French Sorrel Soup with Garlic Parmesan Croutons

Sorrel is an acidic lemon-y green often classified as an herb but looks similar to spinach. It is typically available in early spring when it at it’s best, and this week I was lucky enough to find some at the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market.

Course Soup

Cuisine French

Keyword crouton, parmesan, potato, sorrel, spring

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Servings

Calories 687kcal

Ingredients

For the soup:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
9 ounces sorrel, stems removed and roughly chopped
4 cups chicken stock
Kosher salt, as needed
Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
½ cup heavy cream

For the garlic Parmesan croutons:

½ day old loaf French bread
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, additional if needed
1 clove garlic minced
Kosher salt as needed
Freshly ground black pepper as needed
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the soup:

Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, add the oil and heat through. Add the butter, allow it to melt then add the onion and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes.
Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add the sorrel and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and stir to combine.
Lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pot and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 30 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat and let cool.
Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender on high until smooth. Return the soup to the pot, season with salt and pepper to taste then whisk in the cream.

For the garlic Parmesan croutons:

Heat the oven to 350°F. (180ºC) Slice the loaf of bread into 1-inch slices. Cut the slices into 1-inch cubes. Add to a large bowl and toss with olive oil and garlic. Make sure all of the pieces are lightly coated. Add more of the oil if needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Spread the croutons in a single layer on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, until the croutons are crisp and golden brown.
Remove from the oven and add back to the mixing bowl. Toss the croutons with the Parmesan cheese then spread out again on the aluminum foil in a single layer.
Continue to bake the croutons until the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

For serving:

Ladle into the soup into warmed bowls and serve hot topped with the garlic Parmesan croutons.

Nutrition