This green goddess soup defies all expectations of regular green soups. For one thing, it doesn’t taste like pureed weed. It’s really delicious. And it’s shared by me, a self-confessed cheese-loving carb monster (didn’t expect that to happen!): This green-her-soup, chock-full of immune-boosting veggies, is a perfect match for the winter gloom. what you need to fight.
Immunity-boosting Green Goddess Soup
Half of Sydney is currently out of action due to the flu and Covid-19. So, in response to your request, I would like to introduce a large pot filled with nutritious and delicious side dishes!
I won’t lie. My first few attempts here were pretty spicy and tasted like a hot green wheatgrass smoothie.I knew it was good for me…but it wasn’t fun to eat! ! !
But with a little ingenuity, you can make aojiru that’s not only delicious but also healthy. Three little things that make a difference here are:
- Sautéing plenty of aromatics – lots of garlic, onion and/or leeks, celery and fennel (the secret ingredient);
- Hint of spices – cumin and allspice <– Another secret ingredient
- Cooking off the spices with the aromatics – Makes the spices toasty and brings out the flavour. So much more effective than just adding it straight into liquids!
What goes in my Green Goddess Soup
Wait until you see the pile of vegetables you’re about to cook! I feel nobility just thinking about doing so.
I have tried many different combinations and the veggies listed below have the best flavor and are my favourite, so they don’t taste like eating a hot bowl of weed.But you can switch with whatever veggies you have Don’t get too hung up on copying everything I’ve used, because you can. Not a lot, but it makes a huge difference in the end result!
- Broccoli – A whole head! I use the stalk too. Just peel the fibrous skin, dice the stalk and throw it into the pot.
- Fennel – In my opinion, this is an under-utilised “secret ingredient” that adds a touch of special flavour to so many dishes! When raw, fennel has a mild aniseed flavour. Once cooked it tends to be muted when used in relatively small quantities like in this recipe. However cooked fennel has a wonderful sweetness that really adds to the flavour base of this soup.
- Celery – Another regularly used flavour base ingredient.
- Leek – In my base recipe I’m using one onion and one leek, so you can see both. But you can just double up on either. Again these bring a natural sweetness to the soup.
- Frozen peas – To thicken the soup as well as adding a touch of sweetness. Substitute with an equal amount of either more fennel, broccoli or potato.
- Kale – Yep, a WHOLE BUNCH of kale! OK fine, it’s a small-ish bunch. And we just use the leavesBut I do like flaunting the fact that it’s got so much superfood kale in it yet it doesn’t taste kale-y (which I know people are not a fan of). Substitute with frozen kale or more baby spinach.
- Baby spinach – An enormous mound of baby spinach, I use a whole bag (standard size 280g / 10 oz). Substitute with frozen spinach, fresh English spinach or more kale.
AROMATICS AND FLAVOUR
OK, so here are the ingredients that make this soup tasty!! You didn’t seriously think I was just going to ask you to whizz up a pile of green veg, did you??
- Cumin and all spice – Just 3/4 teaspoon of each does wonders to add a hint of background flavour. This adds some complexity and interest to what could otherwise be a very one-note, grassy-tasting soup. You can’t actually taste them unless you have a very refined palette, which I don’t. But if you skip them, you will know something’s missing. So don’t!
- Potato – This is for soup thickening purposes. You can use any type you want. If you switch with sweet potato, I cannot be held responsible for what it does to the colour of your soup (I see …. brown in your future??
- Garlic – 5 whole cloves. You know you want it!
- Onion – More flavour base. In the base recipe, I use one leek (see Veg load #1) and one onion. But if leeks are expensive, I just double up on onion. (In case you’re wondering why I bother with leek, it’s because it has a slightly sweeter and gentler flavour than onion.)
- Cream – I’m just going to tell it to you straight: without the cream, this tastes like a hot green smoothie. Full fat, cow’s milk cream, all the way. Substitute with sour cream or creme fraiche, though be prepared for a slightly tangy edge to the soup (which would actually be delicious too). For non-dairy, coconut cream will work fine but will alter the flavour. Butter will also make a suitable alternative. I’d use a generous knob for sautéing the veg then stir in more at the end. Just keep adding then tasting, adding then tasting!
JUST ADD WATER!
Most of the soups on my website call for a broth of cooking liquid, but for this recipe all you need is water. Yes! The significant amount of seasonings we use (garlic, onion/leek, celery, fennel) contributes greatly to this.
How to make Green Goddess Soup
- Sauté aromatics – Start off by sautéing the onion, garlic, leek, celery and fennel for 5 minutes until softened. These are our aromatics and using a generous amount like we do in this soup is the reason why we can get away with just using water rather than stock (as mentioned above).
- Cook off spices – Add the all spice and cumin then cook for 1 minute. Cooking the spices is a neat trick for adding toastiness as well as coaxing more flavour out of them.
- Simmer with vegetables – Add the broccoli, potato, water, salt and pepper and simmer for 7 minutes or until the broccoli and potato is tender.At this stage, your green soup will look rather brown, but have faith! It will be a vibrant green once the kale and spinach are blitzed in!
- Peas – Add the frozen peas (still frozen is fine) then simmer for 1 minute. That’s all the cooking time you need even if they were still frozen as they’ll continue to cook in the residual heat.
- Blitz in kale and spinach – Turn the stove off then add the kale. Push it into the hot liquid to wilt slightly then use a stick blender to blitz. Once the blended kale is mostly wilted, do the same with the baby spinach.Now blitz until it’s as smooth as you desire – have a little taste test to check. I blitz for a good 3 minutes on high. With a stick blender the soup won’t be completely smooth but I like having a bit of texture. For some reason, the thought of a completely smooth bright green soup creeps me out!If 100% smooth is what you’re after, use a normal blender. Blend in batches with the feeder lid removed, else the lid will blow off when you blend due to the heat. Cover the opening with a folded tea towel and blend in batches then transfer into a separate pot. (Note all the extra washing up = reason why I’ll always use a stick blender if I can!).
- Stir in cream. There’s plenty of residual heat in this soup so there’s no need to return it to the stove!
- Check salt – Have a taste and check if there is sufficient salt for your taste. Just a side note: the salt comes out more the next day and beyond. I don’t know the science behind it, all I know is that the soup seems to get saltier the next day!
- Soup garnishes – Ladle the soup into bowls then top with finishes of choice. I’ve gone with a swirl of cream, swish of olive oil and sprinkle of toasted sunflower seeds, for something different from the predictable (albeit much loved!) croutons. Though if croutons is what you’re after, find it in my Celeriac Soup recipe.
This soup is naturally filling, but I don’t miss an opportunity to dip the bread. Pictured above is Crusty Artisan Bread, also known as the world’s easiest no-knead bread and one of the most popular recipes on the site.If you haven’t tried it yet, you must!
Big batch, keeps well – and stays green!
I don’t know about you but the last time I attempted a green soup, it went brown when I reheated it.
Happily, this soup stays super green even after being reheated many times. It can be stored in the refrigerator for 5 days and in the freezer for 3 months. When you catch a cold, just microwave the soup in a mug and you’re good to go!
This is also a large batch recipe. Mainly because it’s designed to use 1 bag of baby spinach, 1 bunch of kale, 1 bulb of fennel, etc. But it’s totally scaled down – just use the slider on the recipe card (click serving then slide down)..
