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This is a silky and smooth artichoke soup that’s creamy, refreshing and with a delicate lemon flavor. It’s simple to make, cosy yet also very elegant!
Serve it with crusty panini bread or soft easy focaccia, it will be perfect for a dinner party or a cosy midweek dinner.
I always keep a can of artichoke hearts in my pantry. They’re convenient and can add a bit of something special to your pasta, salad, and they’re absolutely great on pizza.
And you’ll be delightfully surprised at how delicious this soup tastes when you combine a can of artichoke hearts with a few everyday ingredients like potatoes, fresh parsley and lemon juice.
It makes the perfect spring soup recipe: fresh, bright, and creamy.
The artichoke flavor is not dominant though, but it’s delicate and pairs beautifully with a touch of fresh lemon. And the recipe calls for a small amount of light cream, enough to add texture without weighing it down.
Best of all, it’s also a breeze to make and comes together from start to finish in just 30 minutes or so. And it’s naturally vegetarian and gluten free.
So the next time you’re at the store, pick up a can of artichoke hearts and let’s make this delicious artichoke soup!
List of the ingredients
- Artichoke hearts (canned or frozen)
- Potato
- Leek
- Onion and garlic
- Butter (or olive oil)
- Vegetable broth
- Cream
- Fresh parsley
- Lemon juice
- Salt & pepper
How to make it
(Note: this is a quick description with step-by-step photos, the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)
- Sauté onion, leek, celery and garlic with a small amount of butter.
- Stir in potatoes and artichoke hearts (reserve the petals from one artichoke heart, you’ll be using them later).
- Add vegetable broth, salt and pepper and cook for about 15 minutes.
- Then stir in the cream and simmer for just a few minutes.
- Blend the soup until smooth.
- Stir in the parsley, the lemon juice and the petals that you kept aside. Adjust the seasoning and serve with crispy bread or croutons!
Recipe notes
Artichoke soup ingredients
Before we get to the recipe below, here are a few notes about the ingredients:
Canned artichoke hearts: I used 1 can of artichokes in brine but you can use the same amount of thawed artichokes, previously frozen, of course! : )
Veggies: the potato adds a bit of body and thickness to the soup. Onion, leek, and garlic make an essential aromatic base.
Cream: I used only 1/3 cup of light cream (single cream for my UK readers). I find that the low fat content works just fine in term of texture. But feel free to use full-fat cream if you prefer a richer soup.
Butter: I used butter for a more rounded flavor, but olive oil works too.
Lemon: it’s important to brighten up this artichoke soup, but at the same time it masks the tart flavor that comes from the citric acid, often used to preserve canned and frozen artichokes.
Parsley: delicious, fresh, and aromatic, parsley pairs very well with artichokes, lemon and potatoes. It’s not just for garnish here.
Salt & pepper: make sure you adjust the seasoning to your taste and serve the soup with plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
For the best texture!
- I’m always a big fan of my vitamix, but you can use a hand blender or a stand blender. And it’s ok if you don’t get a super smooth texture here, a few bits here and there are fine.
- If you use a stand blender, make sure the soups cools for at least 5 minutes or so, then blend in batches filling the blender about half way.
- Blend only for a few of seconds, whatever method you use! You don’t want to overwork the potatoes, they might release too much starch making the soup gluey.
- To add an extra layer of texture, add the petals of 1 artichoke heart as per the recipe.
More easy delicious soups?
Vegetarian, quick, velvety soups are so delicious, easy to put together, and inexpensive. Here are some of my favorite recipes:
If you make this artichoke soup recipe or if you have any questions, let me know! Leave a comment, send me a message, or rate it.
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Artichoke Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons (30 grams) butter (or olive oil)
- ½ onion, peeled and diced
- 1 leek, peeled and chopped
- 1 celery rib, chopped
- 1 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can artichoke hearts, drained
- 1 (250 grams) large potato, peeled and diced
- 2 ½ cup low sodium vegetable broth, use more if you prefer a thinner soup
- ¾ teaspoon fine salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to serve
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) low-fat cream (full-fat is fine too)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 heaped tablespoon chopped parsley, plus more to serve
Instructions
- Mince the garlic, peel and dice the onion, the potato, and the leek. Cut the artichokes into halves, but reserve the petals from 1 artichoke heart for later.
- Melt the butter in a large pot/Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, leek, celery, garlic, plus a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add potatoes, artichokes, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Stir in the cream, and cook for a few minutes. Turn the heat off and let it cool slightly.
- Blend the soup quickly using a stand blender or hand blender. If you use a stand blender, be careful and make sure you work in batches (it's still hot!), and don't over blend (it's ok if the texture is not super smooth).
- Return the soup to the pot, stir in the lemon juice, the parsley, and taste and adjust the consistency and the seasoning if needed.
- Divide the soup into 4 bowls and serve with chopped parsley, freshly ground black pepper,and lemon wedges for extra lemon juice if desired. Don't forget crusty bread or crispy croutons!
Notes
Adjust the seasoning at the end, especially if you use a regular broth. I wouldn’t recommend using chicken or beef stock for this soup recipe, they can be a bit overpowering in this recipe. Artichoke soup leftovers: it keeps in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat, add a touch of water until it’s thinned to the desired consistency, then gently warm over medium-low heat or in your microwave. Nutrition facts: the nutrition values are for one serving and are based on an online nutrition calculator. It’s an estimate only and it should not be considered as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. Please see my disclosure policies.
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