Radish Mint Cream Soup

I just landed back in NYC after a week in a warm climate and was greeted by very fall weather in mid-May. What. Is. Up. With. That? So I have a solution. This Radish Mint Cream Soup is the perfect spring or summer soup. However, the soup also sports some heft for colder weather. The recipe features a creamy parsnip and potato base. Additionally, the flavors of red radishes and fresh mint freshen up the flavor and present balance.

Additionally, butter-fried shallots add another layer of flavor to this lovely dish and the flavors of mint and radish work surprisingly well together. If you do not have shallots, substitute a sweet onion. 

I would have never dreamed of putting all these flavors together. Luckily I spotted this recipe in a German cooking magazine. Initially skeptical but intrigued, I decided to see how it all came together. Consequently, it was a happy surprise when I tasted the finished soup.

Substitutions

Firstly, to lighten up this Radish Mint Cream Soup, use a light or low-fat version of the cream. Secondly, substitute all parsnips instead of the potatoes. The red radishes worked beautifully. However, there are many different radish varieties available in farmers markets. Consequently, go crazy with colors. Orange, purple, and black varieties are all fun flavors to experiment with.

Thirdly, with all the mint varieties available, lemon mint, orange mint or ginger mint would be great substitutions. Finally, this soup is thick and filling. It is a perfect combination of spring flavor but with heft.  This Radish Mint Cream Soup is a lovely, satisfying recipe for those “in-between” seasons meals. I especially love the contrast between the creamy and crunchy textures. 

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Radish Mint Cream Soup

Course Soup

Cuisine American, German

Keyword Radish Soup

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 4

Author Lora Wiley-Lennartz

Ingredients

• 3 shallots
• 1 parsley root or parsnip
• 1/2 lb potatoes, white or yellow variety
• 1 bunch of radishes (about 1/2 with the greens still on.
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint, plus more chopped or whole mint leaves for garnish.

Instructions

1. Peel and dice the shallots.

2. Peel the potatoes and cut into small pieces.

3. Wash the radishes and pat them dry. Trim the greens and chop them into small pieces.

4. Slice the red part of the radishes into rounds.

5. Heat the unsalted butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.

6. Add the shallots and stir fry until they become transparent.

7. Add the chopped parsnip and potato pieces to the pan and stir to combine.

8. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

9. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes.

10. Add the vegetable broth to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil.

11. Lower the heat and let the mixture simmer for 15 -20 minutes or until the vegetables become soft. You should be able to run a fork through them easily.

12. Add the radish greens to the soup and cook for another 5 minutes.

13. Stir the heavy cream into the soup and let cook another 5 minutes.

14. Use a hand blender to puree the soup. If you do not have one handy, transfer the soup to a food processor or blender and puree, then transfer the pureed soup back into the saucepan.

15. Add the radish rounds and the chopped fresh mint into the soup. If you prefer, reserve some of the red round pieces for garnish.

16. Cook the soup for another 5 minutes.

17. Remove from heat and divide into 4 bowls.

18. Scatter the fresh red radish rounds and chopped mint or mint leaves over the top of the soup in each bowl and serve.

Like this Radish Mint Soup? Also, try some of these other delicious recipes:

SPRING VEGETABLE BREAD SOUP

PISTACHIO PESTO ROASTED RADISHES

CHICKEN BREAST WITH GINGER ORANGE PARSNIPS