White Velvet Soup

Name: White Velvet Soup
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (plus for drizzling); 4 parsnips (peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 1 pound)); 2 stalks celery (chopped); 2 bulbs fennel (trimmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces); 1 onion (chopped); 2 teaspoons salt; 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds; 1 bay leaf; 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk; Crispy cooked bacon (chopped, for garnish); Grated Parmesan (for garnish); Pomegranate Gremolata (for garnish, recipe follows); Pomegranate Gremolata:; 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley; 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds; 1 teaspoon lemon zest; 1/8 teaspoon salt

25 MINPrep Time

40 MINCook Time

6Servings

(2)

by Giada De Laurentiis

Beginner

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Newman

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This white velvet soup is the hearty, healthy winter dinner you need in your life! Full of parsnips, fennel, celery, and onion, it's different from your typical vegetable soup. The veggies get sautéed and then cooked in simmering water, and then puréed into a rich, creamy soup. Unsweetened almond milk thins out the purée just enough without drastically changing the flavor. This soup is similar in texture to a butternut squash or sweet potato soup, but something about its simplicity makes it feel extra luxurious.

The pomegranate gremolata adds the perfect finishing touch of brightness to liven things up. Some chopped bacon adds great crunch and meaty flavor, but you can leave it off if you want to keep it vegetarian. And of course, nothing is complete without a little sprinkle of parmesan!

White Velvet Soup

Prep Time

25 minutes

Cook Time

40 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (plus for drizzling)
4 parsnips (peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 1 pound))
2 stalks celery (chopped)
2 bulbs fennel (trimmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces)
1 onion (chopped)
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 bay leaf

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1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
Crispy cooked bacon (chopped, for garnish)
Grated Parmesan (for garnish)
Pomegranate Gremolata (for garnish, recipe follows)
Pomegranate Gremolata:
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

As seen on: Giada's Holiday Handbook, Episode 1. 'Tis The Season.
Heat the olive oil in a 3 1/2-quart Dutch oven medium-high heat. Add the parsnips, celery, fennel, onion, salt and fennel seeds. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add 4 cups water and the bay leaf to the pan, and stir. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover with a lid. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft. Allow to cool slightly.
Puree the soup in two batches, adding half of the almond milk to each batch. Return the soup to the Dutch oven, and heat to warm through--alternatively, pour the soup into a slow cooker and keep warm on the low setting.
Serve garnished with bacon, Parmesan and pomegranate gremolata.
Pomegranate Gremolata: In a bowl, mix together the parsley, pomegranate seeds, lemon zest and salt.

Nutrition

per serving: Calories; 167

Amount/Serving % Daily Value

Carbs: 28 grams
Protein: 3 grams
Fat: 6 grams
Saturated Fat: 1 grams
Sodium: 961 milligrams
Fiber: 9 grams
Sugar: 7 grams
Unsaturated Fat: 5 grams

gluten free

2 comments

Marcy Brown - Jun 09

★★★★★

★★★★★

OMG this soup! It's comforting. It's decadent. It's actually healthy. I made it exactly per the recipe, and it was love at first bite (sip?) I love parsnips and fennel, so I knew it was going to be a winner. But I was so surprised at how creamy it is, even before I added the almond milk. I pureed the soft veggies and broth in batches in a nutri-bullet, and it came out like the most beautiful cream soup. The flavor is perfect for winter, with a pop from the pomegranate gremolata. And you can never go wrong with a little crisp bacon and cheese on top of your soup. This is going on regular rotation. Bravo, Giada. And thanks.
Jaipreet Patel - Jun 09

★★★★★

★★★★★

This recipe was a hit in my house. I am not really a soup person. When I made this everyone seemed to enjoy it….it was simple and all the flavors were delicious. I would recommend it!