The Creamy Fennel, Spinach, and Leek Soup is ideal for those who want to eat a bit lighter, especially after the Christmas holidays. In any case, it is a detoxifying starter, especially if we do not add cheese, but at the same time, it is really very tasty. If you want to make it even lighter, I recommend not sautéing anything, putting everything in raw, and adding the oil only when serving. The 4 ingredients I used go very well together, and it’s a zero-waste recipe because we don’t throw away anything from the foods used. Even the croutons were made with leftover bread: I had a baguette left, and I didn’t know how to use it. So feel free to use any bread you have at home for your croutons, no matter what kind it is.
For this recipe, I used the Lagostina classic pressure cooker 5L
I invite you to read my article on using a pressure cooker, for those approaching this type of cooking for the first time, but also for those who are intimidated by it
If you like soups, stews, and purees, don’t miss the upcoming recipes:
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 1 lb lbs fennel
- 7 oz oz spinach
- 1 small-medium leek
- 2 celery stalks
- 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste grated Pecorino Romano if desired
- 16 bread croutons
Tools
- 1 Pressure Cooker
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Immersion Blender
How to Prepare Creamy Fennel, Spinach, and Leek Soup
First, thoroughly wash all the vegetables, drain, and dry them.
Chop the leek, the celery into small pieces, and place both inside the pressure cooker.
Roughly chop the spinach and fennel and keep them waiting in a bowl.
In the meantime, add two tablespoons of oil to the previous mixture already in the pot, and sauté for about 2 minutes over medium-high heat.
At this point, add the rest of the vegetables, add 3 1/3 cups of water, and salt.
Close the pressure cooker with its lid, lower the valve, and set it to cook on high flame.
As soon as you hear the whistle, lower the flame to the minimum and cook for 8 minutes.
After this time, if you need to open it immediately, after turning it off, slowly raise the valve and let all the steam out.
Now, using an immersion blender, blend everything, and if the soup turns out too thick, add more water but make sure it’s hot.
At this point, it’s time to plate: pour the remaining extra virgin olive oil into the dishes, decorate with fennel fronds, and place 4 croutons in the center of each portion.
Serve your Creamy Fennel, Spinach, and Leek Soup immediately so it doesn’t cool down, and if you like, sprinkle it with grated Pecorino Romano.
Tips and Storage
The vegetable soup keeps perfectly for a few days in the refrigerator but inside an airtight container.
I always prefer glass and ceramic containers because plastic is not only harmful to the environment but also to our health.
You can prepare more and freeze it, to always have a supply, to be reheated later in the microwave.
However, please never defrost food at room temperature because it risks small and large food poisoning.
