• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Evergreen Kitchen

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Cookbook
  • Recipes
  • Resources
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Cookbook
    • Recipes
    • Resources
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Mains

    Published: May 10, 2017 · Modified: Feb 5, 2022 by bri · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Potato Parsnip and Leek Soup with Chive Gremolata

    A delicious twist on a classic Potato Leek Soup, with the addition of parsnips and a bright chive gremolata. This easy vegan soup cooks itself in the oven. You won't need to dirty a single pot!
    Jump to Recipe
    Side view of potato parsnip and leek soup with chive gremolata on a wooden surface

    Mother’s Day is coming up and coincidentally, I happen to be further away from my mum than I’ve ever been.  Anguel and I are frolicking in Greece right about now, but thankfully my mum and I got to spend a great day together in the kitchen just before leaving. I think she was mostly there to hang out with the cats – but given she’ll never turn down food, she happily taste-tested soups for our FeedFeed and Vitamix partnership. And frankly, I’m not surprised about where the recipe landed. Potato leek soup has always been her favorite.

    My mum’s taught me a lot about cooking. Thanks to her, I know how to stir-fry almost anything. And I can quickly triple a recipe in my head, because her portions start at extra-large. I picked up a lot of her habits from just watching her cook. Like the countless times I’d watched her cut the light bottoms off leeks and cast them aside…before carefully stuffing the green ends into her herculean sized pot. Because of this, for most of my life, I would have sworn that you were only supposed to use the dark green part of a leek. It was only until I first read an actual potato leek soup recipe for myself, that I realized she’d been doing it wrong all along! Facepalm. It’s okay mum, you’re still right 99% of the time.

    Cutting board with leeks, garlic and potatoes before cooking
    Baking sheet with baked parsnip, leek, and garlic

    I’m happy to report that proper leek prep has now been going strong for a few years now, so it felt only right to celebrate with a soup of our own. And boy, am I excited to share this one! This recipe has all the flavors of a classic potato leek soup, but with some easy “extras” to make it fresh and exciting.  Parsnips add a hint of sweet and earthy flavor. It’s a combination I love. We skipped the dairy on this one, which helps lighten up the soup and keep it vegan. And to brighten everything up (it is spring time after all!), there’s a fresh Chive Gremolata to go with it. The name sounds fancy, I know, but it’s only 4 ingredients and so worth it. If you're not familiar, "gremolata" is a fresh herb topping that's typically paired with meat dishes...but a little known secret is that it can also be used to add a punch of flavour to plant-based ones too! In addition to using the lemon zest in the Chive Gremolata, this recipe also calls for using lemon juice in the soup. A hint of acid really helps to round out the flavors. It makes a difference, trust me.

    Two bowls of potato parsnip soup with chive gremolata for garnish

    You’ll probably be happy to hear that this soup doesn’t require hours of standing over a hot stove. In fact, it doesn’t even call for a pot! Instead, everything gets roasted in the oven and combined with hot stock before a whirl in the blender. And just like that, you’ll get a silky smooth soup in the blink of an eye. Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to process the soup in two batches.  I used the snazzy new Vitamix Ascent 2500 for this recipe, and it all fit in a single go. If you have any leftover soup, it’s best to store it separately from the gremolata. Soup can be reheated the next day, or eaten cold – both are delicious!

    Bowl of potato parsnip leek soup in front of vitamix after blending
    Close up on bowl of potato parsnip leek soup with chive gremolata and olive oil for garnish

    Potato Parsnip Leek Soup

    A delicious twist on a classic Potato Leek Soup, with the addition of parsnips and a bright chive gremolata. This easy vegan soup cooks itself in the oven. You won't need to dirty a single pot!
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 40 minutes
    Total Time 55 minutes
    Servings 4
    Author: Bri
    Pin Recipe
    Side view of potato parsnip and leek soup with chive gremolata on a wooden surface
    Print

    Ingredients

    Potato Parsnip Leek Soup

    • 1 head garlic
    • 1 lb russet potatoes, chopped (see note 1)
    • ½ lb parsnips, chopped
    • 3 cups chopped leek (white and pale green sections only)
    • 1 large white onion, chopped
    • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
    • 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
    • 5 cups vegetable broth (more if needed)
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (see note 2)
    • ¼ teaspoon white pepper

