Sweet parsnips, spicy ginger, and deliciously smoky garlic come together in my thick and warming soup that's topped with protein-packed roasted chilli chickpeas, plus fresh coriander. This gingery parsnip soup with spicy roasted chickpeas is the perfect antidote to chilly weather!
Preheat your oven to 220°C (420°F / gas mark 7), line a cookie sheet with either a silicone baking mat (eg Silpat) or silicone baking parchment, and place in the oven to heat up.
Drain the chickpeas (keep the aquafaba for making mayo, meringues, brownies, etc.!), and blot dry with a clean tea towel. Set aside.
Heat 3 tablespoon sunflower oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over a medium heat, and fry the sliced onion for 5 mins or so, until it becomes translucent.
Smash the garlic and ginger together to make a paste, and add to the onions, along with the cumin. Continue to fry for another 2 mins, stirring all the time.
Add the chopped parsnips and stock. Bring to the boil, cover the pan, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20-25 mins, until the parsnips are soft.
Make the topping: while the soup is cooking, place the chickpeas, sesame oil, cumin, and gochujang into a bowl, and mix well.
Spread the seasoned chickpeas in a single layer on the heated cookie sheet, then roast for 20-25 mins, until golden and crispy (but not bullet-hard!).
Once the soup is cooked, blend until smooth (I use my Froothie Optimum VAC2*), then season with a dash of lemon juice and black pepper.
Divide the soup into four bowls, then top with the roasted chickpeas, and a sprinkling each of gochugaru and fresh coriander.
This soup can be frozen (without the chickpeas) for up to three months, or kept in the fridge in an airtight container for around a week. The chickpeas can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container.
Notes
If you want to make this soup in a slow cooker (I use this all-singing, all-dancing CrockPot), follow steps 3-5, then set your slow cooker to cook on high for 6-8 hours (exact time depends on your cooker). Then follow the rest of the steps as written.