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Have you taken a look deep inside your refrigerator lately? Don’t let those abandoned salad mixes or heads of lettuce waste away! This Whole30 compliant Wilted Lettuce Soup takes that soon-to-be wasted lettuce and turns it into a delicious soup perfect for long term meal prep.
Clean out your Refrigerator!
It’s okay. We’ve all been there. Made a meal plan for the whole week and was a little too ambitious on the salad front. And now there’s an extra head or two of lettuce hanging out in the back of the fridge that’s not going to make it to next week.
But instead of throwing that lettuce out, you should make this Whole30 compliant Wilted Lettuce Soup. The soft texture of the old lettuce isn’t that pleasant in salad, but that won’t matter one bit in this soup. The hot broth will finish the wilting process!
Oh, and feel free to toss other leftover veggies that may also be a little bit past their prime as well. You could easily substitute finely chopped carrots instead of the English garden peas I had hanging around. Soup hides a multitude of sins, and is the perfect way to clean out your fridge.
Farmers Market Ingredients and Substitutions
Red Leaf Lettuce
Any lettuce variety will work here. Whether you’ve got a stray head of romaine, butter lettuce, or a bunch of arugula, this soup is a fantastic way to use up some produce that’s a bit past its peak. It doesn’t matter if the lettuce is a little bit wilted already; it’s gonna be fully wilted by the time the soup is done!
If your lettuce is turning yellow, brown, or mushy, add that to your compost pile instead of making this soup. That lettuce is spoiled and not good eats.
Sweet Onions
Sweet onions, like Walla Walla Onions and Vidalia Onions, are the perfect accompaniment to . These onions have more natural sugars in them, which makes them perfect for balancing out the bitterness of the lettuce.
Any onion will work in this recipe; just look for one that matches the season that you’re in. Leeks will be perfect for the spring, for example. Shallots and other more delicate onions can be substituted as well, but you’ll want to adjust the cooking time and temperature so that you don’t scorch them.
Beef Bone Broth
I love that I’m starting to see ranchers and butchers at farmers markets across the country. Farmers markets aren’t just for fruits and vegetables anymore! The bone broth from
Want to make your own bone broth instead? I use my Instant Pot to make a rich broth with bones from the farmers market (I do something similar to this technique from Serious Eats, but without the tomato paste). This is also a great way to use up leftover vegetable scraps, or carrots and celery that have been sitting in the fridge for a little too long. Perhaps just like the lettuce.
Tips and Tricks
Don’t be tempted to add the lettuce to the soup too early! It might seem a little silly to wait until the very end to stir in the lettuce, but the flavor can be delicate and turn bitter if overcooked. Some lettuces are more resilient than others, however. You can add romaine lettuce a lot earlier in the cooking process than you can a delicate butter lettuce.
Serving Suggestions
The best part about soup? It’s an all-on-one meal! There’s no need for crazy side dishes, or a huge main course. This Wilted Lettuce Soup has it all in a single bowl.
But what about the leftovers?
Leftover Wilted Lettuce Soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. It’s best reheated on the stove, not the microwave, as you’ve got way more control that way; you’ll want to take a little bit of extra time when reheating so you don’t turn the lettuce into a mushy mess.
The best way to save your leftovers, however, is to freeze and vacuum seal them. Broth-based soups, like this one, freeze exceptionally well and can be stored for several months. It’s also great for meal prep, and a total lifesaver when you’re not in the mood for cooking. I use this basic vacuum sealer from FoodSaver, but there are other models out there that’ll accomplish the same thing. Simply freeze the soup in single or double serving containers, then vacuum seal it, and your freezer will be ready for you whenever you need a quick meal!
Whole30 Wilted Lettuce Soup
This Whole30 compliant Wilted Lettuce Soup takes that soon-to-be wasted lettuce and turns it into a delicious soup perfect for long term meal prep.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 medium sweet yellow onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups bone broth
- 2 cups filtered water
- ¼ red wine vinegar
- 1 head red leaf lettuce, roughly chopped
- 1 cup English peas
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat avocado oil in a large stock pot on medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the ground beef and sear until one side is brown and crispy. Break up the ground beef and finish cooking the beef.
- Use a slotted spoon to pull out the ground beef, leaving the excess fat and oil in the pot. Set aside for later.
- Add the sliced onions to the stock pot, and cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Turn the heat up to high, and brown the onions quickly (but don't burn them!), then return the heat to medium.
- Add the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and bay leaf to the pot. Sauté for 3 minutes or until the garlic is soft and fragrant.
- Add the reserved ground beef back to the pot, alongside the bone broth and filtered water. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for approximately 10-15 minutes.
- Add the red wine vinegar to the soup. Stir in the chopped lettuce and peas. The lettuce will wilt and the peas will turn a bright green.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 315Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 460mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 29g
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.