    Chive Gremolata

    • ¼ cup minced fresh chives
    • 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
    • 1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 1 large lemon)
    • 1 pinch Fine sea salt
    • Red pepper flakes (to taste)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat: Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (see note 3).
    • Prep garlic for Soup: Slice top off the head of garlic. Place garlic on foil and drizzle 2 teaspoons of the olive oil over the cut side. Wrap tightly with foil and place on baking sheet.
    • Roast vegetables: Add potatoes, parsnips, leek, and onion to baking sheet. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Bake until fork tender and golden brown on the edges, about 40 minutes, flipping vegetables halfway through.
    • Make Chive Gremolata: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together chives, parsley, lemon zest, salt, and red pepper flakes (to taste). Cover and refrigerate until needed.
    • Blend soup: Transfer roasted vegetables to a blender. Unwrap and squeeze head of garlic over blender, to release the soft garlic cloves (discard garlic peel). Add vegetable stock, lemon juice, white pepper, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Blend until smooth, thin with more broth if needed. Taste and season with more salt, if needed.
    • Heat soup: If you have a high-speed blender, heat soup directly in blender (see note 4). Otherwise, transfer to a pot over medium heat. Pour hot soup into bowls, garnish with chive gremolata.

    Notes

    1. Potatoes: You can peel the potatoes if you'd like - or leave them unpeeled. Peeled potatoes will make a lighter colored soup (like the one photographed). The russet potatoes could be substituted with Yukon Gold (or similar) instead.
    2. Lemon juice & zest: In this recipe, the zest will get used later for the Chive Gremolata. Zest the lemon first and set the zest aside (for later), then squeeze it for the juice. 
    3. Large baking sheet: When roasting vegetables, use the biggest baking sheet you have. Spacing out the vegetables encourages them to roast, rather than steam. A "half sheet" (18 x 13-inches) should provide enough space for this recipe. But if your baking sheets are smaller, you may need to divide the vegetables across two baking sheets. If using two baking sheets, position the racks in the upper and lower-thirds of the oven, and rotate the sheets halfway through. 
    4. High speed blenders: High speed blenders, like Vitamix, usually heat food from the friction of the blades. Follow manufacturer's directions (e.g. for Vitamix, blend on high speed for about 6 minutes, or until hot). Some high speed blenders have a "soup" setting directly built in.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 954mg | Potassium: 913mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1394IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 3mg
    Did you make this recipe?Let us know by leaving a rating below and tag us @evergreenkitchen on instagram!

    More Mains

    • Vegetarian air fryer eggplant parmesan with marinara sauce on a dinner plate.
      Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan
    • Halloumi Thai Curry in a skillet topped with cilantro, jalapeno, and herbs.
      Easy Halloumi Curry
    • Vegan Potato Leek Soup topped with chives and pepper in a bowl with a spoon.
      Vegan Potato Leek Soup
    • Vegetarian Orzo Pesto Salad with tomatoes, peas, and cheese in a bowl.
      Easy Orzo Pesto Salad

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      LEAVE A COMMENT Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Pauline says

      March 07, 2021 at 8:15 pm

      What are the red bits on top with the gremolata? It makes it look so pretty

      Reply
      • Bri says

        March 07, 2021 at 8:44 pm

        Hi Pauline! Thanks for reaching out! Those would be red pepper / chili flakes:) Hope you have a great rest of your day!

        Reply
    2. Paula Nelson says

      October 13, 2020 at 2:53 pm

      This sounds lovely - can't wait to try it! Can it be frozen?

      Reply
    3. Renee says

      September 30, 2019 at 12:38 am

      I've made this soup for meal prep many many times and it never disappoints!! It's so comforting and delicious. I also blend with a handful of cashews for some added protein.

      Reply
    4. Hope says

      February 03, 2019 at 2:19 am

      Thank you, the soup was fab!
      P.S....I love your soup bowls!

      Reply
      • Bri says

        February 08, 2019 at 12:04 am

        Hi Hope! That's so awesome to hear you enjoyed the soup! Thank you for your kind words on the bowls:)

        Reply
    5. Renee says

      November 24, 2018 at 12:17 pm

      Can you please tell me how many cups this makes?

      Reply
    6. Elisavet Delecha says

      February 04, 2018 at 11:44 am

      What a nice soup!!! Do you have any idea with what I could substitute the parsnip with? I live in Greece and it's not likely I can get accross them in the supermarket here...
      Thanks 🙂

      Reply
      • Bri says

        February 06, 2018 at 5:39 pm

        Hi Elisavet! If you can't get ahold of Parsnips, then you could substitute with: more potatoes, turnip (the white kind), or even celery root (celeriac). If you give this a go, would love to hear what you think! On a side note, I went to Greece a couple years ago and it was absolutely beautiful - you live in a stunning country:)

        Reply
    7. Kaila says

      January 29, 2018 at 6:59 pm

      Loved the addition of the roasted parsnip and lemon juice and garlic in this delicious soup recipe. Perfect to serve in this cold weather here in Ottawa. This soup is good served cold as well.

