Jerusalem Artichokes may not be much to look at, but beneath that knobbly exterior is a nutty, sweet and earthy treat. This velvety smooth Jerusalem Artichoke Soup is topped with mushrooms and watercress for an easy one-bowl meal.
Jerusalem Artichokes, also called Sunchokes, are a member of the sunflower family, and resemble nothing of the green flowering Globe Artichokes that they happen to share a name with.
Gnarly and knobby, just like ginger, they aren’t the prettiest thing out there, but these root vegetables are so worth getting your hands on if you can.
Cut into a Jeruslam Artichoke, and the texture is similar to water chestnuts, while the creamy flesh has a slightly sweet and earthy flavor with just a slight smokiness.
This earthy sweetness works beautifully in this Jerusalem Artichoke Soup, where it’s paired with earthy mushrooms and the slight pepperiness of watercress.
It’s quickly become one of my family’s favorite vegan soup recipes.
And it’s even vegetarian and vegan-friendly too!
If you don’t feel like frying up mushrooms, a little truffle oil (I like this brand!) would be fantastic drizzled on top.
I’ve used some potato in this soup to balance out the earthiness of the artichokes. But if you love bolder flavors, feel free to replace the potato with more artichoke.
So tell me, have you tried Jerusalem Artichoke? What are your favorite Jerusalem Artichoke recipes? Let me know in the comments!
And for more delicious recipes, don’t forget to grab a free copy of my Top 15 Reader-Favorite Recipes before you go!
Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Mushrooms & Watercress
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 lbs Jerusalem Artichokes Sunchokes
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 small onions peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 pound waxy potatoes peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup mushrooms such as baby portobello, sliced
- 1/2 cup watercress
- leaves thyme
- extra virgin olive oil to serve
Special Equipment
- Blender – Traditional or Immersion
Instructions
- Scrub the artichokes to remove any dirt. It's up to you whether you peel them. I've made this soup with peeled and unpeeled artichoke and prefer the artichoke to be peeled both from a color perspective and flavor-wise, as the peeled artichoke is less bitter.
- Chop the artichoke into 3/4" cubes.
- Place 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large saucepan over low heat and add the onions. Season the onions with salt and cook slowly, until soft. (Don't rush the onions by turning up the heat as the slow cooked onions are much sweeter and more flavorful.}
- Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes, until fragrant. Add the artichoke and potatoes and cook for 5 minutes before adding the vegetable stock. Season and bring to a simmer. Cook until the potato and artichoke are tender.
- I prefer the silky smoothness that blended soups have, so I leave my soup to cool for 20 minutes before blending. You can also use an immersion blender right in the pot. Check the seasonings and adjust as necessary. Keep warm while you cook the mushrooms.
- Place a frying pan over a medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Add half the mushrooms, making sure they are not overlapping, and fry on each side for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly golden before turning. Season with salt and pepper just before removing from the pan. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms.
- To serve, divide the soup between serving bowls and top with mushrooms and watercress. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of thyme leaves.
Nutrition
