A Deliciously Tasty Cream of Kale Soup Recipe
Kale is one of the undisputed champions of the vegetable world. Loaded with vitamins and nutrients, this leafy green is an excellent addition to your daily diet and is way more versatile than you may think. In other words, move over salad. It’s time for kale soup.
Since I was young, I’ve loved veggie soups in all their shapes and forms. But recently, I’ve been experimenting with exciting ways to make the most of kale’s savory, rich taste by combining it with complementary flavors. During this process, I’ve finally landed on a mouth-watering cream of kale soup recipe that is light, filling, and will keep you coming back for more.
Let me take you through it.
But wait – what is kale exactly?
Before we get into my cream of kale soup recipe, I just wanted to share a bit more about this fascinating vegetable. Kale, scientifically known as Brassica oleracea, is a type of leafy cabbage distinguished by its rough, bumpy leaves, which are either green or purple. Unlike regular cabbage, it doesn’t grow a head but instead grows thick stalks of leaves outwards, like spinach.
Though the benefits of kale are well-documented today, it was only in the early 2000s that it became a commonly-used ingredient in kitchens worldwide. That said, research suggests that it’s actually been around for over 2000 years and was immensely popular in European dining before finding its way to the US sometime in the 1600s.
Preparing your kale for cooking
Before cooking kale, it’s advisable to give it a good rinse to remove any residual ground or dirt. You can run it under cold water in a colander and then pat it dry with a dish towel or paper napkin.
Once clean, chop your kale finely and measure it out. The stem is not edible, so only use the leafy bits running along the central spine.
The more finely you chop it, the faster it will soften during cooking, preserving maximum nutrients in the process.
A Deliciously Tasty Cream of Kale Soup Recipe
What You Need
- A heavy-bottomed pot
- Immersion blender
- Garlic mincer
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 medium red onion
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 cans of light coconut milk
- 2 cups of water or low-sodium, light broth
- 10mls of fine salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons of nutritional yeast
- A pinch of nutmeg
- 8 ounces of raw kale, chopped.
- Black pepper
Method
- Finely chop your onion and mince your garlic.
- Add your oil to a heavy-bottomed pot, and warm it over medium-high heat on your stove.
- Sauté your onions until translucent.
- Add your garlic and cook for approximately 90 seconds.
- Next, add one can of coconut milk, your water/broth, yeast, salt, and nutmeg.
- Stir this all together, and then add your chopped kale.
- Bring your ingredients to a simmer.
- Turn your heat to low, cover your soup, and cook for a further five minutes.
- Then, uncover the mixture and allow it to cool for ten minutes.
- Using an immersion blender, puree your soup.
- Add your second can of coconut milk to the pot and stir to combine.
- Season with freshly ground black pepper.
Serving Suggestions
This breathtaking recipe yields up to five delicious and substantial portions of cream of kale soup that you can serve as a starter or enjoy as a light lunch.
Personally, I love adding a drizzle of fresh cream and some crispy croutons or a sprinkle of vegan cheese. A piece of fresh, warm garlic bread is also a great pairing.
But what about that bitter taste?
I’ll be the first to admit that kale is not for everyone, with some people feeling genuine disdain for its slightly bitter aftertaste. If this creeps through in your cream of kale soup, there are two tricks you can try to subdue it.
The first is a splash of lemon juice, which will bolster this soup’s Mediterranean flavors and neutralize its tang. Alternatively, you can blanch your kale leaves before chopping them, tenderizing and taming their bitter notes and heightening their earthiness.
How long can you keep your kale soup?
Having a grab-and-go lunch option is always convenient, especially on those really jam-packed days. The good news about this particular recipe is that it lasts up to five days in the fridge without spoiling, provided you store it correctly.
To this end, make sure you use an airtight container to keep your soup as fresh as possible. I would recommend using a small pot or saucepan on the stove to reheat it, but you can use your microwave if you’re in a hurry.
If you’re not planning on eating your cream of kale soup all in one go, it can also be frozen for up to three months. Just portion it out into small containers or zip-lock bags (once completely cooled) and pop them into the freezer.
To best preserve your soup’s flavor, allow it to thaw completely on the counter or in the fridge before reheating it.
What are the nutritional benefits of cream of kale soup?
Kale is a superfood packed with vitamins that boost your immune system and bone health, like vitamins A, C, and K. It’s also really low in calories, which means you can enjoy it in large quantities, guilt-free.
Even though this soup recipe has a deliciously creamy texture, you save on kilojoules by using light coconut milk instead of full-cream. And with kale’s naturally salty flavor, you don’t need to add an excess of sodium, either. Reducing your salt intake protects your heart health, making this the perfect savory soup for continued wellness.
A different take on cream of kale soup
Can’t get your hands on the exact right ingredients? No problem. While most cream of kale soup recipes have certain ingredients in common, like onion, garlic, salt, and pepper, you can substitute the liquid base with other creamy options.
For example, instead of using coconut milk, you can use broth combined with heavy cream. Of course, this will increase your soup’s calorie count, but the flavor will be equally delicious.
