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Looking for a festive St. Patrick’s day lunch after a healthier shamrock shake for breakfast? Or is that an overload of sippable greens in one day? Perhaps you’d better stick with roasted corned beef and cabbage and save the soup for another spring day.
Creamy Spring Soup
This soup is perfect for those early days of spring when you’re longing for the freshness of garden produce, but there’s still a little bit of a chill in the early mornings and evenings.
I like to eat seasonally when I can and this soup takes perfect advantage of that. It makes good use of spring favorites like leeks, asparagus, artichokes, and spinach.
It’s a pureed soup with leeks and asparagus and parsley and artichoke hearts. The creaminess is from cream cheese and a little heavy cream. You can sub sour cream or plain yogurt or even cottage cheese for the cream cheese if you’d like. Or just leave it out altogether. I use an immersion blender to puree the soup and then add a little heavy cream to finish it off.
Sometimes I sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese on top. If I have a little more time, I make Parmesan cheese crisps in the oven. They’re crispy and delicious and are loved by everyone.
Think Spring… Soups and Salads!
I was thinking about all my favorite spring recipes the other day and noticed that many of them are soups and salads. Maybe that’s because I’m looking forward to gardening and fresh vegetables, while still wanting something warm and inviting? Or maybe I’m just looking for something a little lighter after the stews and casseroles of winter?
Regardless, here are a few of my favorites:
- Apple Walnut Tuna Salad – great for early baby greens and dill
- Asian Lettuce Wraps
- Dairy-Free Panna Cotta – not necessarily a spring recipe, but nice and light and can be topped with strawberries and a drizzle of honey
- Green Smoothie
- Nicoise Salad – the perfect balance of light and hearty
- Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
- Roasted Parmesan Asparagus
- Spring Salad with Strawberries and Goat Cheese – one of my all time favorites!
- Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie
- Tuna Stuffed Avocado Bowls
Check out what’s in season in your area in the spring!
Creamy Spring Soup Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 TBSP butter (or coconut oil)
- 2 leeks (sliced)
- 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
- 8 oz fresh mushrooms (sliced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 lb fresh asparagus (trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces)
- 8 oz artichoke hearts (chopped)
- 8 oz cream cheese (cubed, optional)
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- ¼ cup parsley
- 2 TBSP Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ½ cup heavy cream (or coconut milk)
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, melt the butter or coconut oil.
- Saute the leeks, diced onion, and mushrooms until the onion is translucent and mushrooms are tender.
- Add the minced garlic and saute one additional minute.
- Stir in the chicken stock, asparagus, and artichoke hearts and bring to a simmer. Cook about 10 minutes or until the asparagus is tender.
- Stir in the cream cheese, spinach, parsley, mustard, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper and allow the cream cheese to soften for a few minutes.
- Blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth.
- Stir in the heavy cream or coconut milk and serve.
Notes
- I sometimes add a sprinkle of shredded Parmesan on top or make some Parmesan cheese crisps in the oven.
- Add leftover roasted chicken for an extra protein boost.
Nutrition
What’s your favorite fresh dish to prepare during the spring season? Share it below!
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