…but I know this vegetable, it’s a parsnip, you might say now. It looks like a parsnip, it is as big as a parsnip, it acts like a parsnip (when put into food it behaves like all the other starchy vegetables). But this is not a parsnip. It’s a parsley root. This is another vegetable I recently discovered. Since going vegan I started to take risks when it comes to vegetables. I take a closer look at produce that is local and seasonal. And I see things I’ve never seen before or ignored. The parsley root is one of these vegetables and after trying pumpkin, butternut squash and black salsify this is my newest discovery. In a way this vegetable is nothing special, it a white root that can be added to soups and stews, served as a side or eaten raw. But if you look a little bit closer, this is a “two in one” miracle vegetable. It tastes almost like a carrot and it tastes like parsley as well. Which makes it the perfect soup ingredient, right? Because if you want a decent base for a soup, you should add some celeriac, some carrots and some parsley. Or just parsley root. And this wasn’t even invented by someone…

Tomato-Parsley Root Soup with Chipotle and Kidney Beans (serves 2-3)

1-2 teaspoon olive oil
1 big onion, diced
1 big sweet green pepper, diced
1 parsley root (100g)
1 can tomatoes (400g)
1/2 chipotle pepper, chopped
500 ml (2 cups + 1 1/3 tablespoon) vegetable broth
1 cup cooked/canned kidney beans
salt and pepper to taste
sauerkraut for serving

Heat a large pot, add olive oil and sauté onion, pepper and parsley root for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, vegetable broth, chipotle and let simmer for 20. minutes. Let cool a bit and purée the soup with an immersion blender. Add the beans and cook for another five minutes. Pour into bowls and decorate with some sauerkraut.