Hot or Cold Creamy Lettuce Soup Recipe

Daniel Gritzer
Hot or Cold Creamy Lettuce Soup Recipe
*
  • Yield:Serves 4
  • Active time:25 minutes
  • Total time:25 minutes
  • Rated: 5.0

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

Lettuce isn't just good for salads; it makes shockingly delicious soup, too. Easy and quick to make, this silky-smooth soup is creamy (though it has no cream) and can be served hot or chilled.

Why It Works

Mild-mannered lettuce gets the spotlight. Read the Whole Story
  • Despite its mild flavor, lettuce makes a delicious and fresh-tasting soup.
  • A small amount of parsley punches up the green color.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter
  • 1 medium onion (about 8 ounces; 225g), diced (see note above)
  • 4 medium cloves garlic, sliced
  • 2 cups (475ml) homemade chicken or vegetable stock, or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth, plus more if needed
  • 8 ounces (225g) lettuce, core and root ends trimmed, leaves torn if large (see note above)
  • 1/4 cup (1 small handful) loosely packed parsley leaves
  • Kosher salt
  • Fresh lemon juice, to taste
  • Thinly sliced radish and pea shoots, tossed in extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish (see note above)

Directions

  1. 1.

    In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat until foamy. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add stock, bring to a simmer, and cook until vegetables are very tender, about 8 minutes. Add lettuce and parsley and cook until wilted and softened, 1 to 2 minutes.

  2. 2.

    Working in batches if necessary, transfer broth and vegetables to a blender and blend, starting at the lowest speed and increasing to high, until very smooth, about 3 minutes. If soup is too thick, thin as needed with additional stock. Season with salt and just a touch of lemon juice to brighten flavor (add it very sparingly to prevent soup from becoming tart). Garnish with radish and pea shoots (or other garnish) and serve warm or chilled.

Daniel Gritzer
Culinary Director

Daniel cooked for years in some of New York's top American, Italian and French restaurants - starting at the age of 13, when he began staging at the legendary restaurant Chanterelle. He spent nearly a year working on organic farms in Europe, where he harvested almonds and Padron peppers in Spain, shepherded a flock of more than 200 sheep in Italy, and made charcuterie in France. When not working on, thinking about, cooking and eating food, he blows off steam (and calories) as an instructor of capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian martial art.

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