Description
My mother-in-law’s famous lemony artichoke soup is easy to make in just 30 minutes, it’s made with simple pantry staples, and it’s so lovely and flavorful! See notes above for optional ingredient variations too.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter
- 1 small white onion, peeled and diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 (14-ounce) jars artichoke hearts, drained
- 1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
- optional toppings: smoked paprika, lemon slices, and/or chopped fresh herbs*
Instructions
- Separate the artichoke hearts. Slice off the ends of the artichoke hearts and set them aside. Use your fingers to separate the remaining artichoke petals (just fluff them up so that they are no longer stuck together) and set aside.
- Sauté the veggies. Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Stir in the flour until evenly combined and sauté for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the broth ingredients. Add the stock, bay leaves, thyme and artichoke ends (not the petals) and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the broth reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain the simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Puree. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Then, either using an immersion blender (my preference) or a traditional blender (see notes below), carefully puree the broth until it is completely smooth.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Add the artichoke petals and lemon juice, and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed.
- Serve. Serve warm, topped with your desired garnishes.
Notes
Traditional blender option: Please use caution if using a traditional blender to puree the soup. Hot liquids expand when blended, so it’s very important not to overfill the blender. I recommend blending the soup in 2-3 batches, and always be sure to tent open the lid on the cap of your blender (I loosely cover mine with a towel, in case any hot liquid splatter) so that the hot air can be released.
Gluten-free option: Omit the flour and use a cornstarch slurry to thicken the soup. (Just whisk together equal parts cold water and cornstarch, then add — one tablespoon at a time — to the simmering soup until it reaches your desired level of thickness.)
Vegan option: Just use vegan butter and vegetable stock.
Topping ideas: Jen always garnishes each soup bowl with a sprinkle of smoked paprika and a lemon slice. But you could also sprinkle on some fresh herbs (such as parsley, basil, thyme, chives, etc), Parmesan cheese, croutons, or even some crumbled bacon if you’re feeling indulgent.
