By Ellie Krieger
Spring has me craving green. I'm impatiently waiting for blades of grass to disrupt all the brown, cheering on the early tree buds, and hankering for all the edible spring shoots and leaves to hit the market.
This soup is just the thing to satisfy the need for green this time of year, and it does so in a way that offers comfort on still-cool nights. It's a stunning, emerald bowl of goodness, made with fresh spinach leaves simmered in broth until they are wilted but still bright, and then puréed until smooth.
Creamy Spinach Soup With Goat Cheese (Serves 4-6)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 small russet potato (170g) peeled and diced
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 16 cups (230g) fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup low-fat milk (1%), or more as needed; can substitute 1 cup additional broth
- 85g soft goat cheese (chevre)
- 2 tablespoons plain yoghurt (low-fat or full fat)
Method
In a medium pot over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the potato, broth, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the potato is tender, about 10 minutes. Add the spinach, return the soup to a boil and cook until the spinach is completely wilted but still a vibrant green, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. (Alternatively, let the soup cool for 15 minutes, then purée in batches in a stand blender.)
Return the puréed soup to medium heat; add the milk and cook until warm but not boiling. Add the goat cheese to the pot and whisk until melted.
In a small bowl, stir the yoghurt with just enough water or milk, a teaspoon at a time, until it is the consistency of pancake batter.
Ladle the soup into serving bowls and, using a fork, drizzle the yoghurt on top as a garnish and serve.