste

• salt, to taste

• lemon juice, to taste

*Vegan Bouillon Powder Recipe:

Salt-free, this recipe is scalable and uses a general 4:1 ratio: 4 parts nutritional yeast to 1 part spices. So, e.g., 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) nutritional yeast to 1 tablespoon of spices, or 1 cup nutritional yeast to 1/4 cup of spices. I like to make a sizable batch and store it in a jar in my fridge. I use roughly 1 - 2 tsp. per cup of water, depending on the recipe.

You will need:

• Nutritional yeast

• Spices, recommended: a mix of poultry seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder

**To make mushroom powder, use a spice grinder to grind a mixture of dried mushrooms into a fine powder. Store in an airtight jar in your spice cabinet. This is a terrific, easy way to add umami and depth of flavor to virtually any recipe!

Ingredients

Pear, Parsnip + Thyme Soup

1. Make the soup base: Heat a pot over medium heat. Once heated, add the oil, diced shallot, and about 1/2 tsp. of salt. Cook until shallots begin to soften.

2. Add the parsnips, water, thyme, bouillon powder, mushroom powder, and a few dashes of white pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered for 15 minutes.

3. Add the the diced pear and cook for another 10 minutes, bringing back up to a boil and reducing again to a simmer, if needed.

4. After the ten minutes are up, test the parsnips with a sharp knife to see if tender. If so, turn off the heat and remove the bouquet garni of thyme before blending.

5. Blend: Carefully transfer half of the soup to a blender to blend until smooth. Pour the first batch into a large bowl before adding the second half of the soup to the blender. Once blended, mix the second batch into the first in the bowl, and add lemon juice (start with about 1 T., adding more as desired). Taste for salt, white pepper, and lemon. Adjust as needed.

6. Serve in warmed bowls alongside hearty bread such as a dense, seeded rye. Salad would be a nice addition, too. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week (or freeze for later).

Serves 4 - 6 | Makes about 9 cups

Instructions

Settle into the season. Enjoy.

Last updated: October 30, 2024