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Winter farmers markets are in full swing, and we are transitioning from squashes and apples to a wide variety of root vegetables. One of these winter vegetables is the humble sunchoke, which I love to buy whenever I see it at the winter market. And since it’s snowy and cold outside, there’s nothing better than making Creamy Sunchoke Soup to celebrate the flavors of the December harvest.
Nothing better than a hearty soup for cold winter nights!
Baby, it’s cold outside! I’ve been all across the country in the past few weeks, and it seems like everywhere is colder than normal. Even sunny Sunnyvale, California has been getting in on the winter weather with some much needed rain. And don’t get me started on Alaska, where we are already seeing daylight diminish pretty quickly.
This is a rich, hearty soup that is perfect to warm you up on those chilling days. I love a good soup anytime, but this creamy sunchoke soup is especially good in the cold weather.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Sunchokes
Sunchokes are the tuberous root of a sunflower varietal. It’s not the same as your typical sunflowers, so don’t run and dig up your garden. They taste like a nutty potato with the texture of a water chestnut. They will require a longer cooking time than your average potato due to the firmer texture.
When picking out sunchokes at the farmers market, look for smaller roots. Smaller, smoother protrusions will make the sunchokes easier to clean, but I find a good vegetable brush will clean dirt out of all the nooks and crannies, no matter their crazy shapes.
Sunchokes can be stored for almost two weeks in the refrigerator. Keep them in the crisper drawer.
Preserved Lemon
Preserved lemons are one of my favorite ingredients to use. They’re salty and acidic, and really brighten up any dish. They can be used anywhere you’d normally use a squeeze of lemon, but the preserved lemons will bring in even more flavor.
They are very salty, so start by adding a little bit, and then increase from there. You can always add more if you want more.
I love making my own preserved lemons from the winter citrus harvest, especially with meyer lemons. They take about a month to ferment, but they’ll last for a long time in the refrigerator. If you don’t have time to make your own, I recommend Mina Moroccan Preserved Lemons (not sponsored), as these are made in the same process that I would use at home.
Goat Cheese
This is an optional addition, but it really bumps up the luxurious flavor of this soup. Feel free to leave it out if goat cheese isn’t your favorite, or if you want to make this Whole30 compliant.
Tips and Tricks
While it is easiest to blend this soup using an immersion blender, a normal blender will work as well. You’ll need to blend the soup in batches, as it is safest to only fill the blender halfway when working with hot liquids. After the soup is smooth, pour into a large bowl, then stir each batch together to ensure everything is mixed together.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy sunchoke soup is thick and rich, and will fill you up fast. Because of that, I recommend pairing this with a very light side, such as this arugula salad. Anything heavier than this will just be too much food.
Alternatively, this can be served as a small appetizer alongside a larger meal, something like half of a serving or less. Just enough to get the flavor but not enough to fill you up. Trust me, this is a filling soup and a little bit goes a long way.
What about the leftovers?
Store leftover creamy sunchoke soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Like most soups, this one freezes beautifully. I recommend freezing it in single serving containers, then vacuum sealing; with this method, you can store the frozen leftovers for up to three months.
Creamy Sunchoke Soup with Preserved Lemon
Since it's snowy and cold outside, there's nothing better than making Creamy Sunchoke Soup to celebrate the flavors of the December harvest.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- ½ yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb sunchokes, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 russet potato, peeled and roughly chopped
- ½ preserved lemon, seeds removed and roughly chopped
- 4 cups chicken stock
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp dill, finely chopped (optional)
- 4 tsp fresh goat cheese
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, heat oil on medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until soft and translucent.
- Add chopped sunchokes, potatoes, and preserved lemon, and continue to sauté for an additional 10 minutes.
- Add chicken stock to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let soup simmer for 30 minutes, or until sunchokes and potatoes are extremely soft. They should break apart easily when a fork is inserted.
- Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth.
- Serve soup with a sprinkling of fresh dill and a scoop of fresh goat cheese.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 294Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 492mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 3gSugar: 16gProtein: 11g
Calculated nutrition values are not always accurate, but can provide a general idea for planning purposes. Please do not rely on this information as it may not be complete. Recipes that include unusual ingredients, especially scrap ingredients, will have the least accurate information with this calculator.
