Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large sweet onion, diced
  • 1 link of spicy sausage, casing removed (optional, but delicious; I used Andouille)
  • 1 leek, diced (white & light green parts only)
  • 2-3 tsp garlic, minced
  • 2-3 tsp thyme
  • 2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup celery, diced
  • 2 heaping cups cauliflower florets
  • 1 heaping tsp spicy mustard (I used horseradish mustard)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tsp Old Bay (or, if you don’t have Old Bay, sprinkle in nutmeg, cinnamon, paprika, cayenne, black pepper, and turmeric)
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 3-3 ½ cups vegetable stock
  • 2 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced (for garnish)

Instructions:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
  2. Add the diced onions and sausage meat. Cook until the onions soften, breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the leeks and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic and thyme, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  5. Add the parsnips, celery, and cauliflower florets. Stir to coat with the oil.
  6. Add the mustard, salt, pepper, and Old Bay (or Old Bay substitute). Stir everything together well.
  7. Add the lemon juice and vegetable stock. Cover, stir once more, and bring to a boil.
  8. Once boiling, remove the lid, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook for about 15-18 minutes until the parsnips are tender (easily pierced with a fork).
  9. Ladle half of the soup into a blender and puree until smooth. (Be careful! The hot contents may cause the blender to overflow. Remove the center piece of the blender lid and cover with a folded paper towel to prevent splashes.)
  10. Add the pureed half of the soup back to the pot with the rest of the soup. Stir and simmer again, checking for seasoning and adjusting as needed.
  11. Serve the soup, topping it with sliced cabbage. Enjoy and taste the vegetable rainbow!
  • Adapted from The First Mess
  • Makes about 4-6 serving