Are you ready to transform America’s favorite party dip into the most elegant, luscious, and unbelievably creamy soup you’ve ever had? A restaurant-quality starter so sophisticated and so packed with flavor, it will be the star of your next dinner party or holiday feast? This incredible, from-scratch Creamy Spinach-Artichoke Soup is that perfect recipe. We’re talking tender artichoke hearts and fresh spinach, all blended into a velvety, vibrant green soup, enriched with cream and a tangy kiss of creme fraiche.
This isn’t just another soup recipe; it’s your definitive guide to a truly show-stopping dish that is surprisingly easy to make. We’ll show you the simple but crucial professional secrets to a flawless, from-scratch cream soup that is never grainy and has a beautiful, vibrant color. This is a satisfying, soulful, and deeply impressive meal that is perfect for any special occasion.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Elegant & Creamy Starter
What makes this Spinach-Artichoke Soup so spectacularly delicious is its incredible, luxurious texture and its wonderfully rich, yet balanced, flavor. This recipe is a masterpiece of classic, comfort food cooking with an elegant twist. The heart and soul of the dish is the from-scratch creamy vegetable base. A classic, aromatic flavor foundation, or soffritto, of sweet leeks and celery is thickened with a simple butter and flour roux. This is then simmered with tender artichoke hearts in a savory chicken broth. The real magic happens at the end, when the soup is blended with a huge handful of fresh spinach and parsley, which is the secret to its stunning, vibrant green color and fresh flavor. A final enrichment of heavy cream and tangy creme fraiche gives the soup its final, unforgettable, velvety finish.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 45 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 4-6 |
The Simple Luxuries: The Essential Ingredients
This iconic dish uses a handful of high-quality, simple ingredients to create its signature rich and savory flavor.
- The “Spinach-Artichoke” Stars:
- Frozen Artichoke Hearts: A fantastic and convenient shortcut that saves you the tedious work of preparing fresh artichokes.
- Fresh Spinach & Parsley: The secret to the soup’s beautiful, vibrant green color and its fresh, herbaceous flavor is to use a generous amount of fresh greens, which are blended into the soup at the very end.
- The Creamy Base:
- The Aromatics: The delicate, sweet flavor of leeks creates a beautiful, sophisticated flavor base that is a step above a regular onion.
- The Roux & Cream: A classic and simple foundation of unsalted butter and all-purpose flour (a roux) is the key that thickens the soup. A final splash of heavy cream and creme fraiche adds an incredible, luxurious richness and a wonderful, tangy finish.
- The Bright Finish: A few strips of lemon zest, simmered in the broth, are the secret ingredient that infuses the entire soup with a beautiful, bright, and citrusy aroma that cuts through all the richness.1
The Soup Masterclass: The Secrets to a Perfect Cream Soup
This recipe uses a few simple but brilliant professional techniques that guarantee a flawless, restaurant-quality result.
- The Roux: The number one secret to a thick, stable, and creamy soup is a simple roux.2 By cooking the flour in the melted butter for a minute before you add your liquids, you are cooking out the raw, pasty flavor of the flour and creating a perfect, foolproof thickening agent.
- The Late-Addition Greens: The key to a soup that is a beautiful, vibrant green (and not a dull, muddy olive color) is to add your fresh spinach and parsley at the very end, just before you blend it. This preserves their bright color and fresh, delicate flavor.
- Blending in Batches: For the smoothest, most velvety soup, a blender is your best friend. It is crucial to blend the hot soup in small batches, to never fill your blender more than halfway, and to remove the center cap from the lid and cover it with a folded kitchen towel. This is the key that will allow the hot steam to escape safely, preventing a dangerous and messy explosion.
Step-by-Step to the Best Spinach-Artichoke Soup
This elegant, festive soup is a joy to prepare.
Part 1: The Art of the Flavorful Base
In a medium Dutch oven or a large pot, melt your 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter over a medium heat. Add your 1 thinly sliced medium leek and 1 chopped stalk of celery. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the leeks are wilted.
Add the 1 1/2 teaspoons of chopped fresh thyme and the 1 crushed clove of garlic. Sprinkle in the 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the vegetables are coated.
Part 2: The Simmer and the Creamy Finish
Step 1: Gradually pour in your 3 cups of low-sodium chicken broth, whisking as you go to prevent any lumps. Add your 9-ounce package of thawed artichoke hearts, the 1 bay leaf, and the zest of 1/2 a lemon. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender.
Step 2: Stir in the 1/2 cup of heavy cream and the 3 ounces of baby spinach. Cook for about 4 more minutes, until the spinach has wilted.
