Credit: Romy London
Strong Women
7 tasty and nutritious spring soup recipes to enjoy this season
By Lauren Geall
9 months ago
7 min read
Soup isn’t just a winter food; it’s delicious in spring too, as these fresh and nutritious soup recipes prove.
Soup might not seem like the most traditional spring meal, but it’s a brilliant way to add a dose of fresh, nutritious goodness to your diet.
Not only does it provide the opportunity to make the most of the fresh British ingredients that pop up in supermarkets at this time of year (asparagus and spring onions are now in season, fyi), but a warm bowl of soup still feels welcome against the backdrop of those chilly spring nights.
And there are plenty of ways to add a touch of spring to your soup too, whether that’s tossing a handful of fresh herbs on top or adding some citrus or spice to give the final product some added brightness. Ready to get cooking? Here are seven tasty and nutritious spring soup recipes to get you started.
Spiced swede soup
Credit: Aldi
Serves: 6
Swede is one of those vegetables that can be hard to get right, but this warming soup recipe from Aldi allows you to reap its nutritious benefits while enjoying a delicious combination of flavours. Swap the butter and milk for plant-based alternatives if you want to keep things fully vegan and enjoy with a generous helping of crusty bread.
Ingredients
- 1 swede – approximately 700g
- 2 medium onions
- 2 cloves garlic
- 400ml coconut milk
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 500ml boiling water
- 30g tomato purée
- 1 heaped tsp paprika
- 2 flat tsp ground cumin
- 1 flat tsp chilli powder
- 200-250ml milk
- 25g salted butter
- sea salt and black pepper
- Coriander, to serve
Method
- Prep your vegetables: peel and chop the swede into small chunks; peel and chop the onions; and peel and finely dice the garlic.
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onions and cook gently for five minutes, then add the garlic, cumin, chilli powder, paprika and chopped swede – and cook for a further two minutes. Add the boiling water and crumble in the stock cube.
- Pour in the coconut milk and tomato purée, then season with some salt and black pepper. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 25 minutes until the swede is very tender.
- Liquidise the soup using a blender, adding enough milk until you have a nice thick consistency.
- Chop the coriander, sprinkle over the soup and serve.
Pea and kale soup
Credit: Romy London
Serves: 4
Romy’s website is packed full of brilliant vegan recipes, and this frozen pea and kale soup is one of our favourites. Top with crunchy chickpeas (just coat them in a little bit of oil and whatever seasoning you fancy and bake them in the oven until they’re nice and crispy) and a drizzle of vegan cream.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 100g curly kale
- 300g frozen peas
- 1 litre vegetable stock
- 100ml vegan heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the kale to the pan and sauté for two or three minutes until it starts to wilt.
- Next, add the frozen peas and vegetable stock to the pan and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Cook the soup for about 10-15 minutes, or until the peas are tender.
- Now, using a hand blender, blend the soup until it’s smooth. If you prefer a chunkier soup, you can blend it less.
- Stir in the vegan cream and season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat the soup for another two to three minutes until it’s heated through.
- Serve the soup with some crusty bread on the side and crunchy chickpeas if you fancy.
Coconut soup with oyster mushrooms
Credit: Rosa's Thai
Serves: 2
In the mood for something creamy? Look no further than this tom kha recipe from Saiphin Moore, co-founder of Rosa’s Thai. Featuring plenty of coriander and chilli, it’s got an added freshness which gives it that spring-like vibe.
Ingredients
- 200ml coconut milk
- 200ml water
- 5 slices of greater galangal
- 1 lemongrass stalk, sliced diagonally
- 3 kaffir lime leaves, shredded
- 3 small red chillies, sliced
- 4 coriander roots (or use 20 fresh coriander stalks), roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- 150g oyster mushrooms, broken into pieces
- 5 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- Handful of fresh coriander leaves
Method
- Pour the coconut milk and measured water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the galangal, lemongrass, lime leaves, chillies, coriander roots or stalks and salt.
- Leave to bubble away over a medium heat for two minutes, until the flavours come through, then add the mushrooms and the tomatoes and cook for a further two minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice, soy sauce and coriander leaves. Serve immediately.
