Chilled Lettuce Soup
Updated February 28, 2024
Evan Sung for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 20 minutes, plus 1 hour's refrigeration
- Rating
- Comments
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Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, sliced
Salt
ground pepper
2 to 3 heads romaine lettuce, cut into thin ribbons
2 cups chicken stock
½ to 1 cup cream or half-and-half
Small croutons or crumbled bacon for garnish
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
24 grams carbs; 35 milligrams cholesterol; 240 calories; 4 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 14 grams fat; 9 grams fiber; 1403 milligrams sodium; 10 grams protein; 10 grams sugar
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
Put butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; when it melts, add onion and sweat for about 2 minutes or until it begins to soften; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add all but a couple of handfuls of the lettuce to the pan, reserving the rest for garnish, and cook until it wilts. Add stock, turn the heat to medium-high and bring liquid to a boil; lower heat to medium and cook until lettuce is very soft, about 5 minutes.
- Step 2
Put cooked lettuce in a blender and add 2 cups of ice water. Purée mixture until smooth, then put in a large bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Step 3
Once soup is chilled, add cream or half-and-half to taste and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Finely chop reserved lettuce and put about ¼ cup in each bowl and ladle soup on top. Garnish with croutons or bacon.
Private Notes
Comments
I tweaked this a bit to accommodate what I had. First I made my own veggie stock to use. Next I used a Greek yogurt and milk mixture to replace the cream. I also added a bit of fresh basil.
Didn't have croutons or bacon, so crumbled feta on top. Delicious!
This was delicious. Not very lettuce-y, with romaine as called for, and certainly not bitter; more a light onion with a green sheen, but tasty and a good first course on a hot night. I might try it again adding some of the bitter leaves I'm getting from my garden.
How I happened to have so much shredded Romaine is a long story, one I will never tell. And it is really hot here in Tucson, so I was not only looking for a way to use up the lettuce, but a cool, refreshing meal. This is amazingly great! So easy. I did add a bit of garlic. It will be a treat all summer!