Step 3: Remove the bay leaf and the strips of lemon zest.
Step 4 (The Magic Step!): Working in small batches, carefully transfer the soup to a blender. Add your 1 cup of fresh parsley and the 1/4 cup of creme fraiche. Blend until the soup is completely smooth and a vibrant green color.
Step 5: Return the pureed soup to the pot, season with any more salt to your taste, and gently reheat it.
To serve, ladle the hot, creamy soup into small bowls or glasses. Garnish with a small dollop of some thinned creme fraiche and a sprinkle of fresh chives.
Creamy Spinach-Artichoke Soup (An Elegant & Easy Recipe!)
A rich and elegant recipe for a creamy Spinach-Artichoke Soup, perfect as an appetizer or a light first course. This velvety soup is made by creating a flavorful base of sautéed leeks and celery, which is then thickened with a light roux. Chicken broth, thawed artichoke hearts, and fresh spinach are simmered together until tender. The entire soup is then pureed in a blender with fresh parsley and crème fraîche until perfectly smooth, and served garnished with chives.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium leek (white and light green parts only), thinly sliced
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 (9-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
- 1 bay leaf
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons heavy cream
- 3 ounces baby spinach
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons creme fraiche
- Chopped fresh chives, for topping
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a medium Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the leek and celery, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes, until the leeks are wilted.
- Add the thyme and garlic, then sprinkle in the flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the vegetables are coated.
- Gradually whisk in the chicken broth. Add the artichoke hearts, bay leaf, and lemon zest to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender.
- Stir in 1/2 cup of the heavy cream and the spinach; cook for about 4 minutes until the spinach is wilted.
- Remove the bay leaf and lemon zest strips from the pot.
- Working in small batches, carefully transfer the soup to a blender. Add the parsley and 1/4 cup of the creme fraiche and puree until smooth.
- Return the pureed soup to the pot and reheat gently. Season with more salt to taste.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of creme fraiche and 2 teaspoons of heavy cream to thin it out for a garnish.
- Ladle the soup into small glasses or bowls and top with the thinned creme fraiche and fresh chives.
Notes
- This is a sophisticated, blended soup that is often served in small portions as an elegant appetizer.
- For a vegetarian version, simply substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
- It is important to puree hot liquids in small batches in a blender with the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape and prevent an explosion.
- The bay leaf and lemon zest are used to infuse the broth with flavor and should be removed before blending for a smooth texture.
What to Serve With Your Spinach-Artichoke Soup
This beautiful and decadent soup is the quintessential elegant starter for a special occasion dinner or a holiday feast.
- The Classic Pairings: It is fantastic served with some crispy, homemade croutons, a few slices of a warm, crusty baguette for dipping, or a cheesy gougère.
- As a Main Course: For a light and lovely lunch, you can serve a larger bowl of this soup with a simple green salad.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Make-Ahead: This is the perfect make-ahead party soup! You can prepare the entire soup, from start to finish, up to 3 days in advance.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat a cream-based soup is to do so gently in a saucepan on the stovetop over a low heat, stirring frequently, until it is just warmed through.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to a super creamy and velvety soup?
The secret is a combination of a good roux to thicken it, and a final, high-powered blitz in a blender. The blender is the key that will emulsify all the ingredients into an impossibly smooth, restaurant-quality texture that you simply cannot get by hand.
Q2: Can I use an immersion blender instead of a regular blender?
You can, but for the absolute smoothest and most velvety result, a high-powered, traditional blender is highly recommended. An immersion blender is fantastic for a more rustic texture, but it may not be able to break down all the fibers of the spinach and parsley as finely.
Q3: Can I make this vegetarian or vegan?
Yes, absolutely! To make a delicious vegetarian version, simply substitute the chicken broth with an equal amount of a high-quality, flavorful vegetable broth. For a vegan version, you would also need to substitute the butter with a vegan butter or olive oil, and the heavy cream and creme fraiche with a full-fat, canned coconut milk and a vegan sour cream substitute.
Q4: What is creme fraiche?
Creme fraiche is a classic French cultured cream.3 It has a high fat content and a wonderfully rich, slightly tangy, and nutty flavor. It is similar to sour cream, but it is much richer and less tangy.
Q5: Why are my leeks gritty?
Leeks are grown in sandy soil, and they are notorious for trapping a lot of grit and dirt between their many layers.4 The number one, non-negotiable secret to clean leeks is to wash them very well after you have sliced them. The best way is to place your sliced leeks in a large bowl of cold water and to swish them around vigorously. The leeks will float, and all the heavy grit will sink to the bottom of the bowl.