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A bowl of green goddess soup with swirls of creme fraiche and herbs.

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Green Goddess Soup

Recipe by Kelli Avila

This Green Goddess Soup takes the familiar flavors of the classic dressing—fresh herbs, lemon, and a touch of tangy yogurt—and turns them into a smooth, comforting soup featuring baby greens and white beans.

  • Total Time35 minutes
  • YieldServes 4

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large leek, cleaned well and diced
  • 1 medium yellow pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
  • 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, plus more to taste (see note)
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 1-2 oil-packed anchovy fillets (or 1 teaspoon anchovy paste)
  • 3 cups chicken stock or bone broth, plus more as needed
  • 1 (14-ounce) can white navy beans
  • 10 ounces baby greens such as spinach, kale, or chard (see note)
  • Small handful chopped chives
  • 1/4 cup loosely packed tarragon leaves
  • 2 cups loosely packed mixed herb leaves (such as basil, cilantro, dill and/or parsley), plus more for garnish as desired
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, more to taste
  • 3/4 cup crème fraîche, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, more for garnish as desired (see note)

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Cook the leek, bell pepper, salt, and pepper until beginning to soften, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and anchovies and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes more.
  2. Pour in 3 cups of the chicken stock and the beans and their liquid and turn the heat up to medium-high. 
  3. Bring the soup up to a boil.
  4. Add in the baby greens and cook until wilted and bright green, about 2 minutes.
  5. Shut off the heat. Let the soup base cool slightly. 
  6. Transfer the soup, in batches if necessary, to a blender (see notes for immersion blender alternative). Add in the herbs, lemon juice and crème fraîche
  7. Carefully, start the blender on low with the cover slightly ajar (see note on blending hot items) to let any steam release. Slowly turn the blender up to and purée until smooth. Add additional broth as needed to get a smooth purée.
  8. Taste and adjust the seasonings and thickness, adding in additional salt, pepper, chicken broth or lemon juice as needed.
  9. Serve the soup immediately with a dollop of crème fraîche and additional herbs if desired.

Notes

Baby greens like baby spinach, kale, and chard work best in this soup, as they only need a quick "shock" in the boiling liquid to cook through while preserving their freshness. If you’re using heartier greens, such as mature kale or collards, they need to be cooked longer to soften, about 5 minutes or so.

The herb blend is flexible based on your preference, but for that signature Green Goddess flavor, be sure to include at least chives and tarragon. Other soft herbs (which are tender and leafy with a fresh, bright flavor), such as any combination of basil, cilantro, parsley, and/or dill, will blend smoothly into the soup and help build the flavor. They should be added at the end to keep their flavor from getting dull.

Crème fraîche is my first choice if you plan to reheat the soup later, as it holds up best to heat. I’ve had mixed results when freezing the soup, with Greek yogurt being the most difficult to reheat seamlessly without breaking or curdling, so keep that in mind.

I prefer to blend this soup in a robust stand blender to ensure the greens and herbs are fully puréed. However, an immersion blender can be used, too—the soup just won’t be as smooth. Be careful when blending hot liquids—make sure to keep the lid slightly ajar (and tilted away from your body) to let steam escape. If the steam has nowhere to go, pressure can build up and send hot soup spraying everywhere, and nobody wants that.

Seasoning your soup properly is the most important part of making this soup. Ultimately, learning how much seasoning you prefer is a personal process and is not something I can instruct in a recipe card. It takes trial and error with your own soup pot at home. The more you practice tasting and adjusting, the better you’ll get at knowing exactly what your soup needs to shine. If your soup tastes bland, it likely needs more salt or more acid (lemon juice)—or both—to brighten the flavors. 

This recipe was tested using Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt. If using Morton’s kosher salt or fine salt, you’ll need less by volume, so start with half and adjust to taste.

The soup can be served hot for a cozy but light meal or chilled for a refreshing, gazpacho-like dish in warmer months. The final seasoning should always be adjusted, but especially if serving it cold, since chilled foods tend to taste more muted. A little extra salt and acid will help bring out the flavors.

  • Prep Time: 00:15
  • Cook Time: 00:20
  • Category: Soup

Find it online: https://everydayfamilyeats.com/green-goddess-soup/