Appetizers/ Soup

Dairy-Free Cream of Spinach Soup

This soup is so easy and so delicious, you’ll want to make it often. All you need is a bag of baby spinach (or frozen spinach), an onion, a couple potatoes, a can of coconut milk, some broth, salt, pepper and a teensy bit of turmeric.

Oh, and you’ll need some olive oil. Heat the oil in a deep pan (maybe add a little canola or coconut oil to make the olive oil more durable under high heat), stir in chopped onion and potatoes, add the spinach and broth, cook for half an hour, blend if you wish, stir in the coconut milk, and you are done!

I dust each ingredient with a sprinkle of salt and pepper after adding it to the pan. The turmeric gets stirred in with the broth, where it simmers in extra richness without heft. Spinach has a fairly delicate flavor, and potatoes are just plain bland, but together they have a synergy that works. Add a pinch of thyme if you’d like an extra flavor dimension to the soup, but it doesn’t really need it.

The “cream” in this soup is coconut milk. You can substitute cashew cream or real cream if you’re not allergic to dairy. Heavy cream would be divine, but that ingredient is long gone from our diet.

You can use any broth or even water in this soup, but you’ll have to add or subtract salt and pepper depending on the flavor of the broth. I use boxed unsalted vegetable broth when my vegetarian offspring are at home, but normally I make soup with homemade chicken broth. Either way, this soup is quick and delectable.

Springhouse Turtle Eats

Dairy-Free Cream of Spinach Soup

By Springhouse Turtle Serves: 4-6
Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 50 minutes

Fresh baby spinach, yellow potatoes and coconut milk blend into a light, creamy springtime soup.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon canola or coconut oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 medium yellow potatoes, diced
  • 1 bag fresh baby spinach, washed (about 8 ounces) or 1/2 pound frozen spinach, defrosted
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 5 cups broth or water (use less for a thicker soup)
  • 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
  • Pinch of dried or fresh thyme (optional)

Instructions

1

In a large, deep saucepan with a lid, heat the oils over medium-high heat.

2

Stir in the onions, and dust with half of the salt and pepper.

3

Sauté for 1 minute until the onions start to wilt.

4

Add the potatoes, dust with the rest of the salt and pepper, and cook, stirring for 4-5 minutes.

5

Add the fresh or frozen spinach, and stir until the spinach is wilted.

6

Pour in the broth.

7

Stir in the turmeric.

8

Add the thyme (if using).

9

Bring to a boil, cover, and turn the heat down to a medium simmer.

10

Simmer for 30 minutes.

11

Blend the soup until it's creamy using a regular blender or an immersion blender.

12

Return the soup to the pan, and stir in 1 can of coconut milk.

13

Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.

14

Heat gently until the soup is warmed through.

15

Spoon into bowls, garnish with chopped fresh herbs or nuts, and serve immediately.

I like yellow potatoes, which work well in this soup because they’re a little firmer than other potatoes. But use whatever potatoes you have on hand.

Generally, I buy red onions (I like the color), but white onions keep the soup from becoming a muddy green.

Fresh baby spinach is simple to work with, but frozen spinach works fine too.

Heat olive oil (for flavor) with a little bit of  organic canola or coconut oil, which tolerate higher temperatures better.

Sauté the onions for a minute in the oil, until they’re slightly wilted.

Stir in the potatoes. I don’t peel them. Cook the onions and potatoes for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Stir in the baby spinach until wilted.

Add broth and turmeric, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Taste and adjust the seasonings depending upon the saltiness of the broth you used.

If you like a little texture in your soup, set aside a cup of the soup before blending to add in later. Blend the soup until creamy. It will be thin.

Stir in a can of coconut milk, and heat gently until the soup is warmed through.

Serve immediately garnished with chopped walnuts and fresh thyme.

Springhouse Turtle Eats

 

Newsletter

You Might Also Like

No Comments

Leave a Reply