Improvising with what you have on-hand, and putting leftovers to good use … these are two of the core tasks involved with manning a kitchen.
This week, both of those tasks (and an overstocked vegetable drawer) led me to make a hearty spinach soup. It’s quick, hot, tasty, and has lots of chunky meat and vegetables. But at its core is a delectable spinach purée. This is a very thick soup – not to the point that you’d serve it on a plate like a stew, but definitely to the point that you’d want to serve it as a main dish, maybe with some crusty bread and butter.
Ingredients for 8 servings:
2 Tbs rendered bacon fat (or substitute another fat)
3/4 cup celery, coarsely chopped
10 oz. fresh baby spinach
1 quart chicken stock
2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 Tbs Summit County Seasoning (substitute poultry seasoning)
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
1½ cups roasted cauliflower, coarsely chopped into bite-sized pieces
1½ cups sautéed chicken thighs, diced
1/2 cup cream
2 cups steamed Brussels sprouts (optional)
Greek yogurt or sour cream , as a garnish (optional)
How To:
- Melt 1 Tbs fat in a soup pot over a medium flame. Add celery, and sauté until browned and somewhat softened, about 5 minutes. Add spinach. Cover and cook for 2 or 3 minutes, then stir until the spinach is fully wilted. Turn heat to lowest setting. Add stock, salt, and seasoning, and use a stick blender to purée the mixture. Taste to correct seasoning.
- Add potatoes. Raise the temperature to bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the pot, lower the temperature, and simmer until potatoes are very tender, about 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, sauté carrots in 1 Tbs bacon fat, until browned, about 3-4 minutes. Cover the pan and continue to cook until the carrots are tender, about 3-4 more minutes. Add the carrots to the soup pot.
- Add cauliflower and thighs. Heat through. Add cream and heat through. (Garnish servings with roughly-chopped sprouts and a dollop of yogurt.)
Notes:
- A touch of cumin might be welcome in this soup. Add it to the celery as you sauté it.
- Consider homemade croutons instead of sprouts, as a garnish.
Hearty Spinach Soup
I found this these sites to be useful this while writing this post: Wise Geek, Stack Exchange. Credit for images on this page: Make It Like a Man! This content was not solicited by anyone, nor was not written in exchange for anything.
Keep up with us on Bloglovin’
It looks comforting, delicious and I love food that’s loaded with veggies!
Me too! Thanks!
With the horrible weather we have been having (we get your weather about a day later), this soup is perfect timing. I thought I’d be into salads when we came back from Arizona on Friday but Mother Nature had other plans. The recipe is hearty and healthy, packed with vitamin-rich veggies. OK, there is bacon but what isn’t better with bacon? I love that you used yogurt for the dollop, looks so delicious.
Thanks, Eva.
Soup season is the most creative time of the year in my kitchen too. GREG
Wow, you had one heck of an overstocked veggie drawer, Jeff. I get it, though. That happens from time to time here, too…and soups are a great way to use up those veggies. I like the idea of the spinach puree here. I’ve never seen that before, but it sounds like a flavorful base for a good, hearty soup!
Thanks, David!
Love soups! We have it at least twice a week during the cool weather months. And April sure counts this year! Weather has been amazing. Dark greens are wonderful in soup — they add so much flavor. And that health stuff, too. 🙂 Good recipe — thanks.
Yeah, I know! When is spring going to get here?
We love improvised soups. My problem is that I make one and then forget what went in it. This looks very hearty and tasty. As we likely still have some chilly days still coming, it’s on my to-make list. Like David @ Spiced, I’ve never seen the spinach puree used in such a way. Brilliant…
We’re STILL having cold weather!
THIS COMBO SOUNDS LIKE HEAVEN ON EARTH. The only way one can truly enjoy vegetable is with a whole bunch of ANIMAL FAT!
Definitely a one-course meal for me! Reminds me in a way of a Neapolitan soup called minestra maritata, the predecessor of the Italian-American “Wedding Soup”. Only made with lots of different kinds of meats and leaf vegetables, real stick to the ribs stuff, like this.
I practically live on soup Jeff. I have one every day for my lunch at work (home made of course) and I’m adding this one to my list of ones to try. Many thanks!
Any time!
Turned out excellent!!! Thanks for recipe love all of your recipes I’ve tried.
Awesome, thank you!