Creamy artichoke soup packs lots of artichoke hearts into a creamy base with Gruyere cheese. How could you possibly go wrong with this combination?
I suspect that you guys are probably suspicious that I sit around all the time trying to think of more recipes to put artichoke hearts into. You know what? You’re at least partially correct. I don’t really do it consciously; it’s just that I love artichokes so much that I can’t help myself. Artichoke dip, artichoke toast (really! It’s amazing…I literally just realized that I haven’t shared that here yet. I’ll have to remedy that soon.), artichokes in risotto, artichokes in crepes. I kind of feel like the Bubba of artichokes.
Oddly enough, I have never cooked nor have I consumed a whole artichoke. I guess I’m intimidated by the whole “not all of it is edible” nature of artichokes and the fact that breaking them down is kind of a feat. That’s not typical of me…you all know that I don’t usually shy away from a challenge. I’ll have to add that to my bucket list for the summer (along with learning to eat with chopsticks?). At this moment, though, all of my artichoke consumption has been limited to artichoke hearts. They’re safe and non-intimidating.
Anyway, creamy artichoke soup seemed like a worthy place to focus my artichoke attention for a minute. I mean, what sort of bad things could possibly happen if you sautéed some onions in butter, then added artichokes, then heavy cream and chicken stock, then pureed the whole thing and added cheese and more artichoke hearts? None. No bad things can come from that (I mean, unless you’re allergic to one of said ingredients). Some may say that it’s getting too warm for a rich and creamy soup like this, but I eat soup (including creamy soup) year-round so I say go for it. With a grilled cheese sandwich, this creamy artichoke soup is filling and comforting and just…perfect.
Have you cooked/eaten whole artichokes? Comment below if you have any pointers for me!
Find other great recipes on the Weekend Potluck link-up on Served Up With Love!
Mary
Yield: 4 servings
10 minPrep Time:
20 minCook Time:
30 minTotal Time:
Save Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 9-ounce packages frozen artichoke hearts, thawed, drained of any excess liquid, and chopped
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2-3 cups low-sodium chicken stock (use vegetable stock to make this a vegetarian dish)
- 4 ounces (1 cup) grated Gruyere cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste
- flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened. Stir in the flour and cook for about one minute.
- Gradually pour in the cream, stirring constantly, then add two cups of the chicken stock and half of the chopped artichoke. Bring to a simmer and cook until heated through and thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Using an immersion blender or a regular blender (in batches), puree the soup until smooth. Return it to the pot and add the cheese and the remaining artichokes. If you want a thinner soup, add the remaining cup of chicken stock. Cook until heated through.
- Salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with chopped parsley for garnish if desired.
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