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Mary Berry Carrot and Parsnip Soup Recipe

Mary Berry Carrot and Parsnip Soup Recipe

Mary Berry's carrot and parsnip soup is sweet, silky, and warmly spiced — a brilliant one-pot soup ready in under an hour.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 Portions
Course: Soup
Cuisine: British
Calories: 210
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 40 g unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion roughly chopped
  • 2 celery sticks roughly chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • 500 g carrots peeled and roughly chopped
  • 500 g parsnips peeled, cored if large, roughly chopped
  • 1.2 litres chicken or vegetable stock
  • 100 ml double cream
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • To Serve:
  • Swirl of cream or crème fraîche
  • Fresh parsley or chives
  • Ground cumin or smoked paprika
  • Crusty bread

Method
 

  1. Melt butter with olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook onion and celery for 8–10 minutes until softened. Add garlic, cook 1 minute.
  2. Add cumin, coriander, and turmeric. Stir for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
  3. Add carrots and parsnips. Stir to coat. Pour in stock. Bring to the boil then simmer covered for 20–25 minutes until completely tender.
  4. Blend until completely smooth.
  5. Return to low heat. Stir in cream and lemon juice. Warm through — do not boil. Season generously with salt and pepper.
  6. Ladle into warm bowls. Swirl cream, scatter herbs, add a pinch of cumin or paprika. Serve with crusty bread.

Notes

Core large parsnips before chopping — the woody centre is fibrous and bitter.
Bloom the spices in butter for 1–2 minutes before adding vegetables.
Use equal weights of carrot and parsnip for the best balance.
Finish with lemon juice — it lifts the sweetness of the root vegetables.
Freeze before adding cream for the best texture. Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days.
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