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    Home » Hunger

    White Bean and Parsnip Soup

    By Lauren on September 30, 2019, Updated April 27, 2021 12 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    White bean and parsnip soup is rich with flavor and simple to prepare. Roasted parsnips and garlic with savory leeks, fresh sage and creamy white beans simmered with chicken or vegetable stock. You'll have this on repeat all soup season!

    side shot of fried sage on white bean and parsnip soup

    This post first appeared on hungerthirstplay.com in March 2016.

    Did you hear that? My apologies for being off pitch, but it's just me singing from the roof tops because soup season is finally here.

    Is there any reason to not love soup? Maybe if you have to eat on the go because hot soup + travel could be dangerous. But if you're staying put, it's such an easy way to fill your belly and satisfy your taste buds!

    Maybe it's the New Englander in me that loves soup so much, you know, because before the modern world we had to live off root vegetables throughout the winter. White bean and parsnip soup is here to make that a happy repeat occasion.

    close up of fried sage leaf on white bean and parsnip soup

    Smooth Soup

    Where are the smooth soup fans hiding?

    Bisque or purée-like soups such as butternut squash, tomato and now this soup! They are THE. BEST. They are also extra delicious for dunking crusty outside and soft inside soup bread.

    Not only smooth in texture, the roasted vegetables create a wonderfully smooth blending of flavors. Just enough earthy parsnip flavor, with the white beans giving it great texture, while the fresh herbs bring brightness to the palate.

    overhead photo of parsnip soup blended in a dutch oven

    HOW DO I BLEND THE SOUP?

    May seem like a silly question but there are a few different options depending on what tools you have available.

    If a food processor is your only option, place the roasted parsnips, garlic, sautéed leeks, and beans in the food processor and blend until smooth. Then incorporate them into the soup with the stock. This method is a little more cumbersome and will take a little longer.

    My favorite tool for soup making is a hand held immersion blender. This Kitchen Aid hand held blender is my favorite and it comes with a whisk attachment so it can also be used for whipped cream, salad dressings and cake batter. It's the best option for soup because you can blend all the ingredients together, in the pan, and fast.

    Your last option is to transfer the soup ingredients to a blender ::carefully:: and blend. That one's a little trick because, you know, soup is really freaking hot and what not.

    cluster of bowls of white bean and parsnip soup with blue linen napkin

    WHAT IS A PARSNIP?

    Parsnips are a root vegetable in relation to the carrot. They are sweet, like carrots, but have more underlying root-vegetable taste - it reminds me like the earthiness of beets but just a fraction. They become sweeter when cooked or roasted.

    Bonus fun fact?  Parsnips were considered an aphrodisiac in ancient Rome. Bring on the White Bean & Parsnip Soup...

    placing a fried sage leaf on top of a bowl of soup

    White Bean and Parsnip Soup

    Don't you love a soup that has a little bit of everything? Oh good, me tooo. The white beans will pack all the protein you need for this soup to be not just delicious, but filling too. Providing constant healthy energy throughout the day.

    Setting flavors aside for a minute, this White Bean and Parsnip Soup is incredibly fitting for the cold rainy days of fall, blustery days of winter, or when the sun just won't shine in Spring. The epitome of comfort food without throwing your entire healthy eating plan in the garbage. I like to think if soup could give hugs, this soup would give the best hug. Like your favorite grandma kind of hug.

    bowl of soup and vintage spoons on blue napkin

    Bonus:  It's also customizable for a variety of diets as well. If you're a meat eater, you can follow the recipe as is and use chicken stock. If you're a vegetarian or vegan that chicken stock can be switched out for a vegetable stock - which is honestly my favorite variation since it cuts out calories and adds a little more earthiness in flavor.

