Swiss Chard Soup

When you are looking for flavors and nutrition in the same bowl, Swiss chard soup is your best choice! It is a very rich, creamy, comforting, and wholesome soup made from fresh vegetables, fragrant spices, cannellini beans, and Swiss chard. It is a perfect dish for winter. The soup is very easy to make. All you have to do is follow a simple recipe and get a perfect blend of flavors.

The best thing about this soup is that you can easily make it for a large batch. It is a very rich and flavorsome soup. That’s why it will become an instant favorite. You can make it in advance and store it for later use as well. If you love soups, you will also enjoy Vegan White Bean Soup and Vegan Zucchini Soup.

Here is everything you need to know about this nutrient-rich and tasty soup recipe.

What is Swiss chard soup?

Swiss chard soup is a soup made traditionally from cannellini beans, vegetables, Swiss chard, and spices. This soup is very wholesome and rich. It is a perfect main course that you can enjoy with a piece of your favorite bread, the soup is quite versatile, and you can customize it according to your liking.

Ingredient breakdown

• Swiss chard: Swiss chard is yet another leafy green that is jam-packed with nutrition. This leafy green belongs to the spinach family and sits somewhere between spinach and kale when it comes to flavor and texture. It is not as soft as spinach or as hard as kale. These leafy green large leaves have a green to slightly red color. It has an earthy, mild, slightly sweet, and slightly bitter flavor. You can easily get Swiss chard from any grocery store. Its unique blend of red color makes it stand out from the rest of the leafy greens. Swiss chard is also very nutrient-rich. It is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K.
• Cannellini beans: cannellini beans are also known as white kidney beans. They have an earthy and nutty flavor. The flesh is tender and is often referred to as “meaty.” You can easily find cannellini beans from any grocery store. They come in both dried and cooked forms. You can choose either a cooked or uncooked version. However, for this recipe, you will need to precook it. So, canned cannellini is the best choice. It is convenient and saves time as well. Drain and rinse the beans before using them.
• Vegetable broth: vegetable broth is jam-packed with flavors from vegetables. You can use homemade vegetable broth or store-bought. When choosing a store-bought vegetable stock, make sure it is low in sodium. If you don’t have vegetable stock. You can add vegetable bouillon in water as well. It will work just fine.
• Coconut milk: coconut milk is my favorite vegan ingredient for broths, stews, and curries. It is responsible for the creaminess and richness of this soup.
• Olive oil: olive oil is loaded with healthy fats. You can choose any other vegetable oil as well. Avocado oil works very well for me.
• Onion: you can choose either white or red onion for this recipe. It sets the base for the soup.
• Carrots: carrots not just add color but are also loaded with nutrients. When adding carrots, make sure you peel them.
• Potato: potatoes bring in a starchy element to the soup. It adds texture to it. The best potatoes for this recipe are russet potatoes. You can choose gold Yuki as well.
• Celery stalk: celery stalk is an amazing ingredient that is responsible for adding depth of flavors to the soup. It has a unique crunch to it and gives a savory flavor to this soup.
• Garlic: nothing can bring a depth of savory flavor like garlic! The intense garlicky flavor will give the soup another dimension.
• Onion powder: onion powder has a distinct sweetness and onion flavor.
• Garlic powder: garlic powder also adds more flavor to the soup. You can skip adding garlic powder and increase fresh garlic as well.
• Nutritional yeast flakes: nutritional yeast flakes have a unique flavor that is almost umami. The flavor is an imitation of cheese and brings a unique cheesy flavor to the soup.
• Dried basil: dried basil has a unique blend of lemony and peppery flavor. It is often quite intense and offers complexity. If you don’t have dried basil, use fresh basil leaves instead.
• Dried thyme: dried thyme has a sharp and minty flavor. It also has earthy notes to it with a slightly floral aroma. It is slightly sweet and peppery at the same time.
• Celery seeds: celery seed is quite a less commonly used ingredient but is known for its flavor and nutritional value. It has an earthy aroma. Moreover, the flavor is warm and slightly bitter.
• Allspice: Allspice is a unique blend of various spices. It adds warmth and depth of flavor.
• Salt: you can use table salt or sea salt for balancing out the flavors.

How to make Swiss chard soup?

Swiss chard soup is pretty straightforward to make. Here is what you have to do to make this delicious and comforting soup:

Step 1: Start by heating olive oil in a large pot. You can do that by placing it on medium heat.

Step 2: once the oil heats up, add chopped onions and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until they are soft and translucent. Next, add minced garlic and celery. Cook for a few more minutes until the celery starts getting soft.

Step 3: Now add the rest of the vegetables, i.e., potatoes and carrots. Add the spices like onion powder, nutritional yeast flakes, garlic powder, dried thyme, dried basil, allspice, celery seeds. Mix well so that the spices coat the vegetables.

Step 4: pour in coconut milk and vegetable stock and add cannellini beans. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Step 5: reduce the heat, cover the pot and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.

Step 6: Lastly, add chopped Swiss chard and season with salt. Stir. Cover the pot again and let it cook for ten more minutes.

Step 7: serve hot.

Variation ideas

Although this Swiss chard recipe is very filling and wholesome, here are a few additional ingredients you can add for more flavors:

• Chickpeas: although we have used cannellini beans, if you don’t have these, you can always go for chickpeas. They are also rich in protein and have a hearty texture.
• Butternut squash: butternut squash is a great winter vegetable. It brings in a nutty and sweet flavor. You can add it to this soup to bring in a warm and comforting vibe, especially in winters.
• Macaroni: if you want to make this soup more wholesome, and turn it into a complete meal, add macaroni to it. You can choose either homemade or store-bought pasta.
• Red chili flakes: to add spice and heat to this soup, add red chili flakes, smoked paprika, or cayenne pepper.

How to store Swiss chard soup?

Store the leftover soup once it is cool by placing it in an airtight container. It will last in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Furthermore, you can also freeze the leftover soup. Freeze it for up to a month. You can reheat it in the pot overheat.

What to serve with Swiss chard soup?

The best thing that you can serve with Swiss chard soup is bread. Whether it is garlic bread, gluten-free bread, or any other French bread, the soup goes very well with it. As the bread soaks the soup, it literally melts in your mouth with an explosion of amazing flavors from the soup.

Other Vegan Soups To Prepare

1. Autumn Squash Soup
2. Red Peas Soup
3. Pumpkin Soup (Pureed)
4. Instant Pot Vegan Split Pea Soup
5. Instant Pot Potato Soup