It seems that every year, right when I get all excited that the cold weather is gone for good, a few chilly nights pop up to say hello. Chilly as 50F! For a Brazilian, it’s the dreadful boundary between life and death. So, faced with such adverse circumstances, I made soup. Complete improvisation from a few ingredients I had laying around in the fridge and the pantry. I felt incredibly energized after dinner, and even won a wrestling match with Oscar! It must have been the spinach. 😉
ZUCCHINI SPINACH SOUP
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)
1 Tbs olive oil
1 stalk of leek, finely sliced (white part only)
3 zucchinis, medium size, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/4 to 1/3 cup of canned white beans
4 cups vegetable stock or water (plus more if needed)
1 to 2 cups baby spinach leaves
salt and pepper
freshly squeezed lemon juice
low fat yogurt to taste for serving
Heat the olive oil and saute the sliced leeks, allow them to get golden. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the zucchini, cook the slices for a few minutes, stirring every once in a while, until they get a bit of color in some spots. Add the white beans, cook for a couple of minutes, add the vegetable stock (or water), bring the whole thing to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, covered, until the zucchini is tender (20 minutes).
Add the spinach, cook until the leaves are just wilted. Puree the soup in a food processor, blender, or with an immersion blender until the consistency you like. If too thick, add more water or vegetable broth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, sprinkle lemon juice, and keep warm until serving.
Pour some into a bowl, and add a dollop of yogurt seasoned with a pinch of salt and pepper.
ENJOY!
to print the recipe, click here
All amounts for this soup are quite flexible. The spinach, added at the very end, gives it a nice bright green color, and a strong herbal flavor, so add as little or as much as your palate appreciates. I used an immersion blender because I like my soup to be a bit chunky and find that with other methods it’s harder to control the texture. But, if you prefer a smoother soup, use a blender. The beans made it creamy without the addition of any fat, and also turned it into a more substantial soup. A thick slice of rustic bread was all we needed.
A final note: if you are in a daring mood, add a splash of Sriracha to the yogurt. Takes the soup to a whole other level… 😉
ONE YEAR AGO: Cinco de Mayo Dinner Celebration
TWO YEARS AGO: Thom Leonard’s Country French Bread
Bewitching Kitchen 
Beautiful color, Sally, set off by that green bowl.
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Thank you! I almost forgot about these soup bowls, but I’m glad I used them to serve it. Quite a match!
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Gorgeous looking soup Sally. Winter hit here with a vengeance today. I dressed in winter clothes for the first time in many months.
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We are definitely going in opposite directions, now it’s more the way I like it here, although not quite warm enough… but we’ll get there
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I know I’m the only one who thought the line, “For a Brazillian” etc. was funny talking about the cold – but I laughed. IF I had a Brazillian, I’d have mine all covered up. 🙂 I do know what you meant though, it was just the first glance.
Never mind. about your soup… I think it’s beautiful and green and looks delicious!
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Did I take liberties with the English language AGAIN? (sigh)
Well, at least you know you should keep your Brazilian all covered up. That’s wise advice, trust me… 😉
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I agree, this is a super duper healthy soup! And not only that, but it’s so pretty and spring fresh looking (while still retaining those vital warming properties :)). Love that this is improv – isn’t it great what we can pull together from our fridge?
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I love an improvised recipe – liberating, don’t you think? Ignore all those 138 cookbooks, shutdown the internet and go to work!
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I’ve never had a zucchini soup before, but it sure does sound incredible. Plus I love any reason to use the immersion blender. Love that thing! 🙂 This would be perfect for these chilly evenings/nights we’re having again that’s for sure. I
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Zucchini soup is wonderful – a version I love and haven’t made in a while is from Chocolate and Zucchini, using tahini and sesame seeds (if I remember correctly) – delicious!
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Ha, 50 is freezing to us now too! Love this recipe.
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Glad you agree, enzymes in the human body are tuned to higher temperatures. Obviously.
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I swear it felt like winter yesterday and I was NOT pleased! I really could use a bowl of this soup!
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Not pleased is a very classy way to put it, but it doesn’t describe my mood when the thermometers show 50F in the end of April. I do not stop complaining and whining
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We had a few of those cold 50 degree nights too. It was great sleeping weather! This soup looks like springtime in a bowl. Love the color, and the idea of adding sriracha to the yogurt!
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Sriracha shows up on my plate very often – sometimes I sprinkle a few drops on white rice, just for a little kick. Love the stuff!
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what a fantastic soup! it looks so Spring like – i would imagine this would be perfect with some crusty bread for a light dinner. gorgeous! isn’t it great when food really nourishes you?
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You said it all… And it is one of those meals that are light but you don’t feel starving in 30 minutes. I think the beans help a lot in achieving that.
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What a pretty, vivid soup! Sally, this is so good for you too.. I think I would try that srarc..srach…sraracha (had to scroll back up) !
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What a gorgeous colour! It screams health! I’m always tempted to make a soup and throw in all the green things from the garden, blitz it all up and see what I get! As always, you’ve inspired me to actually get off my butt and do it! 🙂
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Love how beautifully green this soup is!
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