White root vegetable soup

Root vegetable soup at its most wintry is this white one: celery root, parsley root, parsnip, kohlrabi and turnip, cooked slowly with leek and blended into an ivory cream without a drop of cream. There is no carrot in it, so it stays pale, and each root brings a different taste.

Pot calculatorOrder Root vegetable soup

VeganGluten freeDairy freeParveAllergens:Celery

Updated

Root vegetable soupIllustration
Time1 h 15 minCook 50 min
Pot8 bowls2.8 litres
Per bowl165 kcal3.8 g protein · a 350 ml bowl
Cost of the pot₪36for the pot, about ₪4.5 a bowl

The story of Root vegetable soup

In Eastern and Central Europe, root vegetables were the food of winter. They kept for months in the cellar after everything else had run out, and parsnip, parsley root and celery root were fixtures of Polish, German and Russian cooking. Anyone who grew up on Ashkenazi chicken soup knows them from the Friday pot, where they give the stock its sweetness and aroma and usually get left on the side.

In Israel the white roots are at their best in winter, and most of them still go into chicken soup. As a soup in its own right, white root soup is the cream soup of cold days: the roots themselves on stage, alone, and in more festive versions with chestnuts or Jerusalem artichokes.

What makes Root vegetable soup itself

White root soup is an exercise in balance. Celery root gives earthy depth, parsley root a sharp, herbal scent, parsnip sweetness and starch, and kohlrabi and turnip lightness and a gentle cabbage bite. With too much of those last two the soup smells of cabbage, so they are no more than a quarter of the pot. Everything is sweated over low heat, without browning, and seasoned with white pepper so the colour stays ivory.

Root vegetable soup for any number of people

Change the number of people and the bowl size, and every ingredient updates in grams, with the cost, calories and protein per bowl.

Bowl size
Units
2.8litres in the pot
4Pot to use, litres
₪36Cost of the pot
₪4.5per bowl
165kcal per bowl
3.8g protein per bowl
IngredientAmountCost
The base
Olive oil40 ml₪2.1
Leek, white and pale green part, sliced200 g · 1 pcs₪4.0
Garlic cloves, sliced10 g · 2 pcs₪0.4
The roots
Celery root, peeled, diced400 g · 1 pcs₪5.9
Parsley root, peeled and sliced250 g · 3 pcs₪9.9
Parsnip, peeled and sliced300 g · 2 pcs₪6.0
Kohlrabi, peeled and diced250 g · 1 pcs₪3.2
Turnip, peeled and diced150 g · 1 pcs₪1.3
Potato, diced250 g · 1 pcs₪1.5
The liquid and seasoning
Water1.7 l
Bay leaf1 g · 1 pcs₪0.4
Salt14 g₪0.0
White pepper1 g₪0.3
Grated nutmeg0.5 g₪0.2
Lemon juice10 ml₪0.2
Chopped parsley, to serve10 g₪0.5
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Shelf prices at a large Israeli chain and specialty shops, October 2026. Nutrition from the ingredients in grams, before cooking.

How many calories in Root vegetable soup? Nutrition facts and calorie calculator

Change the amount of any ingredient, drop one, or pick a lighter version, and the numbers per serving update at once: calories, fat, carbs, protein, sodium and fibre.

Root vegetable soup has 47 calories per 100 ml. A 350 ml bowl made with our recipe has 165 calories: 3.8 g protein, 5.3 g fat and 24 g carbohydrates. A 250 ml cup has 118 calories.

Lighter

Ingredients, for the whole recipe

  • 40 ml41 kcal per serving
  • 1 pcs15 kcal per serving
  • 2 pcs2 kcal per serving
  • 1 pcs22 kcal per serving
  • 3 pcs17 kcal per serving
  • 2 pcs28 kcal per serving
  • 1 pcs8 kcal per serving
  • 1 pcs5 kcal per serving
  • 1 pcs24 kcal per serving
  • 1 pcs0 kcal per serving
  • 14 g0 kcal per serving
  • 1 g0 kcal per serving
  • 1 g0 kcal per serving
  • 10 ml0 kcal per serving
  • 10 g0 kcal per serving

What each add-on adds to Root vegetable soup

Values for the amount in the row, from the national food database.

