Parsnip & Rosemary Soup

Parsnips get overlooked next to their flashier carrot cousins, but they’ve got a deep, earthy sweetness that makes them perfect for soup.

Fresh rosemary and garlic turn fragrant in hot olive oil, perfuming your whole kitchen before the parsnips even hit the pot.

The real surprise here is the olives, stirred in at the very end so they stay plump and briny.

That salty pop cuts through the richness and gives you a taste of the Mediterranean in every spoonful.

This soup proves that humble root vegetables can be just as impressive as anything else when you treat them right.

Kitchen Tips

• Pick the right parsnips: Choose medium-sized ones, as large parsnips can have a woody core that turns bitter when cooked.
• Don’t skip the high-heat step: Cooking the garlic and rosemary for one minute over high heat releases their essential oils for maximum flavor.
• Olive choices: Kalamata or oil-cured black olives work beautifully, but avoid canned black olives which taste flat.
• Make it chunky or smooth: The recipe doesn’t specify blending, so serve it chunky as written, or blend half for a creamier base with texture.