By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- About 1 hour 30 minutes
- Rating
- 4(86)
- Notes
- Read community notes
I recommend that you make a quick stock with the leek greens, onion and turnips trimmings while you chop the vegetables. Just throw them in a pot with a couple of quarts of water, bring to a simmer, cover partially and simmer 20 minutes. Strain through a fine strainer into a bowl. Kale, which comes from the same botanical family as turnips, makes a complementary garnish and the crunchy walnuts contrast beautifully with the smooth, sweet-tasting soup.
Featured in: Leek and Turnip Soup With Kale and Walnut Garnish
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Ingredients
Yield:Serves 4
- 1tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1medium onion, chopped
- 1 to 2garlic cloves, minced (to taste, optional)
- 1½pounds leeks (4 medium), white and light green part only, sliced
- 1pound turnips, peeled and cut in wedges
- ¼pound potatoes, peeled and diced, or ¼ cup medium grain rice
- 6cups water or vegetable stock
- 1bay leaf
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 6ounces curly kale, stemmed and washed
- 1tablespoon walnut oil
- ⅓cup (1½ ounces) toasted walnuts, chopped
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
324 calories; 15 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 45 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 13 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 1728 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the leeks and continue to cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic smells fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Step
2
Add turnips, potatoes or rice, water or stock, bay leaf, and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes to an hour. The turnips should be very tender. Remove the bay leaf.
Step
3
While the soup is simmering, blanch the kale in boiling salted water just until tender, 1½ to 2 minutes, or steam for about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain and squeeze out excess water. Place the squeezed bunch of kale on your cutting board and slice into thin slivers. Toss with the walnut oil.
Step
4
Using a hand blender, or in batches in a regular blender, purée the soup. If using a regular blender fill only half way and cover the top with a towel pulled down tight, rather than using the lid, because hot soup will jump and push the top off if the blender is closed airtight. Strain and return to the pot (turnips are fibrous and the soup will have a better texture if you strain it). Return to the pot and heat through, stirring. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and top with a spoonful of greens and sprinkling of walnuts.
Tip
- Advance preparation: The soup will keep for a day or two in the refrigerator. Whisk before reheating.
Ratings
4
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Cooking Notes
Jesse
Great recipe, and very amenable to being adapted. I was slightly heavy-handed with the onions and leeks and tripled the garlic, and liked the results of both. I also threw in two parmesan rinds I had in the freezer--makes it a little less healthy, but added some lovely richness. I, too, used frozen turnips and they did just fine. Another idea for the leftover leek tops (besides making broth, as MRS suggests) is to roast them with olive oil and salt--makes a nice crunchy garnish for the soup.
Tracy B
Tasty. I did not find the turnip to be fibrous at all but still did strain the soup through a colander. I am not a fan of walnuts so I skipped that part. I would make it again.
Anna
The garnish really makes it good. Starting with a bit more olive oil wouldn’t hurt.
mEm
Flavor was wonderful. But the consistency from the turnips is strange. I am now reading that some have strained the soup after. Maybe this would have helped the consistency, but it sounds like a lot of work. It was a great way to use up turnips from the CSA. But would not buy turnips for the purpose of making this soup. It is a perfect base recipe and I will definitely adapt with other vegetables. Loved the leek broth idea. It worked perfectly.
dave
Wasn’t too fibrous. Did not strain. Tasted good.
Katie
Could use a baseline suggestion of how much salt to add
TinaS
Cooked as directed, including making veg stock with trimmings plus celery, carrots, parsley. Pureed w/handheld, didn't need to strain. Sliced and sauteed leek tops plus toasted walnut for topping. Delicious, although a bit time consuming with clean up, plan accordingly.
TinaS
Delicious! No strong flavors of any of the vegetables, just a beautiful blend. Addition of the toasted nuts was welcome but not required. Didn't have kale, but fried up the dark green parts of the leeks per another commenter's suggestion and the whole family raved! Next time I will double the recipe though, this was just enough for four adults plus some breaded chicken cutlets chicken and crusty bread for all.
merriann
I roasted the kale with just a spray of olive oil so it was partly crispy. Really delicious!
Faye
I would substitute a rutabega (swede) for the turnips next time because I prefer the taste, but overall flavorful and interesting. I did make the turnip trimming and leek green stock as recommended but added some chicken stock to the water. A healthy alternative to Vichyssoise.
Anna
The garnish really makes it good. Starting with a bit more olive oil wouldn’t hurt.
Jesse
Great recipe, and very amenable to being adapted. I was slightly heavy-handed with the onions and leeks and tripled the garlic, and liked the results of both. I also threw in two parmesan rinds I had in the freezer--makes it a little less healthy, but added some lovely richness. I, too, used frozen turnips and they did just fine. Another idea for the leftover leek tops (besides making broth, as MRS suggests) is to roast them with olive oil and salt--makes a nice crunchy garnish for the soup.
tundra
Made this as written except that I used frozen turnips, and added a little almond milk to thin. Delicious and with no turnip prep, very easy! The walnut and kale garnish added taste, texture and color. definitely a recipe to repeat.
Tracy B
Tasty. I did not find the turnip to be fibrous at all but still did strain the soup through a colander. I am not a fan of walnuts so I skipped that part. I would make it again.
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