Green Detox Spring Soup is the perfect soup to alkalize your body, cleanse your system and provide you with plenty of nutrients thanks to the vegetables it contains. Ideal for a light lunch or a healthy dinner, the main ingredients of Green Detox Spring Soup are an invigorating blend of spring vegetables, peas and fresh herbs.
When I make soups, I usually cook in large batches and freeze individual portions to eat later to save time. I must confess that I learned this method from Elsa, my grandmother – the queen of minestrone. My grandma lived until the age of 96 and probably eating minestrone twice a week has been her secret for longevity.
The main ingredients in my grandmother’s minestrone are onions, potatoes, carrots, spinach, chard and zucchini, plus some rice or small pasta. When I was a kid, I spent part of the summer at my grandparents’ house. Making minestrone – from boiling it to freezing it for the winter months – was an all-day process. Although minestrone was not my favorite, I always enjoyed making the soup and spending time with them.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THE GREEN DETOX SPRING SOUP
– This soup, packed with detoxifying vegetables and leafy greens is a powerful immune booster.
– Add vegetables and make your own combinations so you can have a seasonal soup all year long.
– It’s a great option for those days when you need to cleanse your system, either you have indulged too much in cake, sweets or drinks with your friends.
– Soups are quick to make, this vegan detox soup is ready in just over 30 minutes.
GREEN DETOX SPRING SOUP RECIPE INGREDIENTS
Over the years, I have adapted my grandmother’s original healthy soup recipe to my personal preferences, and today I share my Green Detox Spring Soup with you. The ingredients are fresh and seasonal green vegetables like broccoli, asparagus and zucchini. That means you can use any kind of veggies you have in your fridge. I also added some peas for an extra kick of protein, and green lentils would work well too. The base includes celery, shallots, and garlic. I added spinach and a mixture of chopped fresh parsley and basil for the topping.
Instead of shallots, you can use scallions or onions – but shallots are my personal preference. For the broth, I used a powder blend that contains turmeric – an Asian spice with anti-inflammatory properties, along with many other health benefits. I usually sprinkle it over soup or stew, or sometimes mix it into hot ginger tea or milk.
LET’S TALK ABOUT ITALIAN SOUPS!
Soups are popular throughout Italy, and every region has its own traditional version. Italian soups falls into three different categories:
Minestrone: Traditionally prepared with seasonal veggies and beans along with a variety of grains or bread pieces. Minestrone usually has a chunkier consistency and can be a meal by itself. A typical example of minestrone is Ribollita – which means reboiled and it is typical from Tuscany.
Ristretto di brodo: With a more liquid consistency, the focus of this soup is more on the broth, which is typically made from chicken or beef. An example is capellini in brodo, a rich soup from Piemonte. It is usually composed of very thin pasta in a chicken broth that is usually served at Christmas.
Cream soups: Wide variety of cream soups that are made with vegetables, cooked in broth and then blended with cream. Three popular examples are pumpkin soup from Mantova, mushroom soup from Umbria and white asparagus soup from Veneto.
GREEN DETOX SPRING SOUP RECIPE VARIATIONS
The delicious green detox soup is very light as it only contains veggies and peas, so it is vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free.
– If you want a more substantial meal, you can add some rice, quinoa or spelt (though in this last case it will not be gluten-free anymore).
– Another good option, in this case gluten-free, would be a boiled potato, either russet or sweet.
– For a more savory taste, you can scatter it with Parmesan.
– For a more zingy taste, you can add 1 or 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.
Looking for more soup recipes? Check the Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, a fall quintessential. Or for a more hearty soup, check out the Quick and Easy Cabbage Soup.
This detox vegetable soup recipe can be easily adapted to all seasons, you just need to play with the variety of vegetables each season has to offer. Whole this recipe has the taste of spring, here below you can find my favorite combinations for the rest of the seasons.
– in the summer go for melon, cucumber or tomatoes in the form of chilled soup,
– in the autumn you could use pumpkin and carrots, and add aromatic spices for additional flavor.
– and in the winter use broccoli and cabbage, or any other dark leafy greens.
It is always good to have batches of soup for cleanse all year round! Soups made with seasonal fresh vegetables are a powerful detoxifying boost, which will help you feel renewed and noursihed.
HOW TO STORE THE SOUP
How long does it stay good? This vegan cleansing soup can be refrigerated for up to 4 days in a zip lock bag or container
Can you freeze the Green Detox Spring Soup? Of course, you can do that and this is the best part! You can freeze it in a container or zip lock bag and it will stay good for 6 weeks – what is easier than that? With pre-made batches of this vegan green soup in the freezer, you can have it as a main on its own for a lighter meal in no time at all.
How can you warm it up? In case you freeze it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and then warm it up slowly on the stovetop or in the microwave at low speed.
Please let me know in the comments how you like the Green Spring Detox Soup! I would really love to hear from you, and hope this dish will become part of your clean eating routine!
Equipment
- medium size pot
- large size pot
Ingredients
- 3 shallots ( you can sub with onions or scallions)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 stalks celery
- 2 cups zucchini
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 cup asparagus
- 1 cup peas ( I used frozen peas)
- 4 handful baby spinach
- 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp chopped basil
- 4 cups water
- 1 cube vegetable broth with turmeric ( turmeric is optional)
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Clean all your veggies: remove the hard stalks of the asparagus, peel the external part of the celery, cut the broccoli in florets, and clean the zucchini.
- Put 3 tbsp olive oil in another pot, then once warm, add the shallots, celery and garlic and a pinch of salt.
- Cook until the shallots are translucent, then add the broccoli and the zucchini, and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the broth to your veggies pot and bring to a boil.
- After 10 minutes, add the asparagus and the peas and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Switch off the stove but keep the pot on the heat.
- Top it with a mix of baby spinach, chopped parsley and basil, a pinch of pepper, and 2 slices of toasted wholewheat bread.
Notes
- the whole wheat bread is optional and not included in the nutrition calculation.
Nutrition
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