Big Green Immunity-Boosting Vegetable Soup (Print)

A silky green blend of spinach, asparagus, broccoli, and cashews delivers a creamy, immune-supporting bowl ready in under an hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 leek, white and light green parts, sliced
05 - 1 medium head broccoli, cut into florets (about 10.5 oz)
06 - 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 8.8 oz)
07 - 5.3 oz baby spinach

→ Nuts and Dairy-Free Creaminess

08 - 2.8 oz raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes and drained

→ Liquids

09 - 33.8 fl oz low-sodium vegetable broth
10 - 8.5 fl oz water, plus more as needed

→ Seasonings

11 - 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
12 - 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
13 - 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
14 - Juice of 0.5 lemon

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, minced garlic, and sliced leek. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
02 - Add broccoli florets and asparagus pieces to the pot. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 - Pour in vegetable broth and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until vegetables are just tender.
04 - Add baby spinach and soaked cashews. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until spinach is wilted.
05 - Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until completely smooth and creamy. Alternatively, work in batches with a countertop blender.
06 - Stir in salt, pepper, nutmeg if using, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - If soup is too thick, add additional water or broth gradually until desired consistency is reached.
08 - Ladle into bowls and serve hot. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil or fresh lemon juice if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This silky green soup somehow makes you feel like youre healing with every spoonful, especially during those transitional seasons when everyone seems to be catching something.
  • You can make a big batch on Sunday and your future exhausted self will thank you when dinnertime rolls around midweek.
02 -
  • If you rush the initial sautéing of the onion mixture, youll miss out on the foundational flavor that makes this soup special, so give those aromatics their full 5 minutes to soften and sweeten.
  • Using room temperature rather than cold broth helps maintain the vibrant green color, something I discovered after serving a disappointingly olive-drab version at a dinner party.
03 -
  • For the absolute silkiest texture, after using the immersion blender, strain the soup through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing with the back of a ladle to extract all the liquid while leaving any fibrous bits behind.
  • If youre serving this to skeptical green-phobic eaters, garnish with something familiar like croutons or a tiny sprinkle of grated parmesan, which creates a visual bridge to soups they already know and love.
Go Back