As lockdown continues, I’m finding there are days where there just isn’t much left in the fridge or cupboards. As we’re all turning into food waste warriors as a result of fewer food deliveries/not wanting to go to the shops, there comes a time when necessity forces you to get creative. I didn’t have much left in my fridge when I made this soup, but I found a few potatoes and a bag of fresh spinach. So, I thought why not put them together in a surprisingly light & summery soup?
What can I expect?
This is a slight twist on a recipe that is in my Dad’s first Soupologie cookbook. In that recipe, he calls for spinach, rocket & watercress as the ‘leafy greens’. As I only had some slightly wilted spinach, I decided to use only spinach and increase the quantity somewhat to use up the whole lot. I’ve also included some garlic and dash of ground nutmeg as I think they pair really well with potatoes. This soup is still, at its core, very simple. I find that the delightful taste and texture of this soup lies, intrinsically, with its charming simplicity.
This soup is easy to make and works well with many substitutions if you don’t happen to have the exact ingredients. Onions can be swapped for leeks or shallots. Spinach can be swapped for rocket or watercress leaves. You could also try swapping the white potatoes for sweet potato which will alter the flavour profile and colour. It should still taste delicious!
Soup-er Spuds
Potatoes are full of starch and are a natural thickener. As such, you might find that you turn your back for a second and the soup has thickened up! If that happens, just add a little bit of water then reheat and it should thin out again. Ideally, the soup should be eaten the same day it’s made. If there are any leftovers the next day, just thin it out again with more water.
Read our blog post on the health benefits of spinach and white potatoes here.
Potato & Leafy Spinach Soup
Equipment
- Medium-Sized Saucepan
- Chopping Board
- Knife
- Spatula
- Vegetable Peeler
- Stick Blender or Food Processor
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1 Large Onion peeled and diced
- 2 Cloves Garlic minced
- 3 Medium Potatoes peeled and diced
- ½ tsp Nutmeg
- ½ tsp Mustard Powder (Optional)
- 750 ml Vegetable Stock
- 100 g Spinach Leaves (or Rocket or Watercress)
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil on low in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the diced potatoes and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
- Add the seasoning and spices, stirring thoroughly. Cook for 1 minute then pour in the vegetable stock.
- Bring the saucepan to the boil then turn down to a simmer for 10-12 minutes.
- Take the saucepan off the heat and blend the soup with a stick blender or a food processer until completely smooth.
- While the soup is still steaming, drop in the fresh spinach. Cover the soup with a lid for 5 minutes to allow the spinach to wilt in the heat.
- To serve, stir the wilted leaves through the soup and enjoy!