      Could you recommend a good vegetable broth to use in this recipe as there are many to choose from and some are better than others.

      Thanks again. My husband and our 2 girls enjoy your healthy and tasty recipes and appreciate your time in creating and sharing them with your followers.

      Kaila

      Reply
      • Bri says

        January 29, 2018 at 7:52 pm

        Hi Kaila! Happy Monday! I'm thrilled that you and your family loved the soup! It's definitely a cozy one. That's funny you say you like the soup cold, because Anguel loves to eat it that way too!

        On vegetable broth, my personal favourite is Better than Bouillon. If you have a Costco nearby, check to see if they sell it. That's where I buy it from here in Vancouver. Whole Foods and a bunch of other retailers are starting to stock it too, but Costco has the best prices I've been able to find. We have more recommendations on preferred brands in our the resources section of our site. You can visit: evergreenkitchen.ca/our-pantry. Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions. xx

        Reply
    8. Paula says

      January 28, 2018 at 6:58 pm

      Hi Brie, many thanks for the recipe! The veggies are now in the oven and it should not take more than 30 mins to have the soup on the table 🙂

      Reply
      • Bri says

        January 29, 2018 at 6:44 pm

        Hi Paula! You're so welcome!! So great to hear you're giving this recipe a go - and that the veggies are already in the oven! I hope you enjoy the soup!

        Reply
    9. Ashley says

      January 10, 2018 at 8:38 pm

      It's currently freezing in Toronto and I've been looking for recipes to help warm me up - this delicious soup did the trick! It was easy to prepare (which is important for a novice cook like myself!) but full of flavour. In my opinion, the lemon really makes this dish, it kept this hearty soup feeling fresh - so good! This soup will definitely be a winter staple in my household.

      Reply
      • Brianne B. says

        January 10, 2018 at 8:42 pm

        So glad you enjoyed the soup Ashley! The picture you sent me looked great! Stay warm in Toronto - I hear it's crazy chilly these days.

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome to Evergreen Kitchen! We're all about delicious vegetarian food you actually want to eat. Here you'll find craveable dinner recipes, meal prep ideas, healthy-ish desserts, and everyday cooking resources.

    More about us →

    Get the Cookbook!

    Evergreen Kitchen Weeknight Vegetarian Dinners for Everyone Cookbook Cover
    Learn more about Evergreen Kitchen:
    Weeknight Vegetarian Dinners for Everyone

    Spring Features

    • Vegetarian Lentil Nicoise Salad
    • Whipped ricotta dip with honey, thyme, and pepper in a bowl.
      Whipped Ricotta Dip with Honey
    • Black Lentil Salad with Feta in a bowl with a fork.
      Mediterranean Black Lentil Salad with Feta
    • Halloumi Couscous Salad with Lemon on a green plate with a fork.
      Halloumi Couscous Salad with Lemon
    • Lemon Spinach Orzo in a bowl topped with feta and dill.
      One Pan Lemon Spinach Orzo with Feta
    • Roasted veggie sandwich with avaocado and chipotle mayo on a serving platter
      Roasted Veggie Sandwiches with Peri Peri

    Fan Favorites

    • Close up of crispy breaded air fryer tofu with panko breadcrumb crust
      Crispy Breaded Air Fryer Tofu
    • Lemon dill and chickpea sandwich cut in half
      Vegan Smashed Chickpea Sandwich
    • Mushroom stroganoff in a white plate with fresh thyme and parmasen
      Vegetarian Mushroom Stroganoff (One Pot)
    • 12 peanut butter coconut power balls on a marble background
      Best Peanut Butter Coconut Balls
    • Close up of crispy air fryer breakfast potatoes (home fries)
      Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes (Home Fries)
    • A bowl of Instant Pot Navy Bean Soup with a piece of bread sitting on the edge of the bowl, with a white spoon and sliced lemon
      Instant Pot Bean Soup

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Info

    About

    Privacy Policy

    Contact

    Contact us

    Recipes

    Jump to Recipes

    As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Evergreen Kitchen!