This winter root vegetable soup has to be one of the cosiest soups for the colder winter months. Made with hearty vegetables, fragrant herbs and creamy coconut milk, it is easy to make for a tasty and very healthy lunch.
As it is the heart of winter, this vegetable soup is often to be found bubbling away on my stovetop, and then frozen in big batches for lazier days. It joins the quinoa vegetable soup, celery soup and parsnip and cauliflower soup as favourites in my home.
Using root vegetables gives this soup a thick and hearty texture, and it is perfect for dunking in big hunks of bread or rice cakes as an alternative.
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Why you'll love this soup
- Cosy and warming. There's something about root vegetables that feel a bit decadent and especially perfect for the winter months. Creamy and very slightly sweet when cooked, this is a cosy lunch idea.
- Hearty and healthy. The soup is very filling, but also bursting with goodness.
- Easy to make. A simple recipe that can be made in larger quantities and then frozen for later.
Ingredients
This vegetable soup is packed with, well vegetables! As well as some herbs and coconut milk to keep it creamy and delicious. The main ingredients are:
- Root vegetables - I use carrots, parsnip, butternut squash and sweet potato.
- Thyme, sage and bay leaf - these balance out the sweetness of the vegetables.
- Coconut milk and vegetable broth - for that creamy taste and texture.
Variations to the recipe
You can easily adapt the ratio of the vegetables to those you prefer or have to hand. Only have a few carrots? Then add a little more sweet potato instead. If you use a lot of parsnip and sweet potato you may need to add a touch more broth.
Step by step instructions
Just a few steps to make this root vegetable soup:
STEP 1
Fry the onion, garlic and herbs on a low heat, so the onion is softened. Then add the root vegetables to the pan. Cook for a few minutes, then pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a light simmer.
STEP 2
Pour in the coconut milk and season with salt and pepper (if using). Cook until the vegetables are fork tender, then use an immersion blender (or transfer batches to a food processor) to blend into a thick soup.
Ladle into your serving bowls and enjoy!
Make sure to check out the recipe card for the full ingredients and instructions!
Equipment needed
Large pan (if making extras to freeze then a very large pan!)
Immersion blender or food processor
More soup recipes to enjoy
If you are on a soup kick like me right now as it's cold outside and you are craving something hearty and warming, I have you covered with lots of simple but delicious soup recipes!
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Winter root vegetable soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ white onion finely diced
- 1 garlic clove optional
- 3 carrots diced
- 1 parsnip diced
- ½ butternut squash diced
- 1 sweet potato diced
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 750 mls vegetable stock or bouillon
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 bay leaf
- pinch pink himalayan salt
- pinch black pepper optional
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds optional
- parsley finely diced, optional
Instructions
- Add the onion, garlic, thyme, sage and bay leaf to a large saucepan and fry on a low heat for 4-5 minutes until the onion has softened.
- Transfer the sweet potato, carrots, parsnip and butternut squash to the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes and then add the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, stir well, and then reduce the heat to a light simmer.
- Pour in the coconut milk and stir well. Sprinkle in the salt and pepper and then cook for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Take off the heat and use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender or food processor to blend to a creamy consistency. If necessary, transfer back to the saucepan to re-heat slightly.
- Pour into your bowls, and sprinkle over the sesame seeds and parsley, if using. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Although I have looked high and low for a vegetable stock or bouillon that is truly low histamine, I have yet to find one that is suitable (aside from making your own). I use the Marigold Swiss Vegetable bouillon as it is yeast-free and gluten-free, but it does contain MSG if you are sensitive to it.
- If you are following a low histamine whole 30 diet it would be best to omit the sesame seeds, and use a homemade vegetable stock.
Swiss Interest Group Histamine Intolerance (SIGHI) food compatibility list
All ingredients in the root vegetable soup score 0 on the SIGHI list, with the exception of:- garlic, which scores 2, although it states that small amounts are usually well tolerated.
- sesame seeds, which score 1.
- vegetable stock - branded products are not rated on the SIGHI list.
Amanda says
I was worried this soup would be too sweet for me but the thyme and sage balance out the sweetness quite nicely. This soup is so comforting-perfect for a cold winter day. Next time I'll remember to take the bay leaf out before whizzing it up . . .
throughthefibrofog says
So glad you like it Amanda! And yeah, I have to say I've forgotten about the bay leaf many times too . . . 🙂
Katie Clark says
While I am NOT ready for winter, this is PERFECT for our current summer turning into fall weather. Yesterday, made our first slow cooker poto of soup. This looks like my next one! Yum! If I do the skillet cooking and then put it in a slow cooker, would that work?
throughthefibrofog says
Hope you like it Katie! I haven't tried it in a slow cooker, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Might need a touch more stock or water perhaps.
Carrie Kellenberger says
This looks excellent. This past week we have been prepping our shopping list for freezer meals because my husband's schedule has changed. We both love soup. I just added your shopping list to our notes and he's out getting it all now. Will let you know how it turns out!
throughthefibrofog says
Thanks Carrie! And soup is great for the freezer isn't it. So easy to reheat and have with some bread and cheese for a cosy dinner.
Sheryl Chan says
I need this like right now :p I love soups, and thick and creamy like this is perfect. I'd like to start learning how to make a variety of healthy soups I can prep and store soon. They'd be perfect with some cheese and bread for a simple meal!
throughthefibrofog says
Oh I always make double (or triple!) and freeze some for those nights when cooking feels too much. And yes, with bread and cheese is my favourite too!
Shruti Chopra says
The turning on of the Christmas lights was always such an occasion. Somehow Regent Street did it better than Oxford Street and that annoyed me because I lived closer to Oxford Street. I remember the cold cutting winds hitting the face and my nose going numb and then getting home, feeling my face defrost and having soup. There really is nothing better in that moment than soup and this looks like one that I'd love to try. I'm going to bookmark this for when Mumbai has its fake winter in the months ahead. 🙂
throughthefibrofog says
I agree! I think I prefer the Regent Street lights too, and the Carnaby Street ones have been good the past few years. It's a nice to tradition to go up in the cold and then a bit if shopping, and maybe dinner isn't. Haha, I like the idea of 'fake winter' 🙂