Best Provence Artichoke Soup Recipes

ARTICHOKE SOUP

Steps:

• Sauté the onion in olive oil, over medium-high heat in a pot, stirring for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and lower heat to medium. Cook garlic until fragrant, 2-3 more minutes. Add celery, sauté 1 minute. Add potatoes, artichoke hearts, broth, optional cashews, salt and sage (or thyme).
• Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat and simmer until potatoes are very tender about 15 minutes.
• Blend in 2 batches, for a full minute each, making sure those silky fibers get all blended up. I will often give the soup a taste right from the blender to see if it is still fibrous. If so, keep blending, they will go away, I promise!!!
• Place back in the pot over very low heat. Add a little squeeze of lemon, and swirl in sour cream if using.
• Taste, and adjust salt and lemon to taste.
• Season with pepper.
• Serve in bowls with a sprig of thyme a swirl of sour cream or vegan sour cream (see note) and a drizzle of truffle oil to elevate. A light sprinkling of black salt adds a nice contrast, or add croutons, toasted pinenuts, vegan cheesy sprinkle.

TUSCAN TOMATO ARTICHOKE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Add artichoke hearts, tomatoes, vegetable broth, roasted bell peppers, basil, herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until flavors combine, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer artichokes, tomatoes, and roasted bell peppers to a blender using a slotted spoon; puree until smooth.
• Stir half-and-half into the broth mixture in the pot. Add pureed artichoke mixture; stir slowly until blended. Stir in Parmesan cheese before serving.

ARTICHOKES PROVENCAL

Steps:

• Cook 1/2 chopped onion, 2 chopped garlic cloves and a pinch of salt in a skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 5 minutes. Pour in 1/2 cup white wine and reduce by half. Add 2 chopped tomatoes, two 9-ounce packages frozen artichoke hearts, 3 tablespoons water, 1 strip lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, covered, 6 minutes. Stir in chopped olives, basil and salt and pepper.

PROVENCAL VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot, add the onions, and saute over low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add the leeks, potatoes, carrots, salt, and pepper and saute over medium heat for another 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and saffron, bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender. Add the haricots verts and spaghetti, bring to a simmer, and cook for 15 more minutes.
• To serve, whisk 1/4 cup of the pistou into the hot soup, then season to taste. Depending on the saltiness of your chicken stock, you may need to add up to another tablespoon of salt. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and more pistou.
• Pistou:
• 4 large garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 24 large basil leaves
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• Place the garlic, tomato paste, basil, and Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor and puree. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil down the feed tube to make a paste. Pack into a container, pour a film of olive oil on top, and close the lid.
• Yield: 1 cup

ARTICHOKE PARMESAN SOUP

Steps:

• Chop the carrot, celery and onion into almost a purée in a food processor. Set aside.
• Drain the artichoke hearts and reserve the liquid. Place the artichoke hearts in the food processor and purée, using some of the liquid if necessary to facilitate puréeing. Set aside.
• Heat up the olive oil in a large saucepan, then add the puréed carrot, celery and onion and cook on high heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly because they can burn easily. Add the puréed artichoke hearts and their liquid and 4 cups water. Bring the soup to a boil on high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer gently for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan!
• Mix the cornstarch with 1 cup warm water in a small bowl, using your hands to make sure the cornstarch is fully dissolved, then add the mixture to the soup and bring it back to boil. If the soup is too thick for your taste, add a bit more water; if it is too thin, add a bit more cornstarch mixed with water. Don't overdo it, because a bit of cornstarch goes a long way.
• Add the cream to the soup and stir, then remove the pot from the stove. Add the grated cheese to the soup a bit at the time, using a whisk to work it into the soup so that it doesn't form large clumps. Add 1 tablespoon salt, then taste the soup and, if you think it is necessary, add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.

PROVENCE ARTICHOKE SOUP

Steps:

• Warm up the olive oil in a nonreactive soup pot. Add onions, potatoes, carrots, celery, salt, and bay leaves and saute on medium heat 10 minutes, stirring often. Add stock and bring to boil; then lower heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes.
• Add artichoke hearts, sherry, and saffron to soup pot and continue simmering for 5 minutes.
• Now stir in the lemon juice, orange juice, and orange peel, simmer for another 5 minutes. Season to taste with black pepper. Remove and discard bay leaves.
• Serve garnished with the parsley and thin slices of fresh lemon. Enjoy!

CREAMY ARTICHOKE SOUP WITH PARMESAN SKINS

Steps:

• Half-fill a large bowl with water and add the lemon juice. Peel the artichokes, then toss the peelings with the vegetable oil in a bowl and set aside. Chop the artichokes into rough chunks and submerge them in the lemony water.
• Melt the butter in a large saucepan, and add the onion, potato, and seasoning. Drain the artichokes and stir them in. Cover the pan and sweat gently for 15 mins, stirring now and again.
• Pour in the stock, cover and simmer for 10-15 mins until the vegetables are completely tender. Whizz the soup in a blender or with a stick blender until very smooth, return to the pan, then add the cream and season to taste.
• Meanwhile, prepare the skins. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and line a baking sheet with baking parchment (not foil, they will stick). Scatter the skins over, and roast for 10 mins. Turn them over, scatter with the Parmesan and rosemary and roast for 5 mins more or until crisp and dry, then season with a pinch of flaky salt and pepper. Serve the soup in bowls, add a swirl more cream (if you like) and top with the crisp skins.

HEARTY CREAM OF ARTICHOKE SOUP

Steps:

• Bring 1 cup of chicken stock to a boil over med-high heat in a saucepan.
• Add in artichokes; lower heat to med-low and simmer, uncovered, for 6-7 minutes.
• In another saucepan, melt the butter.
• Add in onion, celery, and garlic; stir/saute 5-6 minutes.
• Add in flour; stir until bubbly.
• Add in artichoke/stock mixture and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened.
• Transfer mixture to a food processor or blender and process until chunky (may have to do this in batches) (also may use a stick blender).
• Return to saucepan; add in remaining stock, half-and-half, salt, and pepper; simmer 5-10 minutes or until flavors are blended.
• Ladle into individual soup bowls and float a lemon slice on top.
• Note: for a richer soup, reduce stock to 1 1/2 cups and increase half-and-half to 1 cup.