I often veer away from soup during summer months, but I make an exception for vegetable-based soups made from my CSA share and paired with even more vegetables in all manner of inspired salads. Soup and salad is a classic bistro lunch or dinner and, in my house, it makes a regular appearance over the summer.
This bisque features parsnips and Jerusalem artichokes (also called sunchokes) paired with garlic and onion to make a golden, creamy soup that is downright pretty when sprinkled with freshly chopped chives. It's one of my favorite summer soups and I look forward to getting those late spring and early summer root veggies to make it happen. And if you have a pressure cooker, you can get it made in short order without making your kitchen into a hot zone.
I love pairing this soup with a fresh salad, but I'm also not going to complain if it shows up alongside a BLT. Given the time of the year, fresh tomatoes are becoming commonplace and I've even been known to dip a BLT into a bowl of this bisque. Give it a try!
Instant Pot Parsnip Bisque
- 1 T. butter
- 1 lb. Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed and chopped
- 2 large parsnips, peeled and chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 ½ cups chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Chopped chives, for garnish
In your Instant Pot on the sauté setting, melt the butter completely. Add the Jerusalem artichokes (aka sunchokes), parsnips, onion, and garlic. Sauté, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender enough that pressing them firmly against the side of the pot with a spoon has them giving a little.
Add the thyme leaves off the sprigs and sauté an additional 3 minutes.
Add the chicken stock and lock the lid in place. Pressure cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Allow the pot to naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes before turning the valve to release any remaining pressure. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup well and stir in the heavy cream. Taste and adjust the seasonings before serving, topped with fresh chopped chives.
- Yields: 4-6 servings
- Preparation Time: 40 minutes