This deliciously creamy spinach soup will warm you up any time of year.
As the cool weather arrives, my soup pots get quite a workout. Yes, I enjoy soup year-round, but there’s nothing like warming up with a steaming bowl to nip that wintery chill. Okay, I know, I live in Florida. However, the temperature got down into the upper 40s this week, which is pretty chilly here, especially in October. I don’t remember that happening before. Cooler weather made this spinach soup recipe the perfect choice, mainly since I just stocked up on organic fresh spinach at a big box store. This recipe used one entire large clamshell of spinach, and it was well worth it.
Soup has always been one of my favorite ways to get my kids to eat more vegetables. When they were young, I’d add spinach and other veggies to pasta, meatballs, soup, and chili. They rarely caught on to my trickery. Yes, I’m patting myself on the back for my ingenuity. Hey, we moms have to do what we have to do, right? Of course, right!
Although there is no cheese in this recipe, the soup is nice and creamy thanks to the half-and-half. Nutmeg brings out incredible flavor in spinach, and if you let the butter cook just until it starts to brown, you get a bit of added nuttiness to the soup. I like to use three large garlic cloves because I love their flavor, especially in this soup. I wish I could give you a definitive answer on whether to keep the soup as is or blend it, but I can’t. Truly, it is amazing either way, so it depends on your mood.
You can easily substitute chicken broth for the vegetable broth, which gives the soup a somewhat different flavor but is equally delicious. If you want to add other vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, celery, or mushrooms, do so along with the spinach and stock. I recommend cutting them into small pieces to facilitate rapid cooking.
Simple substitutions for omitting gluten and dairy
I find it very easy to adapt most recipes to gluten- or dairy-free diets these days. For this spinach soup recipe, you can substitute gluten-free all-purpose flour, certified gluten-free oat flour, or even chickpea flour.
To make this soup dairy-free, use plant-based butter and half-and-half. There are plenty of options available today, so you can experiment and choose the one that gives you the flavor you enjoy most in this soup.
How do I store leftovers?
Allow leftovers from this spinach soup recipe to cool to room temperature, but don’t leave the soup out for more than 2 hours. Then, refrigerate the soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing cream-based soups, as they often separate and become grainy upon thawing and reheating. To reheat the refrigerated soup, place it in a pot over medium heat and stir occasionally until warm.
Serving suggestions
This spinach soup recipe is the perfect start to any meal, especially when paired with some warm, crusty bread. Another option is to serve it with some Cornbread With Creamed Corn. Since soup and salad go great together, try it with Cucumber-Tomato Salad, a delicious Easy Canned Salmon Salad, or this fantastic Antipasto Salad Recipe. Add some Salmon Cakes and enjoy a tasty meal.
Spinach Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounces fresh spinach leaves roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 pinch nutmeg optional
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups half-and-half
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Crusty bread for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine the chopped spinach, vegetable broth, onion, nutmeg, and garlic. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until the onion is tender.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the all-purpose flour and cook for 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth and free of the raw flour taste. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half and continue cooking until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes.
- Pour the creamy sauce into the pot with the spinach base. Stir thoroughly and let the soup simmer for a few more minutes. Add extra broth if it needs thinning. If preferred, blend the soup using an immersion blender. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve hot. Enjoy with crusty bread if you like.
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