Vegan Pickle Soup with Leeks and Parsnips Oil-Free
Comfort food is redefined in this hearty soothing plant-based soup with a unique combination of flavors and textures. Subtly sweet parsnips and leeks warmly embrace the savory tang of fermented pickles surrounded by a rich creamy potato base. Fresh dill ties everything together with irresistible Eastern European charm.
Equipment
- Medium Cooking Pot (3 to 4 quarts is ideal)
- blender (a high speed blender is best)
- Large Cooking Pot (5 to 7 quarts is ideal)
Ingredients
- 6 cups vegetable stock (divided) (low or no sodium preferred)*
- 2 cups peeled, cubed potatoes (approximately 1 pound)
- 2 bay leaves (optional)
- ½ cup raw cashews, measured then soaked**
- ⅔ cup pickle brine from lacto-fermented pickles,*** strained
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch2
- 2 cups parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced into coin size pieces (2 medium-small parsnips)
- 1½ cup thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only (2 medium leeks)
- 2 large celery stalks, finely chopped
- 4 to 7 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup grated lacto-fermented pickles*** (use large wholes of grater)
- 3 to 4 Tbsp fresh dill leaves, chopped
- black pepper to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Place cubed potatoes, 3 cups of vegetable stock and bay leaves (if using) in a medium size pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender. While the potatoes are cooking, proceed with the next steps of this recipe.
- Place strained pre-soaked cashews, strained pickle brine and cornstarch in the bowl of a blender and process until smooth. Set aside.
- Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of vegetable stock into a large pot and bring to a rolling boil over high heat, keeping more stock close at hand. Add sliced parsnips to pot, lower heat to medium-high, and sauté for about 7 minutes until parsnips become tender and slightly golden, adding a little bit of stock at a time, as needed, to keep parsnips from burning and/or sticking.
- To the parsnips in the pot, add the leeks, celery, shredded pickles and garlic. Sauté for an additional 7 minutes until all vegetables are tender. You can continue to add little bits of stock if necessary to prevent sticking, but it's usually not necessary.
- Add the potatoes along with the vegetable stock they were cooked in (remove bay leaves first if used) and all remaining vegetable stock to the large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add creamy cashew, pickle brine, and cornstarch mixture and cook another 2 or 3 minutes to thicken.
- Stir in chopped dill leaves and season with black pepper if desired.
- Taste soup to check the saltiness level. Add salt if you think it needs it, or you can add a bit more pickle brine instead.
- Serve hot!
Notes
*Low or no sodium stock is strongly recommended for this recipe because the pickles and brine used are already quite salty. If you don't have access to low sodium vegetable stock, I suggest watering down the stock you have by about a third
**Ideally you should presoak cashews for at least two hours. You can shorten soaking time by starting with boiling water. Any amount of soaking is better than no soaking
***Lacto-fermented pickles do not contain vinegar are often found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store
Tried this recipe? Let me know how it was!