Watercress soup is heartier than it sounds. Bitter watercress, through cooking, takes on a rich flavor next to mild potato and earthy onion. At the end, lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil give this soup a zing. This is going in my regular rotation for sure.

What’s watercress?

This is the amount that went into my soup recipe. It cooked down considerably.

Allow me to introduce you to this killer green that gets way less attention than it deserves…

Meet watercress, or nasturtium officionale. It’s a perennial green with ties to the mustard family. Nasturtium literally translates in Latin to “nose-twister,” and it lives up to its name. Eaten raw, it’s quite strong, lacking the mellow flavors of darker greens like spinach or kale. But when cooked, it surrenders its bitterness and becomes deeply flavorful. Watercress is also nutritionally potent, rivaling kale in nutrient density. It’s high in vitamin K, vitamin C and calcium. And when it comes to digestive health, this cruciferous vegetable has much to offer.

The watercress plant is native to Europe and Asia and traditionally was gathered from streams or ponds where it grew alongside running water. European settlers, maybe even my German ancestors, later introduced watercress to North America. In fact, my not-so-distant ancestors in Pennsylvania used to pick it straight from a stream and serve it with mayonnaise on bread–that is, all by itself!

Add this amazing green to a smoothie, salad, or sandwich. Add it to a rice dish or a dal (lentil dish) for extra nutrition. Or, if you’re nutty like me, just eat it straight out of the bag like potato chips!

How to make the soup

I made this recipe as a hybrid between two. Martha Stewart’s watercress soup adds watercress and lemon juice at the last minute to a broth base. Chocolate and Zucchini’s watercress and fresh sage soup fully cooks the watercress and purées the soup. Instead, I made something in the middle: a lemony, puréed soup.

The recipe is very simple. I fried the onions in olive oil, then added the garlic, potatoes, and watercress. When the watercress wilted, I added about two cups of broth and brought the mixture to a soft boil. Once the potatoes cooked through completely (about 12 minutes for me), I blended the soup together with the lemon juice and an extra pinch of salt in my giant blender. The soup would be perfectly fine eaten without blending, too.

Serve it as you like. I garnished with a drizzle of olive oil, crushed black pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Oh, and you’re gonna want to make your own vegetable stock if you haven’t already!

Simple Watercress Soup

Author: Casey
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: Soups
Diet: Vegan

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Description

Watercress soup made with only five ingredients. Serve this elegant, superfood soup as an appetizer or with a hunk of bread for a heartier meal.

Ingredients

Scale

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
½ onion, cut in half then thinly sliced
2 medium red/golden potatoes (see picture above) or one Russet potato, unpeeled
2–3 cloves minced garlic
two large handfuls watercress (2.5 oz in weight or see above)
2 cups vegetable broth or stock
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper
red pepper flakes (optional) for garnish

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Instructions

Set a small saucepan over medium heat. When it’s sufficiently hot, add a tablespoon of olive oil.
When the oil is hot, add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook until the onion is translucent.
While the onion is cooking, chop the potatoes into ¼-inch cubes.
Add the garlic to the saucepan and cook for about a minute. Add the potato and cook for 2-3 minutes or until it’s shiny with oil. Then add the watercress and cook only until the watercress is wilted.
Add two cups of broth, or as much as you need to cover the mixture.
Bring to a soft boil, then set the heat to medium low and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are soft, about 10-12 minutes.
When it’s finished cooking, blend until smooth. A handheld or regular blender works equally well. Stir in the lemon juice and add salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish each bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, if desired.