Last Updated on January 4, 2026
Winter Warmer with Curried Parsnip Soup
I didn’t plan to write this recipe for curried parsnip soup, nor was I dieting when I made it, but when I was busy eating it yesterday for lunch and tweeting (yes, I know…it’s sad!), three people asked me how I made it. And then I added up the calories and realised it would work fine as a 5:2 diet recipe and was very filling and warming. But, you know, it’s one of those recipes that I probably do a bit differently each time. Sometimes I’m lazy and use curry powder or leftover curry paste. Other times I make up my own spice mix with ground cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli and add fresh ginger and garlic. If I happen to have a cooking apple, I add it in – it makes the consistency of the soup lighter and adds a special tang. If I don’t have a spare potato, I use rice.
This isn’t clever cooking, it’s about using what is in the store cupboard.
Curried Parsnip Soup is one of those lovely, warming, gloopy winter soups that works well at filling you up. If you use low-fat creme fraiche, it’s around 120 calories for a big bowlful, because parsnips are relatively high in calories (about 75 per 100g). But it will make you feel very full, thanks to the high fibre content, and it is high in vitamins and minerals too. And the curry spices are supposed to improve your metabolism and help you burn fat faster! I don’t make it just for dieting, it’s something to enjoy all through the winter, with chunks of homemade bread and strong cheddar as a kind of winter ploughman’s. Anyway, since I was asked, here’s the way I make it.
Curried Parsnip Soup
Ingredients
- 4-5 Parsnips Peeled and chopped into 2cm chunks
- 1 Medium Onion Peeled and diced
- 2 Medium Potato Peeled and chopped into 2cm chunks
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1-1.25 l Stock Homemade if you have it, otherwise made up using a stock cube or similar
- 1 tablespoon Mild or Medium Curry Powder You can use a selection of spices here – try coriander,cumin, turmeric, chilli and ginger – teaspoon of the first two and half a teaspoon of the rest.
- 2-3 tablespoons Low Fat Creme Fraiche
- 1 Cooking Apple Cored, peeled and diced
Instructions
- Soften the onion in the olive oil over a lowish heat for 8 minutes. Then add the curry powder or spices and cook for a further couple of minutes, being careful not to burn the spices!
- Add the other vegetables and apple if using and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring so that everything gets coated in spiced oil
- Pour over the hot stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until the parsnip and potato is soft
- Use a stick blender or liquidiser to blend all the ingredients.
- Stir through the creme fraiche and taste. Adjust the seasoning by adding salt and pepper to taste and warm through.
- Serve garnished with fresh coriander, creme fraiche or garlic croutons
Nutrition
Now, if someone could organise a country walk, a good log fire and perhaps a game of scrabble…that, with a bowl of my curried parsnip soup and maybe a sausage sandwich (not part of any diet sadly).
Meanwhile, if you are looking for a good winter soup recipe, why not pin this post for later?
Looking for more soup recipes? Try my low-calorie celery soup.
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