Description
This Country Harvest Root Vegetable Soup is a creamy, flavorful blend of seasonal root vegetables simmered with aromatic curry and thyme. Perfectly smooth and comforting, it’s enhanced with a touch of cream and served alongside warm crusty bread, making a hearty and satisfying meal for cool days.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp (15g) unsalted butter
- 1 onion, chopped into large dice
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
Vegetables & Liquids
- 1 1/2 litre (6 cups) water
- 2 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt (halve for table salt)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup thickened cream (heavy cream or regular), plus extra for garnish
- 1 large potato (~300g/10oz), peeled, cut into 2.5cm/1″ cubes
- 1 medium sweet potato (350g/12oz), peeled, cut into 2.5cm/1″ cubes
- 2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 1.5cm/0.5″ pieces
- 1 small/medium parsnip (150g/5oz), peeled, cut into 1.5cm/0.5″ pieces
- 1 small celeriac (600g/1.2 lb), peeled, cut into 1.5cm/0.5″ pieces (~2 heaped cups)
To Serve
- Warm crusty bread
- Parsley, finely chopped
- Pinch extra curry powder
- Pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Sauté: Put the olive oil and butter in a large heavy-based pot over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, cook the onion and garlic for 2 minutes until the onion is softened and fragrant.
- Add root vegetables and spices: Add the diced potato, sweet potato, carrots, parsnip, and celeriac along with the dried thyme and curry powder. Cook for three minutes, stirring regularly, until the vegetables begin to soften on the outside, allowing the spices to bloom.
- Simmer the soup: Increase the heat to high. Pour in the water, add salt and black pepper, and stir well. Once the mixture comes to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-high and let it simmer rapidly, uncovered, for 15 minutes. The vegetables should be tender when tested with a knife.
- Add cream and finish simmering: Stir the thickened cream into the soup and allow it to simmer for an additional 1 minute to blend the flavors and enrich the soup.
- Blend the soup: Remove the pot from the heat. Using a stick blender, carefully blitz the soup until completely smooth. Adjust the consistency with a little water if too thick, and season to taste with additional salt, pepper, or cream for a richer flavor.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle with extra cream, sprinkle a pinch of curry powder, fresh parsley, and a dash of black pepper on top. Serve immediately with warm crusty bread on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Use good quality curry powder for best flavor; Clive’s is recommended but any brand will work.
- Dried thyme adds a subtle earthy aroma; fresh thyme can be substituted if preferred.
- Thickened cream can be substituted with heavy cream or regular cream; adjust quantity for desired richness.
- Ensure root vegetables are cut evenly to cook uniformly.
- A stick blender works best for blending soup directly in the pot safely and efficiently.
