This British spring greens soup recipe is prepared with early spring cabbage leaves and is perfect for light, refreshing and delicately flavoured spring and early summer meals.
In Britain spring greens are actually young cabbages that have not developed the inner core, whereas in the US spring greens can be any leaves that are ready to be picked in Spring such as spinach, arugula, beet greens or kale. For this recipe choose whatever leaves you prefer.
Spring greens soup is perfect for enjoying at any time of the year but particularly during the spring season when fresh green leaves are inexpensive, and would make a tasty starter for a special Easter or Mother's Day meal.
Spring greens soup is ideal for enjoying for a special Easter or Mother's Day meal.
It would make a wonderful quick and easy starter.
The soup can be served blended smooth with a little plant milk, and served with a drizzle of plant cream and a few toasted almond flakes.
Its so deliciously wholesome!
Spring Greens Recipe
This spring greens recipe only has a few simple vegetable ingredients and is quick to prepare. A pot of soup can be easily ready to go in less that an hour.
The spring greens soup is delicately flavoured as I wanted the young cabbage green leaves to be the star of the soup and more importantly to be able to taste the green veggie goodness.
The green cabbage soup is perfect to enjoy unblended as the broth is so fresh and deliciously slurp-able!
Although on the second day I decided to blend the soup just to experiment with how it changed the spring green soup flavour and texture. And it was very tasty especially with a drizzle of vegan cream and a few crispy toasted almond flakes.
I did add a few splashes of plant milk to the soup before blending with an immersion/stick or hand blender, and the milk created a lovely silky creamy texture.
So really it is personal preference whether you would like to blend or not to blend!
Oh and I should mention that this is a no-onion and no-garlic soup recipe, not because I dislike these vegetables but simply because I wanted to have more of the fresh green leaf flavours shining through.
Of course if you prefer do add a diced onion and a few cloves of diced garlic, I'm sure the finished soup will still be delicious.
Although some people will welcome a no-garlic and onion recipe as unfortunately some people can be allergic or just dislike the texture and flavour.
How To Prepare Spring Greens Soup
Or use ½ a cup of veggie stock.
Add the shredded leaves.
Pour in the vegan stock/broth and sprinkle in a little salt and pepper.
Simmer gently for 8 minutes.
Bring back to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes or until the veggies are cooked.
A sprinkle of nutritional yeast flakes is a tasty addition.
Leftover soup can be stored within the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Of course as with any soup, spring greens soup can be frozen for up to 3-4 months. Although this soup is at its best fresh soon after it has been cooked.
Reheat by adding the soup to a pot. If necessary extra hot veggie stock/broth can be added to the soup.
Gently bring the soup to a boil and simmer for 1-2 minutes until piping hot.
There is nothing more nourishing, wholesome and satisfying as a bowl of cabbage soup. Of course for some people cabbage leaves can be bitter but if you balance those with sweet veggies and a tiny bit of sugar and vinegar the result is delicious.
Cabbage soup in many forms has been popular throughout the centuries so it must be doing something right!
Of course not.
The addition of one tablespoon of fat does add to the overall flavour without adding too many calories or fat, but if preferred the margarine/butter can be replaced with ½ cup, or more, of veggie stock.
To compensate for the lack of flavour that may occur, once the soup is ready a few teaspoons of white miso paste can be mixed through as this will provide a nice savoury flavour.
Or stir through a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast flakes.
There may be some confusion as to what spring greens are as the term may mean something different depending on what country you are in.
In the US spring greens can refer to any green vegetable that is cropped in spring such as arugula, beet greens, spinach, kale, asparagus, peas, dandelion leaves, mustard greens, etc.
Whereas in the UK spring greens refer to young cabbages that are picked in spring before they have a chance to mature fully and develop an inner harder core.
So spring greens are large leaves attached together with thin stalks.
During spring they are popular in UK supermarkets and sold relatively cheaply.
Of course not.
Any green leafy vegetable can be used but do consider the differences in cooking times for each green vegetable. For example spinach will only need a few minutes cooking.
Surprisingly in Medieval cookery and throughout the centuries since, lettuce was a popular choice for soups so even a pack of mixed lettuce leaves could technically be used for this recipe.
So this spring greens recipe is perfect for using up a bag of salad leaves that may not look too attractive to eat fresh but are still fine to eat.
Yes!
If you or your family prefer a smooth blended soup then by all means blend away!
Use a food blender or immersion blender.
Adding a few splashes of plant milk or plant cream to the soup while blending is very tasty and adds a creaminess. Once the smooth green soup is served a sprinkle of nutritional yeast flakes is a great addition.
If plant milk or cream is added, reheat the blended soup until just at boiling point and don't fast boil or simmer as the milk or cream could split.
More Cabbage Recipes
Polish Haluski [Cabbage and Noodles]
Traditional Irish Rustic 'corned beef' And Cabbage Stew
Recipe
Spring Greens Soup
Equipment
- Large saucepan/soup-pan with lid
Ingredients
To saute veggies:
- 1 tablespoon vegan margarine or ½ cup of vegan stock
Soup:
- 120 gram carrot [1 large] diced small
- 120 gram celery [3 large ribs] diced small
- 350 gram spring greens [weight is after the leaves have been prepped and tough stalks removed] shredded, or use collards, beet greens, cabbage, mustard greens, dandelion leaves, chard, etc
- 130 gram peas frozen or fresh
- 1.5 litres vegetable stock broth
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar or your usual sweetner
Optional, Once served: nutritional yeast flakes for sprinkling over each bowl
Instructions
- Melt the tablespoon of vegan margarine in the soup pot.
- Pop in the diced carrot and celery, and saute for 6 minutes with a lid half on the pot. Stir frequently.
- Add the shredded spring greens and cook for a further 3-4 minutes. Stir the diced veggies through the wilting greens a few times during cooking.
- Pour in the hot vegan stock/broth and season with a little salt and pepper.
- Bring to the simmer and cook for about 8 minutes, with the lid askew.
- Next tip in the peas along with one teaspoon of sugar and two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.
- Simmer for 3 minutes or until the veggie are cooked.Once ready season to taste.
- A sprinkle of nutritional yeast flakes over each serving is a tasty but optional addition.
Notes
- Nutritional information is provided for guidance only and is not a strict calculation as ingredients vary.
- Nutritional data does not include the optional nutritional yeast flakes.
- This is a very low calorie and low fat soup so is perfect for a light starter or light lunch or dinner along with a few slices of bread or a sandwich.
- The vegan margarine or butter is optional but does add to the flavour and does not contribute many calories or fat. However if preferred saute the carrot and celery using about ½ cup of veggie stock.
- If no fat is used then perhaps mix a few teaspoons of white miso paste through the finished soup/broth to add extra savoury flavour. Or stir through a tablespoon or two of nutritional yeast flakes.
- This green cabbage soup can be blended with a food blender or stick/immersion blender. A few splashes of plant milk or plant cream added to the soup before blending is a tasty option as it results in a silky, creamy green soup. Serve with a swirl of plant cream and a few toasted flaked almonds.
- This soup is ideal for serving as a refreshing light starter for a special Easter or Mother's Day meal.
Nutrition
Prepared this spring green recipe? Do pop back and let us know how you got on.
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So we can admire your good cooking!
Thanks so much
Jacq x
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