Super Greens Soup

Why This Recipe Works This deceptively delicious, silky-smooth soup delivers a big dose of healthy greens, boasts a deep complex flavor, and leaves you feeling virtuous but fully satisfied. As a bonus, the creamy soup function makes it a snap to make: We added all the ingredients for the soup except the greens to the blender at once, no microwaving required. For the greens we chose a mix of Swiss chard, kale, and peppery arugula. Instead of precooking them, we added them to the blender after 12 minutes of the cycle with the other ingredients, reserving the more delicate arugula to add for the final minute. Many recipes we found used potatoes as a thickener for this soup, but they lent an overwhelmingly earthy flavor. Instead, we tried using Arborio rice. The rice’s high starch content thickened the soup to a velvety, lush consistency without clouding its bright, vegetal flavors, and we added it in the beginning with the broth and aromatics. For a vibrant finish, we whisked together whole milk yogurt, minced tarragon, and lemon zest and juice and drizzled it over the top. This is a soup that is sure to impress as it is stunningly beautiful with layers of complex earthy flavor.

Cuisine

Modern

Course

Soup

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

30-60 min

Cooking Technique

Ace Blender

Keywords

2-4 people, 30-60 min, ace blender, America's Test Kitchen, arborio rice, baby arugula, contributed, cook 35 min, easy, extra-virgin olive oil, finely grated lemon zest plus 1/2 tsp juice, garlic cloves, kale, minced fresh tarragon or parsley, modern, prep 10 min, small onion, soup, swiss chard, table salt, whole-milk yogurt

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

35 min

Servings

2-4 people

Ingredients

1 small onion
1/3 cup Arborio rice
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves
3/4 tsp table salt
1/4 cup whole-milk yogurt
1 tsp minced fresh tarragon or parsley
1/4 tsp finely grated lemon zest plus 1/2 tsp juice
6 oz Swiss chard
4 oz kale
1 cup baby arugula

Instructions

Add broth, onion, rice, oil, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to Ace blender. Lock lid in place, then select Soup program 2 (for creamy soups).
Meanwhile, combine yogurt, tarragon, lemon zest and juice, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in bowl; refrigerate until ready to serve.
Pause program 12 minutes before it has completed. Carefully remove lid and stir in chard and kale until completely submerged. Return lid and resume program. Pause program 1 minute before it has completed. Stir in arugula. Return lid and resume program. Once program has completed, adjust soup consistency with extra broth as needed and season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle individual portions with yogurt sauce before serving.