- 1 onion
- 2 parsnips
- A handful of thyme
- 1 pear
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 2 large handfuls of baby leaf spinach
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 800ml boiling water or hot homemade stock
- Medium pan with a lid
- Measuring jug
- Blender or hand-held blender
- 1.
Peel and finely chop the onion and parsnips. Warm a pan for 1 min over a low heat. Add 1 tbsp oil and the chopped veg. Add in most of the thyme sprigs (keep 1 back for garnishing). Season with salt and pepper. Cover and gently cook for 10 mins to soften the veg.
- 2.
Meanwhile, peel and quarter the pear. Slice out the core and dice it. Crumble the stock cube into a measuring jug. Add 800 ml boiling water and stir to dissolve (or warm up 800 ml homemade stock).
- 3.
Stir the pear into the veg. Pour in the hot stock. Cover and bring to the boil. Simmer for 8-10 mins till the veg are soft when pressed with a fork. Fish out the thyme sprigs.
- 4.
Add the spinach to the pan. Simmer for 2 mins without the lid on the pan (this keeps the spinach green). Ladle the soup into a blender and blitz it till smooth, or use a hand-held blender in the pan. Taste and add more salt and pepper if it needs it. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with fresh thyme leaves.