Bright green and creamy, this homestyle spinach soup is a delight to see and eat. Happiness is a simple soup dinner of a warm bowl of spinach goodness topped with creamy yogurt and crunchy croutons.
I’m strong to the finich, ’cause I eats me Spinach, I’m Popeye the sailor man! (toot, toot). ― Popeye (from the theme song)
While the exact health benefits of spinach might have been accidentally glamoured in Popeye, it sure is one of the nutrition powerhouse. Superfood spinach, as I call it. Rich in folate, vitamins A, B, C and K, potassium, iron and magnesium — spinach does wonders to your body.
Actually I don’t need any convincing to why I should be eating more spinach, it is just so tasty 🙂 I knead it with dough to make palak paranthas and I add it in my daal to give it a little twist. I love it in curries, in kebabs, in vegetable fry and just as is in salads too.
This cream of spinach soup is a popular Indian preparation that truly celebrates the vegetable. In restaurants, all-purpose flour or cornflour (or cornstarch) is usually added as thickener. At home, I don’t use cornstarch or flour. This is a gluten-free preparation. I do add some full-fat yogurt for the extra creaminess. You can substitute that with low-fat yogurt or soy yogurt for a vegan preparation.
Cream of Spinach Soup (Palak ka shorba)
By Ashima Goyal Siraj
Preparation time: |Cooking Time: |Serves: 2 as main
2 tbsp butter
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
½ cup finely chopped onion
500gms fresh spinach (roughly 2 ½ cups chopped)
2 cups water
2 ½ tbsp plain yogurt, whisked
2 tsp garam masala
Salt and black pepper to taste
5-6 croutons and cheese shavings for garnish (optional)
- Thoroughly wash spinach under running water to remove all dirt. Remove excess water and finely chop. If the stalks are not too big, add the stalks too.
- On medium flame, heat butter in a deep pot. Add garlic and sauté till they start to brown. Add chopped onions and sauté till they turn translucent. About 3-4 mins.
- Next goes in the chopped spinach. Mix well and cook for another minute. Now add about 2 cups of water, mix well and cook covered for 5-6 minutes till there is a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Blend the soup to a smooth consistency and return to heat. Add yogurt, garam masala and salt and pepper. Cook covered for another couple of minutes.
- Note: If you want to add cornflour, mix about 2 tbsp cornflour in ½ cup cold milk and add to the soup at this stage. Mix well so that there are no lumps and while cooking, stir continuously till there is a boil.
- Serve hot garnished with croutons and cheese shavings or a dollop of yogurt.
Here are some more tasty cooking with spinach options.
Hie Ashima. Thanks for your amazing recipes that you are giving to us every weekend. I am
looking for the Nun bread recipe do you have any idea on how to make it.
Hello Paul,
Thank you for your kind words. I don’t make naan at home as I don’t have a tandoor and while it can be made in the oven, I prefer the taste of one done in tandoor. Sorry about this one.
love,
ashima