Basic Green Soup

Cook Time:

30 mins

Active Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

1 hr

Servings:

Yield:

8 servings, about 1 1/4 cups each

Nutrition Profile:

Low-Carb Nut-Free Dairy-Free Healthy Immunity Low-Fat Soy-Free High-Fiber Vegan Vegetarian Egg-Free Gluten-Free Low-Calorie

Jump to Nutrition Facts

What Makes the Soup So Green?

This soup gets its vibrant green color from green chard and spinach. Chard is a leafy green vegetable with large and crinkly leaves attached to a thick, crunchy, fibrous stem. It belongs to the same family as beets and spinach and is considered a type of beet without an edible root. When shopping for chard, look for firm stems and bright green glossy leaves free of blemishes (yellow or brown spots). Spinach is a high-protein vegetable and one of the first leafy vegetables to emerge in the spring. Look for slender stalks and crisp, dark green leaves with no signs of yellowing or wilting.

Is Green Soup Healthier than Other Soups?

Incorporating nutrient-dense vegetables like chard and spinach into your soup can help you meet the recommended amount of vegetable servings a day. Chard is a low-calorie vegetable with numerous health benefits. It's a good source of fiber, potassium, vitamin K and vitamin A. Spinach is a nutritional powerhouse that's rich in iron, folate and vitamin C. Our green soup is low in calories, high in fiber and a good source of vitamins and minerals, making it a healthier soup choice.

What to Serve with Green Soup

Green soup is delicious on its own or paired with a side dish. Serve this green soup with Hasselback Cheesy Garlic Bread, Parker House Rolls, Low-Carb Cloud Bread or Garlicky Cauliflower Bread. For more ideas, try these healthy side dishes to pair with a bowl of soup to complete your meal.

Additional reporting by Jan Valdez

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
2 large yellow onions, chopped
1 teaspoon salt, divided
2 tablespoons plus 3 cups water, divided
¼ cup arborio rice
1 bunch green chard (about 1 pound)
14 cups gently packed spinach (about 12 ounces), any tough stems trimmed
4 cups vegetable broth, store-bought or homemade
Big pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more to taste

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add 2 tablespoons water and cover. Cook, stirring frequently until the pan cools down, and then occasionally, always covering the pan again, until the onions are greatly reduced and have a deep caramel color, 25 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the remaining 3 cups water and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a soup pot or Dutch oven; add rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Trim the white ribs out of the chard (save for another use, such as to add to a stir-fry or other soup). Coarsely chop the chard greens and spinach.
When the rice has cooked for 15 minutes, stir in the chard greens. Return to a simmer; cover and cook for 10 minutes. When the onions are caramelized, stir a little of the simmering liquid into them; add them to the rice along with the spinach, broth and cayenne. Return to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring once, until the spinach is tender but still bright green, about 5 minutes more.
Puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender until perfectly smooth or in a regular blender in batches (return it to the pot). Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice, if desired. Garnish each bowl of soup with a drizzle of olive oil.

Equipment

Large skillet, soup pot or Dutch oven, immersion or countertop blender

To make ahead

Prepare through Step 4 (omitting the lemon), cover and refrigerate for up to three days. Season with lemon just before serving.

Originally appeared: EatingWell Magazine, Soup Cookbook

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

95	Calories
4g	Fat
13g	Carbs
3g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Serving Size 1 3/4 cups
Calories 95
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 13g	5%
Dietary Fiber 3g	11%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 3g	6%
Total Fat 4g	5%
Saturated Fat 1g	3%
Vitamin A 7462IU	149%
Vitamin C 33mg	36%
Folate 98mcg	25%
Sodium 447mg	19%
Calcium 93mg	7%
Iron 3mg	14%
Magnesium 84mg	20%
Potassium 510mg	11%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.