This Root Vegetable Soup is made from scratch using roasted vegetables for maximum flavour. Most of the work is done in the oven and the soup itself takes only about 5 minutes to cook!
Check out also Polish-style root vegetable stew!
This Root Vegetable Soup is a warming, hearty dish, delicious as well as incredibly easy to make thanks to my simple method.
Rather than throwing all the vegetables in the pot (as you would do with most soups) I roasted them first. Every vegetable in this winter root vegetable soup is roasted (including the onion and garlic), which makes it a very uncomplicated, practical sort of dish.
Root vegetables are particularly well suited to being roasted as they come out of the oven looking vibrant, full of delicious aroma and sweet nutty flavour (mashed roasted rutabaga and carrots are good examples). This is exactly how I would describe this soup.
You might also like this speedy sweet potato spinach soup where I've used a similar method.
Root vegetable soup ingredients and substitutes
- Carrot: one of the most popular root vegetables.
- Parsnip.
- Celeriac/celery root: this somewhat underrated root vegetable is full of flavour and works especially well in soups (it's the backbone of most Polish soups) and I strongly recommend you don't omit it.
- Red onion: use white or brown onion instead if preferred.
- Potatoes: I used a combination of sweet and white potatoes (to balance the sweetness of the other ingredients) but you can just use sweet potato if you like.
- Garlic: gets roasted with the root veggies for more flavour.
- Turmeric: adds colour.
- Bay leaf.
- Stock.
- Oil: use either olive or vegetable oil.
- Parsley: adds freshness. Cilantro/fresh coriander is a good alternative.
Do I have to peel the veggies
The carrot and parsnip can be used without peeling (just scrub and wash them thoroughly). Celery root, on the other hand, has a knobbly skin and it's not always easy to clean so I recommend peeling it. But ultimately the choice is yours.
How to make soup with root vegetables
1.Prepare vegetables: Preheat the oven to 425 F/ 220 C/ gas mark 7. Peel (or scrub) and chop the vegetables into similar size pieces. Place in a large bowl (along with the peeled garlic), season with salt and pepper, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil and stir thoroughly.
2. Roast vegetables: Spread the vegetables on a baking sheet lined with parchment, add the bay leaf and roast in the upper part of the oven for 30 minutes (or until tender) turning halfway.
3. Remove from oven: Remove from the oven and roughly chop the onion and garlic.
4. Cook soup: Place all the vegetables in a pot (along with the bay leaf), add the hot vegetable stock, turmeric, then cover and bring to the boil. Simmer for 3-5 minutes.
5. Finish off: Remove from the heat and partly mash the mixture using a potato masher to get a thick chunky consistency. Adjust the seasoning if needed and serve.
Serving suggestions
This hearty root veggie soup is filling and can be enjoyed as a meal, especially if you serve it with garlic bread, spinach bread, sun dried tomato bread or breadsticks. You could also:
Garnish with fresh herbs, such as parsley, chives or cilantro/fresh coriander.
Drizzle over a bit of olive oil, sriracha sauce for added heat, coconut milk or cream.
Add a dollop of sour cream, knob of plant-based spread (or butter) or grated cheese (for a vegetarian option).
Can I puree root vegetable soup
Yes, you can! I wanted this soup to be somewhere between chunky and smooth so I only used a potato masher to break up the larger vegetables. This thickened it naturally but the soup still retained some texture.
You can go ahead and puree it though I recommend trying the potato masher method first. You might like it!
How to add more flavour
This winter soup with root vegetables is delicious as it is but you could use spices and herbs to add different flavours this simple recipe. For instance you could add:
ground cumin and coriander: either coat the vegetables before roasting or add into the pot (approx. half a teaspoon).
sweet or hot paprika: add to taste once the soup is cooked.
