Eat Your Greens in this Delicious Soup!

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This is a super healthy and delicious recipe for Creamy Goat Cheese Spinach Soup. It is made creamy from the addition of a bit of goat cheese blended into the soup instead of using cream. The cheese adds a delightful flavor that is very complimentary to spinach.

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This soup would make a great pairing for a sandwich or wrap for lunch as well as a perfect starter soup for dinner. It is a silky smooth soup that stands up for garnishes and also thickens a bit after it is refrigerated. You can make it a day ahead or early in the day before serving if you want it to be thicker.

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I added 1/2 teaspoon of a wonderful spice mixture called Simply Za’atar from our local spice shop, “Spice of Life” to the soup. It is made up of a mixture of thyme, sumac, sesame seed, oregano, sage, marjoram, coriander and rosemary. It really enhances the flavor of the soup very nicely without overpowering it. 

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Creamy Goat Cheese Spinach Soup

Serves 8

Ingredients
  • 2 leeks
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 ribs celery, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • 14 ounces chopped yukon gold potatoes
  • 8 cups firmly packed spinach, washed, drained and dry
  • 3 ounces goat cheese (crumbled)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Za’atar (or to taste)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • Garnish with celery leaves, goat cheese and Aleppo crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
  1. Soak and clean the leeks in cold water. Rinse, drain, and slice into ¼ inch half-rounds.
  2. Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a stock pot and add the onion and leeks. Cook and stir about 10 minutes until the onion and leeks are soft. Add the celery and cook and stir about 5 minutes longer. Add the garlic and cook and stir about 2 minutes more.
  3. Add the broth, potatoes, Za’atar, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 30 minutes uncovered, until the potatoes are tender. Add the spinach and cook and stir 3-4 minutes until it has wilted.
  4. Remove the soup from the heat and allow it to cool slightly. Working in batches, puree soup in a food processor until smooth. Return the mixture to pot.
  5. Add the goat cheese and blend with a stick blender, until the cheese is blended and the soup is smooth. (Alternately, blend the cheese into the last batch and stir it in to the soup in the pot.)
  6. Adjust seasoning as needed. Reheat on very low heat, stirring constantly.
  7. Serve, garnishing the bowls with small torn lettuce leaves, a few small crumbles of goat cheese and a sprinkle of pepper flakes.

(click here) for printable recipe

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