In a large soup over medium flame add a splash of water (or a light drizzle of olive oil) and the onion with a pinch of salt. Add the parsnip and sautee together until the onions are softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the bay leaf, thyme, carrots and ginger and toss to coat well. Stir in the garlic and continue cooking just until fragrant, about 30 seconds or so.
2 pounds carrots, 1 small parsnip (or parsley root), 1 sweet onion, 1 inch fresh minced ginger root, 8 sprigs fresh thyme, 2 leaves bay, 2 cloves garlic
Add the water/veggie stock to the pot and bring to a simmer. Stir in the coconut milk and cook 15 to 20 minutes until the carrots have softened.
2-3 cups water or low sodium veggie stock, 14 oz can coconut milk
Discard the bay and thyme sprigs, remove the soup from heat and carefully transfer the soup to a powerful blender. (It took me a long time to invest in a Vitamix but it's worth its weight in gold, this machine is legit).
Puree on the hot soup setting until super silky smooth. At this point you might want to add some more veggie stock to thin it out so feel free adjust to your liking. Taste and add more salt and pepper to your taste if desired. Serve hot with the fresh herb garnishes and la squeeze of fresh lemon or lime.
fresh herbs, chives, vegan cheese, pistachios, pine nuts, pepitas, red pepper flakes, pesto etc.., 1 tsp sea salt
Instant Pot:
Sautee the onion, ginger and parsnip. Add in the chopped carrots, garlic, bay and thyme and pour in the water. Secure the IP lid and cook for 7 minutes on high pressure. Do a quick release then add the coconut milk. Transfer to a powerful blender to puree the soup to your liking.
Notes
The soup can be frozen up to 6 months.
Bring out your powerful blender for this one if you can. I pureed some with my immersion blender and some in the Vitamix and the Vitamix delivered the silkiest creamiest soup I’ve ever had.
You can use almond milk instead of coconut, just know it isn’t nearly as rich and the flavor profile will be different.