Mediterranean twist: add Italian herbs or just oregano or thyme (add as you start cooking the soup) and serve a drizzle of balsamic vinegar
What other vegetables can be used
This chunky root vegetable soup is very adaptable, can be made all year round, not just in the winter months, using seasonal root vegetables. These might include kohlrabi, turnip or yams. You can mix and match and simply use your favourite combination.
You can add roasted beets but bear in mind your soup will have a red colour. Beets also have an intense flavour which can overpower the other vegetables so for me personally beets don't work in this recipe (it's better to use beets in a recipe where they are the star ingredient - for example borscht).
Top tips
- Chop the vegetables into similar sized chunks so they cook evenly.
- Roast the vegetables until tender.
- It is important not to cook this roasted vegetable soup for too long (I cooked mine for 3 minutes from the time it started boiling) so the vegetables retain their flavour.
- Adjust the amount of stock to suit your preference. I recommend adding less stock to start with and adding more if needed once the soup is ready.
- Best served hot.
- Tastes delicious the next day too. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
More vegetable soup recipes to try next
- Red Vegetable Soup (Vegan)
- Red Cabbage Winter Vegetable Soup
- Roasted Sweet Potato Soup with Spinach
- Chunky Cauliflower Potato Soup (Healthy)
Check out also these other easy, nutritious soup recipes including creamy vegan soups!
Keep in touch!
If you've made this chunky root vegetable soup I'd love know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!
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Recipe
Winter Root Vegetable Soup
Equipment
- Large baking sheet
- Large pot with lid
- Potato masher
Ingredients
- 1 large carrot
- 1 large parsnip
- 1 large potato
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 1 large onion regular or red
- celeriac chunk about the size of a medium potato
- 2 garlic cloves peeled, whole
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 4 cups (1 l) vegetable stock hot
- Fresh parsley for garnish Sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare vegetables: Preheat the oven to 425 F/ 220 C/ gas mark 7. Peel and chop all the vegetables into similar size (large) chunks. Place in a large bowl (including whole, peeled garlic), season and coat in the oil.
- Roast vegetables: Transfer the vegetables to a large roasting sheet lined with parchment paper, add the bay leaves and roast for 30 minutes (or until tender) turning over halfway.
- Remove from oven: Remove the vegetables from the oven and roughly chop the onion and garlic.
- Cook soup: Put the vegetables into a large pot (along with the bay leaves), add the hot stock and turmeric. Cover, bring to the boil then simmer for about 3 minutes.
- Finish off: Remove from the heat, mash with a potato masher until the soup has a thick lumpy consistency and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Enjoy!
Notes
- Chop the vegetables into similar size chunks so they cook evenly.
- It is important not to cook this root vegetable soup for too long (I cooked mine for 3 minutes from the time it started boiling) so the vegetables retain their flavour.
- Adjust the amount of stock to suit your preference. I recommend adding less stock to start with and adding more if needed once the soup is ready.
- I wanted this soup to be somewhere between chunky and smooth so I only used a potato masher to break up the larger vegetables. But you could puree this soup if you prefer.
- Serve with fresh baguette, garlic bread or croutons, fresh herbs, a drizzle of olive oil or knob of plant-based spread, sriracha sauce for added heat or grated cheese (for a vegetarian option).
- This soup tastes delicious the next day too. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- Preparation time includes the time needed to roast the vegetables.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Neffy says
Thanks so much; this soup is excellent. Already made it twice
Monika says
Glad to hear it:)
Martha says
This soup was so comforting and yummy -- perfect for a late winter meal. I added cumin as another commenter suggested, swapped the sweet potato for rutabaga (out of preference), and also added white beans for some extra protein.
I will definitely make this again! Thanks so much.
Monika says
Thanks for the feedback, I like the idea of adding cumin:)
B'ma says
Used the last of the fresh winter vegetables today and this soup was amazing! I added a purple top turnip and had no bay leaves so used Italian seasoning. Such a great idea to roast the vegetables first. Thank you!
Monika says
Thank you!
