Description
A comforting and nutritious leafy greens soup enriched with creamy crème fraîche and vibrant herbs, topped with spicy-sweet chilli-honey halloumi croutons for a delightful burst of flavor and texture. Served alongside toasted buttered sourdough, this recipe is perfect for a wholesome lunch or light dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, or bunch of spring onions, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 floury potatoes (around 500g), unpeeled and cut into 2cm cubes
- 1 litre vegetable stock
- 100g crème fraîche
- 300g mixed past-their-best greens (spinach, salad leaves, kale or cavolo nero), roughly torn
- 200g frozen peas
- Small handful past-their-best soft herbs, roughly chopped
Halloumi Croutons
- 1 tbsp harissa paste
- 1 tbsp honey
- 250g block halloumi, cut into 2cm cubes, drained and patted dry
To Serve
- Toasted buttered sourdough
Instructions
- Sauté the Aromatics: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped onion (or spring onions) and a pinch of salt. Cook for 6-8 minutes until the onion softens around the edges.
- Add Garlic and Potatoes: Stir in the garlic and cubed potatoes, cooking for 2-3 minutes until fragrant to build the soup’s base flavor.
- Simmer the Soup: Pour in the vegetable stock and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are just tender, infusing the broth.
- Incorporate Greens and Peas: Stir in crème fraîche, mixed greens, and frozen peas. Bring back to a simmer and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes until the greens wilt and the crème fraîche fully dissolves.
- Puréé the Soup: Add the chopped soft herbs, then use a hand blender to blitz the soup until smooth and velvety. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Prepare the Harissa-Honey Mixture: Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan. Stir in the harissa paste and honey, warming gently until melted and combined. Pour this mixture into a small bowl.
- Cook the Halloumi Croutons: Add the halloumi cubes to the hot pan. Brown them on all sides, occasionally shuffling the pan, for 4-5 minutes until golden and crispy.
- Coat Halloumi with Harissa-Honey: Return the harissa-honey mixture to the frying pan with the browned halloumi. Stir quickly to evenly coat the cubes in the spicy-sweet glaze.
- Serve: Ladle the smooth leafy greens soup into bowls, scatter the harissa-honey halloumi croutons on top, and serve with toasted buttered sourdough on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Using past-their-best greens and herbs is a great way to reduce food waste without compromising flavor.
- You can substitute halloumi with firm tofu for a vegetarian but non-cheese version.
- Adjust the harissa paste quantity to tweak the soup’s spiciness to your preference.
- If you prefer a chunkier soup, reserve some cooked potato cubes before blending.
- Store leftovers separately: keep the soup and halloumi croutons apart to prevent sogginess.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: leafy greens soup, harissa halloumi, honey halloumi croutons, vegetable soup, creamy greens soup, easy soup recipes, Mediterranean soup, vegetarian soup
