A cook can make a creamy, pureed version of turnip soup or a version that leaves the vegetables whole. For more flavor, a cook may consider roasting or otherwise cooking the turnips before adding them to the soup. For the best taste, the turnips should be peeled before they are added to the soup. A number of other vegetables can be added to turnip soup as well.
Before making turnip soup, the vegetables should be prepared properly. The skin on turnips is usually tough and may have too much of an earthy flavor to be palatable. The best option is to remove the skin from the turnips before they are cut. A cook can use either a paring knife or a vegetable peeler to slice off the skins. She should also trim the bottom end of the root and cut away any greens that are attached to the turnips.
Most cooks cut the turnips into equally sized chunks before making the soup. Another option is to slice the vegetables into thin rounds. If the turnips will be roasted first, a cook can leave them whole and then add the softened flesh to the rest of the soup ingredients.
Roasting the turnips may enhance their flavor and make them sweeter. Cooking the turnips in the oven will add about half an hour to the process. For quicker results, a cook can try sautéeing the turnips before adding them to the soup. She may also sweat or caramelize the turnips in the saucepan before pouring in stock.
Some cooks prefer a creamy, pureed version of turnip soup. Once the vegetables have cooked long enough to become very soft, a cook can use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pan. If an immersion blender isn't available, she can use a jar blender but should let the soup cool slightly first. Blending a hot soup in a jar can lead to a mess, as the soup may burst out of the jar due to a combination of heat and pressure from the blender.
A hearty turnip soup can be made by leaving the vegetables whole. This soup will have a chunky texture. Some cooks may decide to enhance the texture of the soup by adding more vegetables or a grain to the stock. For example, a cook can add rice to the soup. Other vegetables that may be added include leeks or onions, greens such as chard or kale, or other root vegetables.