Add-onCaloriesProtein, gFat, g
A tablespoon of oil122013.8
A slice of white bread792.50.5
A slice of challah12641.1

How to make Root vegetable soup

In cook mode the screen stays on, tap a step when it is done, and the timers run next to each step.
  1. Peel all the roots and cut them into 2 cm pieces. In a thick parsnip, cut out the woody core. Keep the celery root and parsnip in a bowl of water with a little lemon until cooking.
  2. Halve the leek lengthwise, rinse well between the layers to wash out the sand, and slice.
  3. In a 5 litre pot, warm the olive oil over medium low heat and sweat the leek with a pinch of salt for 8 minutes, until completely soft but not browned. Add the garlic for a minute.
  4. Add all the roots and the potato and stir for 3 minutes, just to coat them in oil without browning.
  5. Add the water and bay leaf, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer covered for 35 minutes. Check the kohlrabi: it is the last to soften, and when it crushes easily the soup is ready.
  6. Remove the bay leaf and blend for 3 to 4 minutes, until completely smooth. For a silky texture, push it through a sieve.
  7. Season with salt, white pepper, nutmeg and lemon juice and heat for 2 minutes. Thin with boiling water to the thickness you like.
  8. Serve with chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

The science of Root vegetable soup

Kitchen science

Why parsnip is sweeter in winter

Parsnip stores starch in its root. When it is exposed to cold, frost in the field or a few cold weeks in storage, some of that starch breaks down into sugars. So a midwinter parsnip is sweeter and nuttier than one from early in the season, and the whole soup becomes sweeter with nothing added.

Kitchen science

How white root soup stays white

Browning vegetables needs high heat and a dry surface, so sweating over low heat with a little oil and then simmering in water does not brown the roots. The second enemy is an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase, which darkens cut celery root and parsnip on contact with air. Lemon water slows it, and cooking deactivates it completely.

Kitchen science

Kohlrabi and turnip: sulphur in moderation

Kohlrabi and turnip belong to the cabbage family and contain glucosinolates, compounds that release sulphur substances when the vegetable is cut and cooked. In small amounts they give a pleasant bite, but long cooking or a large amount gives a smell of boiled cabbage. That is why they are no more than a quarter of the roots in the pot.

Kitchen science

Where the velvet comes from, and why not more potato

The starch in parsnip and potato swells during cooking, and when blended it forms a thick, smooth liquid. But potato cells torn apart in a high speed blender release a lot of free starch, and the soup turns gluey. One potato per pot gives body; more than that starts to do harm.

Root vegetable soup in every kitchen

With chestnuts

Add 200 g of roasted, peeled chestnuts with the roots, plus 200 ml of water. The soup comes out thick, sweet and nutty, and suits a holiday meal.

Roasted

Roast the cut roots with the oil at 200 °C for 35 minutes, until the edges brown, and only then move them to the pot. The soup is no longer white but golden, with a deep, sweetish taste.

Chunky, not blended

Cut the roots into 1 cm dice, cook for 25 minutes and do not blend. Finish with chopped dill and lemon for a clear, delicate vegetable soup.

With coconut milk

Replace 200 ml of the water with coconut milk added after blending. The colour stays white, the texture is richer, and the soup stays parve.

Dairy

Sweat in butter instead of olive oil and finish with 150 ml of cream or milk. The soup is especially rich and velvety, and it is dairy.

Common Root vegetable soup problems and how to fix them

My root vegetable soup turned grey or brown

The cut roots darkened before cooking, or the heat was too high while sweating. Keep the celery root and parsnip in lemon water, and sweat over medium low heat only.

The soup smells of cabbage

There was too much kohlrabi and turnip, or the soup cooked too long. Balance with more cooked, blended parsnip or potato and a little lemon, and next time cut the cabbage family down to a quarter of the pot.

The soup is as sticky as glue

There were too many potatoes, or the soup was blended too long in a high speed blender. Thin with boiling water and add cooked roots without potato. Next time one potato is enough.

The soup is fibrous, not smooth

The parsnip's woody core stayed in, or the roots did not soften completely. Push it through a fine sieve, and next time cut out the core and check that the kohlrabi crushes before blending.

My root vegetable soup is bland

The roots are mild and need seasoning at the end. Add salt gradually, another pinch of white pepper and nutmeg and a few drops of lemon, and next time use a little more parsley root.

Storing, freezing and reheating

4 days

In the fridge

3 months

In the freezer

2+4

To cool

Bring it from 60 to 21 °C within two hours and down to 5 °C within four more. Split a big pot into shallow boxes.

75 °C

Reheating

Reheat over low heat, stirring, and add a little water because the soup thickens as it cools. After thawing, blend for a few seconds with a stick blender, not a high speed blender, so the soup does not turn gluey.

Nutrition of Root vegetable soup

From our recipe, per bowl and per 100 g, next to the national food database.

