Watercress and Rocket Soup Recipe

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
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Updated on 12/22/22
Green soup and bread in background

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Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 servings

This soup is a favorite for when you feel you need a boost to the system--that usually means a significant quantity of healthy vegetables. What better way to tackle them than in a delicious, nutritious soup? The soup is spinach with added vitamin-packed vegetables blended into a creamy soup which is also great if you are on a detox program or watching your weight.

Don't get too hung up on the quantities, so if you like more spinach, or you prefer watercress then go for it. Whatever you add will be great. Make a big pot full as it freezes well (don't leave it in the freezer longer than four weeks though). The soup will also keep well in the fridge for a few days, so handy for a refreshing, healthy lunch or even to replace a cup of tea or morning coffee.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large red onion (finely chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 450g/1lb fresh baby spinach 
  • 450g/1lb fresh watercress
  • 125g/1/4 lb ruccola, rocket, or arugula
  • 1 liter/35 fl oz vegetable stock (if not fresh use a good stock cube)
  • 1 large potato (peeled and cut into 8)
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Optional: Greek yogurt or creme fraiche​

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or large saucepan, make sure it is hot but not smoking. Sauté the chopped onion for five minutes, then add the garlic, lower the heat and cook for a further 2 minutes

  3. Add the spinach, watercress, and rocket to the onion and stir really well.

  4. Add the vegetable stock and the potato.

  5. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook until the potato is soft but not broken up.

  6. Blend the soup using a hand blender or food processor. Only at this point should you test the seasoning, then add salt and pepper to your taste. Serve into warmed bowls or mugs. You can also serve with bread croutons or with a little Greek yogurt or creme fraiche stirred through if you are not watching your weight.

    Use Caution When Blending Hot Ingredients

    Steam expands quickly in a blender, and can cause ingredients to splatter everywhere or cause burns. To prevent this, fill the blender only one-third of the way up, vent the top, and cover with a folded kitchen towel while blending.

This recipe is quite loose, you can use the greens you like. Swap out some of the greens for super food kale, cabbage, Brussels, it really is up to you. Just try and keep a good mix of greens leaves and make sure you have some rocket and spinach in there.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
275 Calories
8g Fat
41g Carbs
16g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 275
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 1g 6%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 748mg 33%
Total Carbohydrate 41g 15%
Dietary Fiber 7g 24%
Protein 16g
Calcium 417mg 32%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)