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The Curried Soup Mary Berry Actually Wrote
Nancy Wilson

Mary Berry Parsnip Soup

5 from 3 votes
A creamy, gently curried parsnip soup from Mary Berry's cookbook Classic Home Cooking. Ready in 40 minutes and full of warm, comforting flavour.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 bowls
Course: Soup
Cuisine: British
Calories: 200
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the soup
  • 30 g butter
  • 700 g parsnips peeled and roughly chopped, thick cores removed (see note)
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • 2 tbsp mild curry powder
  • 1.2 litres vegetable or chicken stock hot
  • 175 ml single cream
  • salt and black pepper to taste
To serve
  • fresh chives chopped
  • crusty bread optional

Equipment

  • Large saucepan with lid
  • Stick blender (or countertop blender / food processor)
  • Wooden spoon
  • Ladle

Method
 

  1. Soften the vegetables: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low to medium heat. Add the parsnips, onion, and garlic. Cover with a lid and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft but not coloured.
  2. Add the curry powder: Remove the lid and stir in the curry powder. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
  3. Add the stock and simmer: Pour in the hot stock and bring to a gentle boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the parsnips are completely tender.
  4. Blend until smooth: Remove from the heat. If using a countertop blender, let the soup cool for 5 to 10 minutes first. Blend until completely smooth.
  5. Stir in the cream and season: Return the pan to low heat, stir in the cream, and season with salt and pepper. Warm through gently. Do not let it boil, or the cream may split.
  6. Serve: Ladle into bowls, scatter over the chives, and serve with warm bread.

Notes

  • For a thinner, more traditional consistency closer to the original recipe, use up to 1.75 litres of stock and simmer for an extra 5 minutes.
  • Freezes well for up to 2 months. For the best texture, freeze before adding the cream, then stir the cream in fresh after reheating.
  • Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container.Before you chop your parsnips, cut them in half lengthways. If you see a solid white or pale core more than about the thickness of a pencil running down the middle, cut it out with the tip of a paring knife before dicing the rest. Small, young parsnips usually don’t need this. Anything thicker than about 4cm across at the top almost always does. It takes an extra two minutes and makes a real difference to the final texture.
Pro Tip: Before you chop your parsnips, cut them in half lengthways. If you see a solid white or pale core more than about the thickness of a pencil running down the middle, cut it out with the tip of a paring knife before dicing the rest. Small, young parsnips usually don’t need this. Anything thicker than about 4cm across at the top almost always does. It takes an extra two minutes and makes a real difference to the final texture.If your parsnips are thick (more than about 4cm across at the top), cut them in half lengthways first and check for a hard, pale core running down the centre. Cut it out before chopping. It’s the main cause of bitter or woody-tasting soup.