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"We're making a really hearty soup today," says Rach. "All of my friends and family love this soup so much, so I'm going to double-batch it!" (Note: The recipe here is a single batch.) She cooks parsnips, aromatics, herbs and stock with bacon fat, purees the mixture and then stirs in heavy cream. The finishing touch is a garnish of bacon bits, chili crisp and chopped dill or microgreens. "It's inexpensive, it's delicious, it's soul-warming," she notes, adding that the bacon makes the house smell so good! 

Ingredients

  • ½ pound bacon, chopped
  • About 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 pounds parsnips, scrubbed and sliced
  • Salt and white pepper
  • About 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 2 leeks, cleaned and chopped
  • 2 ribs celery, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
  • 2 small or 1 large fresh bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoons thyme leaves
  • 1 chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano rind
  • 6 cups chicken bone stock or vegetable stock
  • 1 cup heavy cream
Toppings:
  • Bacon bits
  • Chili crisp
  • Chopped dill or micro greens

Yield

Serves: 4

Preparation

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high.

5-Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven

5-Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Rachael Ray
$100 $80

Add bacon, crisp and remove to paper towel-lined plate, reserving pot. Add butter to drippings and melt, then add parsnips and season with salt, white pepper and nutmeg. Partially cover the pot and soften 2 to 3 minutes. Add leeks, celery, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and Parm rind, partially cover again and soften another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove Parm rind.  

Add stock and bring to boil. Simmer 20 minutes. Remove bay, puree soup with stick blender and stir in heavy cream. Serve topped with bacon bits, chili crisp and dill or micro greens.