SUBSCRIBE BY EMAILRoasted Carrot and Parsnip Soup with Carrot Greens Pesto is a creamy and flavorful soup that might just be perfect for the spring holidays! This is an easy soup to make that makes good use of alllll parts of the carrots.
Roasted Carrot and Parsnip Soup with Carrot Greens Pesto is so bright and cheery! It’s a show stopper on the dinner table, for sure. Do you ever use parsnips in your cooking? I hadn’t, but I recently discovered how amazing they are. They may not be the darlings of the produce department, but don’t overlook them!
Have the temperatures started to rise where you live? I think it’s still relatively cool in most parts of the country — and that’s a good excuse to make a fabulous and flavorful soup!
Carrot and Parsnip Soup with Carrot Greens Pesto
Grab some carrots and parsnips while you wait for the sunny days and warm temps to appear. Toss together this super-simple, tasty soup with a fun pesto to dollop on top. You won’t regret it!
These root veggies are sweet and bright and perfect for mealtime. With just a touch of cream to thicken things a bit, you can’t go wrong for a seasonal soup.
I’ve had loads of young cashiers at the grocery store ask me what my vegetables were in the checkout line, scanning all my groceries. It’s amazing to me! Some might be a little more unusual than others like Swiss chard or escarole, but Brussels sprouts? C’mon, man! When I bought my parsnips to make this soup the cashier didn’t know what they were, either.
Parsnips look like thick, pale carrots, and they taste a bit like them, too. They’re a little sweet, and since I roasted the carrots and parsnips, that sweetness was enhanced.
Maybe some folks just need a little vegeducation! Now’s your chance to get to know parsnips — what a delicious way to learn!
The tops of the carrots I bought were so green and pretty, it seemed a shame to just toss them. I decided to use up all parts of my carrots and I made pesto with the greens. It makes a flavorful and colorful option to use as a topping for the soup or just as a simple dip with some crunchy crackers.
Did you realize you can use all sorts of veggies to make pesto? I’ve used arugula for my Creamy Skillet Tortellini Arugula Pesto and kale for my Kale Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and white Beans.
The pesto for these Grilled Shrimp Wraps with Red Pepper-Artichoke Pesto is a little out of the ordinary, but totally tasty.
Do you have your menu planned for your spring celebrations? If it’s not set in stone (and even if it is!) I think you should add Roasted Carrot and Parsnip Soup with Carrot Greens Pesto to your meal. It’s so creamy and easy to make, and it’s just the thing for lunch or dinner. And what pretty color. It screams spring!
Be sure to give this fab soup — and pesto — a go!
Calories
Fat
Carbs
Protein
Patricia Conte/Grab a Plate
Yields Serves 4-6
Save Recipe5 based on 10 review(s)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup carrot greens
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Zest from half a lemon
- 3-4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons walnuts
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 large carrots, ends trimmed and peeled (reserve the greens from the top to use for the pesto)
- 3 medium parsnips, end trimmed and peeled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup white onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1-1/2 cups water
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Black pepper to season
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- If your pesto is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water and blend.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Cut the carrots and parsnips into 2-3-inch pieces, and cut them in half vertically. Add them to a baking pan and drizzle with the olive oil.
- Roast for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to caramelize, tossing once or twice as they cook. Remove and set aside.
- Add the butter to a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When melted, add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the vegetable broth and water to the pot. Add some black pepper to season and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the carrots and parsnips.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 7-10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat. Work in batches and transfer the mixture to a blender. Blend until smooth and return to the pot over low heat.
- Add almost all of the cream to the soup and stir to incorporate. Season with the black pepper.
- Add the soup to individual bowls. Drizzle the remaining cream over the top and dollop with the pesto.
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