Roasted Parsnip and Garlic Soup

I got this delicious soup recipe from a great vegan cooking site, Fat-Free Vegan Kitchen.  This soup is delicious and surprisingly filling!  Perfect for a snowy day.

Roasted Parsnip and Garlic Soup


Ingredients:

1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 head garlic
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 rib celery (including leaves), chopped
4 to 5 cups veggie broth
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup great northern beans
6-8 ounces mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 green onion, sliced thin
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400F. Place the parsnip cubes on a baking sheet lined with parchment papert. Cut the top off of the head of garlic, just enough to expose the tops of the cloves. Place it on a square of aluminum foil, drizzle it with a little EVOO and sprinkle it with a little salt, and wrap it up. Place it on the baking sheet with the parsnips and put it into the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, turn over the parsnips, and cook for 10-15 more minutes until parsnips are tender and just touched with brown. Remove from oven and cool.  I had to cook the garlic about 5-10 minutes longer.

Heat a non-stick saucepan and cook the onion until it’s translucent. Add the celery and cook for a couple minutes more. Add 3 cups of the broth, the parsnips, and the pepper. Squeeze the garlic out of the cloves into the pan. Cook for a few minutes, until parsnips have softened. Add the beans.  If you are using canned beans (which I actually did this time), be sure to rinse them well.  Canned beans are preserved in a lot of oil and you want to get it all off before using them.

Puree the soup using an immersion blender. The smoother you get it, the bette. Return the pureed soup to the pan and warm over low heat. If the soup is too thick, add more broth until it reaches your desired consistency. Keep it covered because it will “erupt” from time to time.

Cook the sliced mushrooms in a small non-stick skillet until they soften and release their juices. Season them with salt and add the green onion. Stir most of them into the soup, setting some nice-looking ones aside to use as a garnish. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.