Spinach Soup

Spinach soup is prepared by simmering the broad, green leaves of the Spinacia oleracea plant in water along with salt and spices as well as herbs. The soup can be prepared with the spinach leaves alone or with other vegetables added to it. It is green in color and becomes pale on being cooked with milk.

Almost all cultures around the world have their own recipe for making the soup which is nutritious as well. The soup is rich in vitamins A and K and contains almost all essential minerals. It contains a high amount of iron and calcium with most medical professionals recommending it as a part of the daily diet for pregnant women and lactating mothers.

Vegetarian as well as meat containing versions of the Spinach soup are commonly consumed. It is usually served as part of a light lunch or an appetizer. The soup when prepared with water or a vegetable stock is low in calories and considered to be an ideal  food for weight watchers. The soup can also be used to enhance the taste of curries and gravies.

Origin of the Soup of Spinach

The edible green leafy plant grew wild in Central and South Western Asia, and Anatolia was the ancient city where  the vegetable was consumed. It was introduced to the Western world in the 15^th century and John Locke, the famous English philosopher mentions having consumed a soup made with spinach during his travels to the South of France.

A watery soup called asida was consumed in Cordoba, Spain, which was an important dish served at all family and social occasions of the region.

Spinach Soup Recipe: Ingredients and Preparation Overview

The basic recipe uses only the broad, leaves of spinach along with water. Chopped tomato is often added to spinach leaves and both the vegetables are boiled in water for well over ten minutes. The vegetables are then pureed and the juice strained through a sieve. The final stages of making the Spinach soup consists of heating butter and adding the thin soup to it which is then thickened with flour or cornmeal.

The dish is served with a dollop of cream and is seasoned lightly with salt and pepper. Lime juice is frequently added to it as well, especially when the recipe does not recommend using tomatoes.

Spinach Soup Recipe Variations

• Cream of the spinach- This soup is served hot and contains onions, garlic and butter. The spinach is pureed and creamed with the addition of a thickening agent.
• Cold Soup- The soup is kept refrigerated and plain yogurt added to it after the dish is removed from heat. It is served cold with a garnish of basil leaves floating on top.
• Shourbat Sabanekh- this is the Lebanese version of the soup prepared with minced beef and spinach.
• Chinese Soup- It contains chicken and pork along with spinach leaves and is seasoned with sesame oil and soya sauce.
• Spinach and Cheese Soup- The soup is prepared by simmering  frozen spinach leaves in chicken broth. Fried bacon and crumbled blue cheese are added to the dish just before serving,  while it can also be eaten cold when flavored with lime juice and dry vermouth.

Trivia

There are numerous recipes of the Spinach soup named after Popeye, the cartoon character who loves to eat the leafy vegetable.