Ronda says
This is an easy recipe but taste was a little bland. I added 3/4tsp cumin and it made it perfect spice for me. I also wanted it less chunky, so I put it in the ninja once cooled. I made this on Sunday afternoon for my weeks meal prep. Thank you
Monika says
You are welcome! Thanks for your feedback:)
Cait says
I made this tonight and it was FABULOUS! I was looking for a nice chunky stew to use my celeriac in, and it fit the bill perfectly. So satisfying and comforting. I didn't have garlic so I used garlic powder, and used shallots instead of an onion, and used two sweet potatoes instead of a parsnip. I also added some finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, smoked paprika, and some lovage stems in the stock for a little celery flavour. It was wonderful and I will make it again! Thank you 🙂
Monika says
Thank you for letting me know, so glad you liked it and I love the extras especially the smoked paprika, one of my favourite herbs:)
Angie | Fiesta Friday says
The one root vegetable I'm very interested in trying is celeriac. I even bought seeds to plant but completely forgot! I guess I'll just be buying it for now, and when i do I'll give this yummy soup a try. Btw, Monika, if you're willing I can use your help in cohosting in late November, say Nov 23 or Nov 30. Which week is better for you? #fiestafriday
Monika says
Celeriac is definitely worth trying, it's quite unique. I can co-host Nov 23.
Becky Ellis says
This is a perfect recipe for Fall. Thank you for sharing on Fiesta Friday!
Monika says
Thank you! Happy FF!
Linda says
I added red lentils when I boiled the veggies. Delicious!
Monika says
Great idea! Glad you made it your own!
Marybeth C. says
Autumn in a bowl! I made this delicious soup this weekend and we gobbled it right up! First time I've used celeriac; I'll include it more in the future. I'll also use turmeric next time (didn't have any on hand) to get that beautiful bright color (as well as the health benefits).
[email protected] says
Thank you for making my recipe Marybeth, and liking it too! You've made my Monday morning:)
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain says
Ooh I love homemade root vegetable soups at this time of year, though i have to admit that I've never tried it with roasted root veg...definitely need to give that a whirl it sounds gorgeous with the extra flavours that the roasting produces.
Angela x
[email protected] says
Thanks! I'd never roasted vegetables for soup before either, but the soup does have a more intense flavour cooked like that. I made another soup using slightly different roasted vegetables the other day and it was gorgeous too:)
Midge says
Ooh yum - there is nothing better than a nice bowl of thick homemade soup at this time of year! Esp when the veg is roasted first it just makes it taste even better! #CookBlogShare
[email protected] says
Thanks! Completely agree with you, in fact I am making another soup similar to that one right now:)
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins says
I love soups, especially at this time of year. Root vegetables are perfect for cold days. This soup looks and sounds delicious x #CookBlogShare
[email protected] says
Thanks Kirsty! Autumn soups are my favourite, this one is just one of many I'll be cooking this season:)
Mandy Mazliah says
This sounds really lovely. I always prefer the flavour of roasted veg - what a great idea to make a soup with them. Thanks for linking up with #CookBlogShare
[email protected] says
Thanks Mandy! Roasted vegetables are such an autumny type of dish so putting them in a soup seemed like a natural thing to do at this time of year:)
Lisa Ray says
Yum and yum! Will try to make this soon:)
[email protected] says
Thank you! Hope you like it:)
Louise Fairweather says
This looks delicious! I need to start eating some more healthy food. So easy to eat badly as winter draws in #cookblogshare
[email protected] says
Thank you! I agree it's easy to turn to not so healthy comfort foods at this time of year. The good thing is - not all comfort foods are bad:)
Eb Gargano says
Yum! This is so my kind of meal - easy, healthy and I am sure delicious!! I do so love roasted root veggies and I love the idea of adding turmeric - I think I might add a little bit of ginger too 🙂 Eb x
[email protected] says
Thanks Eb! Ginger would go really well in this recipe too.