Spinach Soup (That’s Actually SO Good!)
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A Cream of Spinach Soup that tasters will actually love! It includes plenty of fresh spinach and a few secret ingredients to keep it hearty and flavorful. It’s an excellent way to use up an abundance of nutritious baby spinach and it makes a terrific main lunch or dinner side.
Spinach soup is not a dish I thought I’d ever be making on repeat, that is until I created this version.
It has a secret ingredient of cream cheese, and it’s base includes a entire box of fresh spinach and a large baker russet potato so you get more of a filling soup. Then of course we also include some cream (in this case half and half), and if you really want it to shine polish it off with a fair sprinkle of fine parmesan cheese.
Then if you are all about good texture then most definitely opt to include the gorgeously golden brown, perfectly toasted homemade croutons. They add such a nice crunch that pairs beautifully with the silky smooth, creamy soup.
This is anything but a boring spinach soup!
Spinach Soup Recipe Ingredients
Olive oil: Only a little is needed to saute the vegetables.
Yellow onion: Builds up the background flavor of the soup.
Fresh garlic: Also adds a little extra flavor to enhance the soup.
Chicken broth: The liquid base of the soup. If you want to make it vegetarian you can use vegetable broth.
Russet potato: This type of potato works best since it’s very starchy and will break down well and helps thicken the soup. It also adds a little bit of extra vegetable flavor.
Baby spinach: Use the freshest spinach you can find.
Salt and black pepper: Salt brings out all the flavors of the soup.
Cream cheese: The secret ingredient in this cream of spinach soup. Not only does it add creaminess but a faint welcomed tang.
Half and half: Another ingredient that adds a creamy richness to the soup to highlight the spinach.
Homemade croutons: These are optional but I highly recommend them.
Parmesan cheese: Optional for serving for extra flavor.
How to Make Optional Homemade Croutons for Spinach Soup
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut 1/2 a loaf of French bread or sourdough into 1-inch thick pieces then tear into raged 1-inch small pieces from there.
- Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil on a rimmed 18 by 13-inch baking sheet (tilt to evenly coat the pan with a thin layer), add bread cubes then toss to evenly coat. Season lightly with salt.
- Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, toss then continue to bake until golden brown and crisp about 5 to 10 more minutes.
How to Make Spinach Soup
Saute aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds.
Simmer broth with vegetables: Pour in chicken broth, add in potatoes, season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until potatoes are fully tender, about 15 minutes.
Wilt the spinach: Add half the spinach, then cover with lid and let cook 1 minute to nearly wilt. Stir then add remaining half of the spinach, cover and cook 1 to 2 minutes to wilt.
Blend in cream cheese: Stir in cream cheese (it doesn’t need to melt fully at this point).
Puree the soup: Remove soup from heat and blend with an immersion blender until soup is completely smooth.
Add creamer: Return to medium-low heat, stir in half and half and warm through.
Top and serve: Serve soup warm with homemade croutons and parmesan cheese if desired. You can also decorate with a drizzle of cream if preferred.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Use Frozen Spinach?
Since the main flavor and key ingredient of this recipe is spinach you will get far superior results using fresh spinach. So with that said if you want the best tasting soup I don’t recommend using frozen spinach.
Can I add Tortellini or Other Filler?
If you want an even heartier soup you can add cooked cheese tortellini to the soup, or try another filler such as cannellini beans or great northern beans (adding after the soup has been blended).
How Can You Blend Soup Without an Immersion Blender?
Soup can also be blended in a high speed blender in batches for safety. You need to remove the lids insert, cover with a folded kitchen towel, and only fill the blender halfway.
What Should I Serve with Spinach Soup?
This soup is excellent with proteins served alongside it such a grilled chicken, steak or Italian sausage. It pairs well with sides such as seasoned white beans, pasta, rice dishes or a simple homemade grilled cheese.
For a light lunch however, you don’t need many sides just the homemade croutons and maybe some fresh fruit alongside it.
Storing and Reheating Homemade Spinach Soup
Fridge: Spinach soup will keep in the fridge for about 4 days in an airtight container.
Freezer: It will also keep frozen for about 3 months.
Reheat: Thaw in the fridge if frozen, reheat in a pot on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Or reheat individual servings in a microwave safe dish until warmed through.
Helpful Tips for the Best Cream of Spinach Soup
Use young spinach: Use baby spinach for a more mellow, non-bitter flavor.
Stick with fresh spinach: This will also add better flavor, texture and color.
Homemade broth: For even more depth of flavor try this soup with homemade chicken stock. I always cook up my leftover rotisserie chicken carcass and stash extra broth in the freezer to use for soup, sauces, etc.
Add spinach at the end: To help retain more nutrients add spinach near the end of cooking the soup, cooking it just long enough to wilt it. This will also offer a more vibrant green color to the soup.
Thicken spinach soup: The best way I’ve found to thicken spinach soup is to add potatoes to the soup. Not only will they help thicken it up once they are pureed into the soup but they’ll add body and make it more filling.
Boost flavor: To add more flavor to the soup add cream cheese and finish with parmesan cheese.
Improve texture: If you want more substance and a contrasting texture finish homemade spinach soup with crisp croutons.
More Homestyle Soup Recipes with Spinach
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Spinach
- Minestrone
- Tomato Spinach Tortellini Soup
- Tuscan Bean Soup
Follow Cooking Classy
Spinach Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 small)
- 2 tsp minced garlic (2 cloves)
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 large russet potato (12 to 16 oz), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 16 oz. fresh baby spinach
- 4 oz. cream cheese, cut into 4 pieces and softened well*
- 2/3 cup half and half,** or more to taste
- Homemade croutons, for serving (optional, see notes for recipe***)
- Finely shredded parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds.
- Pour in chicken broth, add in potatoes, season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until potatoes are fully tender, about 15 minutes.
- Add half the spinach, then cover with lid and let cook 1 minute to nearly wilt. Stir then add remaining half of the spinach, cover and cook 1 to 2 minutes to wilt.
- Stir in cream cheese (it doesn't need to melt fully at this point).
- Remove soup from heat and blend with an immersion blender until soup is completely smooth.
- Return to medium-low heat, stir in half and half and warm through.
- Serve soup warm with homemade croutons and parmesan cheese if desired. Optionally you can also decorate top with a drizzle of cream if desired.