Basic Green Soup
This chard and spinach green soup has a complex flavor from slowly cooked onions and lemon juice. A small amount of rice gives it body and a velvety texture.
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Recipe Summary
Nutrition Profile:
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?
Eating more vegetablesΒ is one of the simplest and most effective things you can do to eat healthier. 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, 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
Ingredients
Directions
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 3 days. Season with lemon just before serving.
Nutrition Facts
1 1/2 vegetable, 1/2 fat, 1/2 starch