Creamy Portuguese Style Carrot & Watercress Soup

I absolutely love this kind of soup. A plain creamy soup is always good, but for me it tends to get a little boring after a few spoonfuls. Add some greens, like watercress or turnip tops, and that one note sweet creamy soup turns into something much more flavorful and interesting, with more texture and more going on in the bowl.

And this one is as easy as it gets, basically it’s a carrot cream soup with one small potato, and at the end, after everything is blended nice and smooth, I toss in a handful of fresh watercress, just enough to wilt it and make it tender.

And since it’s a creamy soup, it freezes much better than a chunky one. You’re blending it anyway, so if you have a little extra of this or that vegetable hanging around, you can always throw it in the pot as well, that what i do! Let’s get to the recipe!

Creamy Portuguese Style Carrot & Watercress Soup

Servings: 4
Time: 30mins
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
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This is a classic, super easy soup, one of those you don’t even have to think about, and the end result is creamy, sweet, with that little hint of freshness from the watercress. Perfection!

Ingredients

Carrots – 4
Potato – 1 Medium
Onion – 1/2 Small
Garlic – 1 Clove
Watercress – 120g
Chicken Bouillon – 1/2 Cube
Water – As Needed
Olive Oil – A Drizzle
Salt – A Pinch

Directions

Peel and dice the carrot, potato, and onion into small cubes, place them in a pot with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt (you can taste and adjust the seasoning later).

Cook the vegetables just enough to get a little color on the outside, lightly toasting them enhances the flavor, but be careful not to char them, or the soup will end up speckled with black bits.

Once the vegetables have taken on some color, add half a chicken bouillon cube and pour in enough water to cover them (it is better to start with less water and add more later to reach your preferred consistency, if you dont have bouillon then use half water, half chicken stock), cook everything over medium heat for about 15 minutes.

Taste the vegetables to check if the potatoes and carrots are tender, once they are, remove from the heat and blend the soup using an immersion blender or food processor until it is perfectly creamy and smooth.

Return the soup on low heat and add the watercress, it only needs about 2 minutes to soften.
Finally, taste the soup and adjust the consistency by adding more water until it is as creamy as you like, adjust the salt as needed, and it is ready to serve with some bread. Bon appétit!

Notes & Tips: You want the creamy base of the soup to come from a “creamy” vegetable, one that gives structure and body, something like potato, carrot, chickpeas, pumpkin or cauliflower. Think about whether you could mash it into a puree, because if you can, it works in the base of this soup.

Then pick a green to add at the end. I like watercress and turnip tops because they have some freshness and a slightly peppery bite that contrasts nicely with the sweetness of the cream, but you can use all kinds of greens, like spinach, Swiss chard, arugula or mustard greens.

If you want to give the soup a different twist, swap the chicken bouillon for another one you like, fish or beef, for example. In this small amount it only adds more umami to the soup and not so much a fish or chicken flavor. Keep in mind that bouillon is always salty, so adjust the salt only after adding it, and do not add big amounts, it’s just for a hint of flavor, you’re not making chicken soup!

Creamy soups are delicious with a drizzle of olive oil when serving, or a spoonful of sour cream if its too sweet.

Don’t toss the watercress stems. Chop them up and use them, they have lots of flavor. Just trim off any tough or yellowing ends.

Also be careful when blending hot soup. If you’re using a regular blender, fill it only halfway, vent the lid and cover it with a kitchen towel, so the steam doesn’t push the lid off.

This soup keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and freezes very well for up to 3 months. For the freshest green color, if you plan to freeze a big batch, freeze it before adding the watercress and wilt the greens in when you reheat it.

Want it a little richer? Stir in a splash of cream or a spoonful of crème fraîche/sour cream at the end. A squeeze of lemon juice also brightens it up nicely.

For a vegetarian or vegan version, use vegetable bouillon and keep it simple with olive oil on top.

Serve it with crusty rustic bread, in true Portuguese style, for dipping.

This recipe for Creamy Portuguese Style Carrot & Watercress Soup was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Sopa Cremosa de Agrião foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.