ServingkcalProtein, gFat, gCarbs, gFibre, g
Our recipe, a 350 ml bowl1653.85.324.06.9
Our recipe, 100 ml471.11.56.92.0

What the ingredients of Root vegetable soup cost

What each ingredient costs in one pot, and where to buy it.

IngredientPriceIn this potWhere to buy
Parsley root, peeled and sliced₪7.9 each₪9.9Greengrocer
Parsnip, peeled and sliced₪20 per kg₪6Greengrocer
Celery root, peeled, diced₪15 per kg₪5.9Greengrocer
Leek, white and pale green part, sliced₪20 per kg₪4Greengrocer
Kohlrabi, peeled and diced₪13 per kg₪3.2Greengrocer
Olive oil₪53 per litre₪2.1Supermarket
Potato, diced₪5.9 per kg₪1.5Greengrocer
Turnip, peeled and diced₪8.9 per kg₪1.3Greengrocer
Chopped parsley, to serve₪4.9 each₪0.5Greengrocer
Bay leaf₪360 per kg₪0.4Supermarket
Garlic cloves, sliced₪34 per kg₪0.3Greengrocer
White pepper₪250 per kg₪0.2Supermarket
Grated nutmeg₪398 per kg₪0.2Supermarket
Lemon juice₪20 per litre₪0.2Supermarket
Salt₪2.1 per kg₪0Supermarket

Shelf prices at a large Israeli chain and specialty shops, October 2026, VAT included. Vegetable prices change with the season.

Make Root vegetable soup a meal

Shabbat

Ready Shabbat food

Soup, hamin, mains and sides, with a quantity calculator and prices.

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Hosting

Hosting trays

9 trays to go with the soup, with a planner by number of guests.

Tray planner
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Catering

A whole menu in grams per guest, with a reheating table.

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What to serve with Root vegetable soup

Serve with chopped parsley or parsley root leaves, a drizzle of olive oil and croutons. A few fried parsnip crisps on top add a sweet crunch.

Root vegetable soup in large quantities: events, offices and communities

How much of everything by number of guests, at a 350 ml bowl. For institutional pots, catering and community kitchens.

GuestsLitres30 l potsCost of ingredients
258.81₪112
50181₪223
100352₪447
200703₪894
5001757₪2,235

Every ingredient for any number of guests is in the calculator above: type the number of people.

Order Root vegetable soup

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  • Tell us how many people and when, and we send a quote.
  • Delivery in Tel Aviv from ₪35, free over ₪750.
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Order Root vegetable soup for a large event

Large orders in Israel and abroad: events, offices, synagogues, communities and institutions.

  • In Israel: cooked in Tel Aviv and delivered to events in the area, and to large events anywhere in the country on a quote.
  • Abroad: for communities, events and restaurants. Tell us where, how many and when, and we come back with a quote and options.
  • Institutional quantities and a shopping list for any number of guests, in the calculator above.
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Frequently asked questions

Which vegetables go into root vegetable soup?

White root soup takes celery root, parsley root, parsnip, kohlrabi and turnip, with leek and one potato. Carrots and sweet potatoes stay out, because they turn the soup orange.

How do you make white root vegetable soup?

Sweat leek and garlic in olive oil without browning, add all the peeled roots and a potato, and simmer in water for 35 minutes. Blend until smooth and season with salt, white pepper, nutmeg and lemon.

How do you make celery root soup?

In the same recipe, increase the celery root to 800 g and leave out the kohlrabi and turnip. The soup comes out earthier and more fragrant, and the potato still keeps it velvety.

What is the difference between parsnip and parsley root?

Both are white roots that look alike. Parsnip is thicker at the top, sweet and starchy, while parsley root is slimmer, with the sharp, herbal scent of parsley.

Why is there no carrot in white root soup?

Carrot turns the soup orange and adds a sweetness that covers the delicate roots. If you do not mind about the white, add one carrot and you get a peach coloured root vegetable soup.

Is root vegetable soup parve?

Yes, this recipe is parve and vegan. A version with butter or cream is dairy, and root soup made on chicken stock is meat and has no dairy.

Can you freeze root vegetable soup?

Yes, for up to 3 months. It has only one potato, so the texture holds well. After thawing, reheat slowly and blend briefly with a stick blender.

How many calories are in Root vegetable soup?

A 350 ml bowl of Root vegetable soup made with our recipe has about 165 calories and 3.8 g of protein. Per 100 ml: 47 calories.

How much does it cost to make Root vegetable soup at home?

A pot of 8 bowls costs about ₪36 at Israeli shelf prices in October 2026, about ₪4.5 a bowl. The calculator above works it out for any number of people.

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