Green minestrone soup
Credit: Seggiano
Serves: 4-6
This vegetarian twist on a classic from the Italian food brand Seggiano features plenty of fresh vegetables for the ultimate nutrient boost. Stick to a vegan pesto and skip the parmesan if you want to keep things entirely plant-based.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium brown onion (finely chopped)
- 2 sticks celery (finely chopped)
- 100g arborio risotto rice
- 1.5 litres vegetable stock
- Zest and juice of half a lemon
- 100g tenderstem broccoli (chopped into bite-size pieces)
- 100g savoy cabbage (shredded)
- 100g courgette (finely chopped)
- 75g frozen peas
- 1 tbsp pesto plus extra to serve
- Fresh basil and parmesan shavings to serve (optional)
Method
- Heat the oil in a large stockpot over a medium/low heat then add the onion, celery and a large pinch of salt. Sweat gently for 10 minutes until softened and slightly golden.
- Stir the Arborio risotto rice into the vegetables and cook for a further two minutes.
- Pour in the stock along with the lemon zest and juice. Bring to the boil and then turn down to a simmer for 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the broccoli, cabbage, courgette and peas to the pan and simmer gently for a further 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables and the rice are tender. Stir in the pesto.
- Serve with an extra spoonful of pesto, fresh basil leaves and parmesan, if desired.
Beetroot, sweet potato and ginger soup
Credit: Florette Salad
Serves: 2
Featuring folate-rich beetroot and potassium and fibre-packed sweet potato, this bright and tasty recipe from Florette Salad makes the perfect lunchtime pick-me-up. The ginger and chilli flakes add a pleasant kick, symbolic of the soup’s bright red colour.
Ingredients
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- 1 knob ginger minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin.
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into bite-size chunks
- 4 cooked beetroots
- 500ml veggie stock
- 1 can coconut milk
- Salt and pepper
Method
- Fry the onion with the coconut oil on a medium heat until browning.
- Add in the garlic, ginger, cumin & chilli flakes and fry for a further one to two minutes.
- Add the sweet potato, beetroot and stock, and simmer for 15 minutes until the sweet potato is soft.
- Blitz with a hand blender or processor and add the coconut milk, salt and pepper.
- Serve in warmed bowls. Top with coriander.
Lemon, orzo and vegetable soup
Credit: Ocado
Serves: 4
If you’re looking for something a bit more filling, look no further than this delicious citrus-y orzo soup from Ocado. Packed full of plants, it’s both delicious and gut-friendly: what’s not to love?
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely sliced
- 2 carrots, peeled and finely sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 courgettes, finely diced
- 1½ litres veg stock
- 200g orzo
- 200g frozen peas
- 125g spinach
- ½ bunch chives, finely chopped
- 1 small bunch parsley, leaves finely chopped
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
Method
- In a large, heavy-bottomed pan with two tbsp of oil, gently sauté the onion, celery, carrots, bay leaves and courgettes for three mins.
- Add the stock to the pan and bring to the boil, then turn down to a low simmer for 10 mins.
- While the veg simmers, cook the orzo in a separate pan of salted boiling water for 9-10 mins until al dente, drain and then add to the veg. (If the orzo isn’t cooked separately the soup becomes very thick with starch.)
- Now add the peas and spinach and cook for a further 2 mins. Remove from the heat, add the herbs, lemon juice and zest and 2tbsp olive oil.
- Season to taste and serve in bowls.
Chickpea and rainbow chard broth
Credit: Detox Kitchen
Serves: 2
It’s all too easy to sleep on chunky soups, but this rainbow concoction from Detox Kitchen is the perfect mix of broth and bite-sized vegetables. The chard is packed with nutrients including magnesium, iron, potassium and vitamins A, C and K.
Ingredients
- 1 carrot, diced
- 150g new potatoes, cut into 1cm cubes
- 400g queen chickpeas, drained
- 500ml vegetable stock
- 1 courgette, diced
- 100g corn, ideally fresh
- 70g rainbow chard, finely sliced
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Handful of parsley, chopped
- Salt
- Cracked black pepper
- Handful of dill, roughly chopped
Method
- Place the carrots, potatoes, chickpeas, courgette and stock in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 20 minutes or so until the potatoes are soft.
- Add in the corn, chard and parsley with 250ml more stock and simmer for another five minutes.
- Turn the heat off, season to taste and garnish with the fresh dill and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Images: Aldi; Romy London; Rosa’s Thai; Seggiano
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