Description
A comforting and nutritious leafy greens soup topped with spicy-sweet chilli-honey halloumi croutons, perfect for utilizing past-their-best greens and soft herbs. This creamy soup blends tender potatoes, crème fraîche, and frozen peas for a rich texture, balanced with the flavorful and crispy halloumi croutons served alongside toasted buttered sourdough.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, or bunch of spring onions, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 floury potatoes (around 500g), unpeeled and cut into 2cm cubes
- 1 litre vegetable stock
- 100g crème fraîche
- 300g past-their-best greens (spinach, salad leaves, kale or cavolo nero), roughly torn
- 200g frozen peas
- small handful past-their-best soft herbs, roughly chopped
Halloumi Croutons
- 1 tbsp harissa paste
- 1 tbsp honey
- 250g block halloumi, cut into 2cm cubes, drained and patted dry
To Serve
- Toasted buttered sourdough
Instructions
- Sauté onions: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large deep saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped onion and a pinch of salt, cooking for 6-8 minutes until softened and edges start to brown.
- Add garlic and potatoes: Stir in the finely chopped garlic and cubed potatoes, cooking for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
- Simmer with stock: Pour in 1 litre of vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Allow it to bubble gently for 10-15 minutes until potatoes are just tender.
- Add crème fraîche, greens, and peas: Stir in 100g crème fraîche, 300g torn leafy greens, and 200g frozen peas. Bring back to a gentle simmer and cook for 4-5 minutes until the greens have wilted and crème fraîche has dissolved.
- Blend soup: Stir in the chopped soft herbs, then use a hand blender to blitz the soup until completely smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Prepare harissa-honey sauce: While the soup simmers, heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Stir in 1 tbsp harissa paste and 1 tbsp honey, letting the mixture melt and combine, then pour it into a small bowl temporarily.
- Cook halloumi cubes: Add the halloumi cubes to the same frying pan and brown them evenly for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure all sides are golden.
- Combine halloumi with sauce: Return the harissa-honey mixture to the frying pan with the browned halloumi cubes. Quickly stir to coat the halloumi evenly with the flavorful sauce.
- Serve: Ladle the smooth greens soup into bowls and scatter the chilli-honey halloumi croutons on top. Serve with toasted buttered sourdough on the side for dipping.
Notes
- You can substitute any available leafy greens and herbs based on what you have past their prime to reduce waste.
- If you prefer a spicier kick, add a bit more harissa paste to the halloumi sauce.
- For a vegan version, substitute halloumi with firm tofu and use a dairy-free cream alternative.
- Ensure halloumi is patted dry before frying to get a better, crispier crust.
- Use a hand blender carefully to avoid splashing hot soup.
- Serve immediately to maintain the crispiness of the halloumi croutons.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: leafy greens soup, halloumi croutons, harissa honey, creamy soup, vegetarian soup
