Spinach Potato Soup
Winter is in full swing this time of year in the Northeast and the bounty of local summer and fall vegetables is a distant memory. However, one leafy green friend hangs around all year bringing much needed freshness to the deep dark days of winter. That friend is spinach. Forget the days of slimy bitter spinach that you pushed around your plate as a child, stalling to eat until threats of no dessert or tv drove fingers to pinch nose closed as you tried to swallow as fast as possible without gagging. No amount of Popeye propaganda could cover for this bane of childhood mealtimes. We are adults now and the same bitter notes that were wretched to a child’s palate, convey depth and earthiness on the tongue of an adult. We can now appreciate spinach’s taste and many beneficial attributes. It has been overshadowed by its more popular cousin (Kale) as of late, but let’s not overlook this leafy winter staple. Dowdy old spinach just happens to be highly nutritious and affordable. Just 14 grams of fresh spinach provides you with all of the vitamin K you need in a day. It is another vegetable that is low in FODMAPs. This is great if you suffer from IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and your digestive system is out of whack due to recent holiday indulgences. (I’m looking at you Roasted Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts. My love remains unrequited.) While spinach can be added to green juices and smoothies during the summer, I prefer my spinach in the form of a warm and comforting bowl of soup during the cold winter months. This has the added benefit of cooking the spinach for easier digestion and also for safety, as leafy greens can be contaminated with foodborne illness causing bacteria. To keep this soup tummy friendly, I’ve paired it with potatoes for thickening instead of the traditional wheat flour-based roux. While many spinach soups contain cream, if you are also battling Acid Reflux or GERD after a butter filled holiday season, you will appreciate that this soup is made entirely without cream or egg yolks. I use a homemade chicken stock in this recipe, but it can easily be made vegan by substituting an equal amount of water and vegan chicken bouillon or vegetable broth. An equal amount of frozen spinach can also be substituted for fresh spinach. It is gluten and dairy-free and low in fat. This soup is excellent garnished with a little sour cream or Greek yogurt if you want to add dairy or a swirl of unsweetened plant-based yogurt or sour cream if you want to stay vegan. My Mushroom and Goat Cheese topped toasts also makes a wonderful addition to this soup, making it more of a substantial meal.
Click here to watch a video demonstration of this recipe on my "Simmer and Stir" YouTube channel.
Directions:
Place diced potatoes and stock in a 3.5-4.5 quart pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 25 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.
Add spinach and stir until spinach is wilted.
Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. (If using a blender or food processor, let soup cool off heat for 20 minutes before transferring and blending.)
Off the heat, whisk in 2 Tbsp of olive oil, 1 tsp of lemon zest and 1 tsp of lemon juice.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle into bowls and garnish, if desired.
Disclaimer: Remember the all things in moderation principle? If you come across this recipe while you are making a New Year’s resolution to eat healthier and lose weight, take heed. Do not try to live on or perform some sort of ill-conceived “cleanse” using this soup. Spinach is healthy, but you can’t live on just spinach. You need a varied diet of protein, fats, carbs, fruits and vegetables to thrive. Plus, spinach is very high in oxalates and too much can cause a problem if you are prone to kidney stones! So proceed with caution!
(Makes about 7 cups.)
Ingredients:
10 oz. (280 grams) of fresh spinach, that has been picked over and rinsed thoroughly.
20 oz. (560 grams) of peeled russet potatoes, diced.
4 cups chicken stock
2 Tbsp Olive oil
Zest of half a lemon
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Optional Garnish:
1-2 Tbsp Dairy or plant-based sour cream, yogurt or Creme Fraiche
1 Tbsp chopped roasted walnut
Winter is in full swing this time of year in the Northeast and the bounty of local summer and fall vegetables is a distant memory. However, one leafy green friend hangs around all year bringing much needed freshness to the deep dark days of winter. That friend is spinach. Forget the days of slimy bitter spinach that you pushed around your plate as a child, stalling to eat until threats of no dessert or tv drove fingers to pinch nose closed as you tried to swallow as fast as possible without gagging. No amount of Popeye propaganda could cover for this bane of childhood mealtimes. We are adults now and the same bitter notes that were wretched to a child’s palate, convey depth and earthiness on the tongue of an adult. We can now appreciate spinach’s taste and many beneficial attributes. It has been overshadowed by its more popular cousin (Kale) as of late, but let’s not overlook this leafy winter staple. Dowdy old spinach just happens to be highly nutritious and affordable. Just 14 grams of fresh spinach provides you with all of the vitamin K you need in a day. It is another vegetable that is low in FODMAPs. This is great if you suffer from IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and your digestive system is out of whack due to recent holiday indulgences. (I’m looking at you Roasted Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts. My love remains unrequited.) While spinach can be added to green juices and smoothies during the summer, I prefer my spinach in the form of a warm and comforting bowl of soup during the cold winter months. This has the added benefit of cooking the spinach for easier digestion and also for safety, as leafy greens can be contaminated with foodborne illness causing bacteria. To keep this soup tummy friendly, I’ve paired it with potatoes for thickening instead of the traditional wheat flour-based roux. While many spinach soups contain cream, if you are also battling Acid Reflux or GERD after a butter filled holiday season, you will appreciate that this soup is made entirely without cream or egg yolks. I use a homemade chicken stock in this recipe, but it can easily be made vegan by substituting an equal amount of water and vegan chicken bouillon or vegetable broth. An equal amount of frozen spinach can also be substituted for fresh spinach. It is gluten and dairy-free and low in fat. This soup is excellent garnished with a little sour cream or Greek yogurt if you want to add dairy or a swirl of unsweetened plant-based yogurt or sour cream if you want to stay vegan. My Mushroom and Goat Cheese topped toasts also makes a wonderful addition to this soup, making it more of a substantial meal.
Click here to watch a video demonstration of this recipe on my "Simmer and Stir" YouTube channel.
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