    However you chose to make it, my recommendation is that you eat it all snuggled up.

    close up of bowl of parsnip and white bean soup with a fried sage leaf

    White Bean and Parsnip Soup

    Smooth, creamy white beans and earthy, sweet parsnips pair up with fresh and bright sage for a comfort food White Bean and Parsnip Soup that's delicious, filling and light.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: healthy winter soups, parsnip recipes, root vegetable soups, white bean soup
    Prep Time: 15 mins
    Cook Time: 45 mins
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 69kcal
    Author: Lauren
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound fresh parsnips
    • 2 cloves of garlic
    • 1 leek (thinly sliced)
    • 4-6 fresh sage leaves
    • 2 sprigs of thyme
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
    • 2 15.5- ounce cans Great Northern Beans
    • 6 cups unsalted chicken stock*
    • 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Preheat your oven to 400F. Peel the parsnips and cut into 3-4" pieces. For larger parts of the parsnips, cut in half or quarters so they are all about the same size. Peel two cloves of garlic. Lightly toss parsnips and garlic with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and spread out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes until slightly brown and roasted.
    • When parsnips are almost roasted, start to prepare your other ingredients.  Thinly slice the leek into quarters - cut the end off the leek, cut in half horizontally and then vertical so your leek is in four long pieces, then thinly slice.  Chiffonade 4 large sage leaves or 6 medium sage leaves.  Remove the thyme leaves from the sprigs.  Drain and rinse your beans and set aside.
    • In a stock pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil.  Add the leeks and sauté about 3 minutes.  Add the herbs and sauté 3 minutes more or until the leeks are translucent.  Add the beans, roasted parsnips, roasted garlic, salt, white pepper and 4 cups of chicken stock.  Stir the ingredients, reduce to medium heat and bring to a boil - about 10-15 minutes.
    • Reduce heat to low and add the remaining 2 cups of chicken stock.  Stir to combine and then blend the ingredients together using an immersion blender.
    • Once ingredients are blended, season with salt and pepper to taste.  For a fancy garnish with a pop of flavor, fry a few sage leaves in oil until crispy and top each bowl of soup with a crispy sage leaf.

    Notes

    *Chicken stock can be substituted for vegetable stock for a vegetarian/vegan recipe

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 69kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 293mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 185IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg

     

     

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    Comments

    1. Rudy says

      February 22, 2023 at 11:52 pm

      5 stars
      You can’t go wrong with this recipe. Adjust it with seasoning as you want; I make my own vegetable stock. The toasted sage sprigs is an amazing touch.

      Reply
      • Lauren says

        February 26, 2023 at 10:00 pm

        Thank you so much!!

        Reply
    2. Jo says

      October 07, 2019 at 12:15 am

      I could easily have couple of bowls of this soup in one sitting! It looks amazing! The flavors of beans and parsnip really works here, so good!

      Reply
    3. Veronika says

      October 06, 2019 at 7:52 pm

      It felt like real Fall today and I really want some comfort food. Your White Bean Parsnip Soup would be perfect now! So comforty and healthy!)

      Reply
    4. Tammy says

      October 06, 2019 at 4:13 pm

      Oooh this looks delicious! I love how creamy yet healthy it is too. I wish I had a bowl right now...it's such a perfect day for this!

      Reply
    5. Sharon says

      October 04, 2019 at 9:14 pm

      This white bean and parsnip soup looks so creamy and comforting. The perfect pot of soup for fall!

      Reply
    6. Sophie says

      October 03, 2019 at 12:40 am

      This soup looks so warm and comforting. Thanks for this recipe.

      Reply
    7. Rebecca Blackwell says

      October 02, 2019 at 3:36 pm

      I'm all for a thick, chunky, hearty soup, but there is absolutely a time and place for a rich, creamy soup. I just love that you pureed this and think it would make a perfect first course for a dinner party I'm hosting next week. Thank you so much for such a great recipe!

      Reply
    8. Elaine Benoit says

      October 01, 2019 at 11:10 am

      Soup season is always here in our house! And I am going to rejoice by making your delicious bean and parsnip soup! It looks so delicious and creamy and perfect with some crusty bread!

      Reply
    9. Analida Braeger says

      October 01, 2019 at 10:36 am

      I love all the savory combinations of flavors in this recipe! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    10. Chef Dennis says

      October 01, 2019 at 3:51 am

      This White bean and parsnip soup really looks comforting! Perfect when getting home after a long tiring day. I will definitely make this at home.

      Reply
    11. Loreto and Nicoletta Nardelli says

      September 30, 2019 at 1:58 pm

      It feels so comforting! We love soup season too and this is such a great one with the underrated parsnip to make its appearance!

      Reply

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