Turnip Potato Soup
Creamy soup without cream. Wonderful on a cold day. I serve over quinoa for protein.
Creamy soup without cream. Wonderful on a cold day. I serve over quinoa for protein.
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup no chicken-chicken broth
- 4 medium onions thinly sliced
- 3 pounds fresh young turnips peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 pounds of russet baking potatoes peeled and thinly sliced
- 6 cups no chicken-chicken broth
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley for garnish
- 2 tsp salt plus more to taste
- 2 tbsp garlic powder (or to taste)
- 1 tbsp onion powder (or to taste)
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- Carbohydrate 37.104623 g
- Cholesterol 89.6875 mg
- Fat 15.330320125 g
- Fiber 7.61167125059664 g
- Protein 50.140830625 g
- Saturated Fat 4.1596504875 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (498g)
- Sodium 1362.697425 mg
- Sugar 29.4929517494034 g
- Trans Fat 1.2955914875 g
- Calories 491 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large, heavy, thick-bottomed pot, pour in the 1st cup of broth and bring to a boil. Add the onions and cook until translucent but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced turnips and potatoes and stir to coat with the broth. Add 2 teaspoons of salt, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the turnips and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
- Add the rest of the broth and increase the heat to bring to a simmer. Cover partially and cook over medium heat until the turnips and potatoes are very tender, about 10 minutes.
- Scoop out about 1/3 of the potato and turnip solids with a slotted spoon and reserve. Using a submersible blender purée the rest of the soup until smooth and creamy. Add the potato/turnip solids back to the soup and stir. Season with salt and freshly grated nutmeg. Ladle the soup into shallow bowls and garnish with the parsley before serving.
Slicing onions uniformly to a thickness of approximately one-eighth inch ensures they soften evenly in the initial cup of broth without scorching. Historically, root vegetables like turnips and russet potatoes formed the backbone of winter subsistence cooking in Northern Europe, where cellared crops provided dependable nourishment through freezing months long before refrigeration existed. By sweating onions in a heavy-bottomed pot before adding the roots, cooks draw out natural sugars without introducing excess fats.
Creating body without dairy relies entirely on the starch released by the one and a half pounds of russet baking potatoes during the twenty-minute covered simmer. Russets possess high starch content compared to waxy varieties, which breaks down during blending to yield a velvety texture. Removing one-third of the solids prior to using an immersion blender preserves textural contrast in the finished bowl.
Swapping russets for Yukon Golds alters the thickening capability, as yellow potatoes contain less starch and yield a lighter body. Freshly grated nutmeg added at the final seasoning stage brightens the earthy profile of the brassicas.
