Syrian Spinach Soup

This simple hearty Syrian Spinach Soup is packed with nutritious leafy-green goodness. With yogurt and basmati rice in the mix, this thick creamy soup makes a healthy, satisfying vegetarian lunch or dinner. Just add a green salad on the side to round out the meal.

Does your garden get overtaken by mint? During spring and summer I have more mint than I know what to do with. Not such a bad problem. Mint tastes like summer and I love thinking up new and delicious ways to use it, like frozen mojitos, grilled lamb and fig skewers with mint pepper glaze, and this delicious minty Syrian spinach soup.

You will be amazed at the quantity of spinach that goes into this soup. But if you've cooked with fresh spinach before, then you know how much it shrinks when cooked. Eating a bowl of this spinach soup is like eating ten bowls of spinach salad, a very delicious way to eat get a big dose of super healthy leafy greens.

This recipe comes together quickly, all in one pot, with ten minutes of prep and 35 minutes on the stove.

If you have an Immersion Blender I highly recommend it for this recipe. It's one of my favorite kitchen gadgets. Nothing beats the convenience of being able to puree a soup right in the pot. If you don't have one, no worries, a food processor or blender will do the trick.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH SYRIAN SPINACH SOUP

• For a satisfying vegetarian meal, serve a big bowl of this spinach soup with a kale salad or a cauliflower salad.
• Or make this soup a starter for a bountiful Mediterranean feast. If you want to be true to Syrian cuisine you must have Syrian bread at the table or, as we call it, pita. In Syria pita is eaten with every meal. It's used for scooping or stuffing with hummus or leban (yogurt) or shawarma or falafel.
• You also might like to serve Ottolenghi's turkey zucchini meatballs  yogurt-marinated Aleppo pepper Chicken.

This recipe is adapted from a wonderful cookbook: Olive Trees and Honey: A Treasury of Vegetarian Recipes from Jewish Communities Around the World

Here's the recipe for Syrian Spinach Soup. If you try this recipe I hope you'll come back to leave a star rating and a comment. I'd love to know what you think!

Recipe

Syrian Spinach Soup

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5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Lisa
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Yield: 6-8 1x

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Description

Hearty spinach and rice soup with fresh mint and tangy yogurt.

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Ingredients

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• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 large onions, peeled and chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 pounds fresh spinach, washed, stemmed and coarsely chopped or 20 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry.
• 7-8 cups vegetable broth or low-salt chicken broth
• ¾ cup raw basmati rice or another long grain rice
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• ½ cup packed fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 2-3 cups plain yogurt (full or low-fat, regular or greek)
• Optional Garnish: Mint sprigs for each bowl

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Instructions

1. Cook The Soup: Heat oil in a large heavy pot or dutch oven over medium-low heat. Cook onion and garlic until softened, about 8 minutes (don't let them brown). Add spinach in batches, stirring and wilting the first batch to make room for the rest. If using frozen spinach, simply add it and proceed.
2. When all the the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes, add 7 cups of broth, rice, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Quickly lower to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir in fresh mint and cook, covered, for an additional 5 minutes.
3. Process: Puree the soup to your desired consistency using an immersion blender or by transferring it to the bowl of a blender or food processor. I recommend pulsing it rather than pureeing, to retain some texture. If you want a thinner soup, add more broth.
4. Stir 1-2 cups of yogurt into the soup, to taste. Correct the seasoning with salt and pepper.
5. To Serve: Serve hot or chilled. Ladle into bowls and garnish each bowl with 2 tablespoons of yogurt and a sprig of mint, if you like.
6. (note: If you need to reheat, be careful not to boil the soup once the yogurt is added or it will separate)

• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 35 mins
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Syrian