This delicious watercress and leek soup is full of flavour and packed with nutrition. Leeks add a lovely sweetness to watercress soup, and it's a great way to get an extra portion of leafy greens. This vegan soup is smooth and creamy, and ready to eat in 30 minutes.
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What you'll love about the recipe
- A healthy vegan watercress and leek soup which is easy to make in 30 minutes, with just a few ingredients
- Watercress is a super healthy leafy green which is high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. (Read more about the health benefits of watercress here). Leeks are also very good for you and high in healthy soluble fibre
- Vegetarian, vegan, dairy free and gluten free
- There are just 102 calories in a comforting bowl of this delicious soup
- Watercress and leek soup is an easy way to add more veggies to your diet
Ingredients
Leeks are a little sweeter than onions, and add a lovely flavour to this healthy soup. You can use the dark green part of the leeks in this recipe too, so there's less waste.
Watercress has a delicious fresh-tasting flavour. It's quick and easy to prepare and you can include the stems in the soup.
Potato helps to thicken the soup and gives it a naturally creamy texture.
Garlic. Use fresh garlic or garlic paste if you prefer.
Stock. I used one vegetable stock cube in this leek and potato soup recipe, but use whichever stock you prefer.
Seasoning. Adjust the seasoning to suit your taste. I also like to add a little grated nutmeg to the recipe.
Olive oil, or another healthy cooking oil
Variations
If you want to make watercress and leek soup without potato, you can replace it with courgettes. They'll provide bulk and creaminess to give the soup a good texture without adding too many carbs or calories.
Add some fresh herbs if you like. Thyme goes well, or try a few parsley leaves.
If you love leeks, you might also like this leek risotto, or sauteed leeks and peas.
How to make watercress and leek soup
Slice the leeks lengthways through the centre, and wash well. Peel back the leaves to ensure that no dirt is trapped between them, then slice finely.
Cut the potato into fine dice, about 1cm square.
Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the leeks to the pan, and stir fry for a couple of minutes until starting to soften.
Add the potato, garlic, seasoning and stock. Bring the mixture up to the boil and simmer gently for 15 minutes until the potato is soft.
Tear in the watercress. Simmer for another 2 minutes.
Blitz the soup until smooth. I use an immersion blender which means I can blend the soup in the pan and cut down on the washing up. You can also use a blender or food processor if you prefer.
Cooks tips
I find that one stock cube is plenty in this quantity of soup, otherwise it can end up a little salty. Err on the side of caution when adding extra salt, you can always add a little more at the end.
Serving and storage
Watercress and leek soup is perfect served hot for a quick healthy lunch. Add a drizzle of olive oil if you like, or a little squeeze of lemon juice for extra acidity.
I also sometimes eat this soup chilled. After all, it's not dissimilar to a healthy vicchyssoise!
Try accompanying it with cheese scones, wholemeal flatbreads (or gluten free flatbreads).
You can store leftover soup in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Watercress soup also freezes well. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Frequently asked questions
Watercress soup is very healthy. Watercress and leek soup is packed with nutrients as watercress is part of the brassica family. It's also very low in saturated fat. Like many soups, it's a great way to fill up and include extra vegetables in your diet.
Watercress is related to mustard and contains a similar plant compound which tastes peppery when the leaves are chewed. More mature leaves tend to taste more peppery, and young leaves are milder. Once watercress is cooked, its peppery taste becomes much less noticeable.
Other healthy soups you might like
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Recipe
Watercress and Leek Soup
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
- large saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 leeks
- 200 g potato cut into 1cm dice
- 1 clove garlic peeled and very finely chopped
- 800 ml vegetable stock
- seasoning to taste
- pinch grated nutmeg optional
- 80 g watercress well washed
Instructions
- Trim the leeks and cut lengthways through the centre. Rinse under a tap, pulling back the leaves to ensure that any dirt is removed. Trim into thin slices.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the leeks and stir fry for a couple of minutes.
- Add the potato, garlic, seasoning, nutmeg if using and stock to the pan. Bring up to the boil and simmer gently for 15 minutes until the potato is soft to the point of a knife.
- Add the watercress to the pan and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Blitz the soup until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note nutritional information is per serving and is provided for guidance only.
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