Edamame Arugula Soup

Here’s a soup that works for all seasons. Its flavor profile strikes me more as a spring-summer soup, served at room temperature or chilled, but it could also be a comforting reminder of spring served hot in the middle of winter. That’s the beauty of frozen edamame – you can enjoy it around the year, though I think it’s particularly suitable for spring.

This edamame-arugula soup is light and nutritious, yet surprisingly hearty and filling. A shallow bowl of this could easily satisfy you for lunch – maybe with some crackers and cheese alongside.

I love edamame, simply boiled in their pods and salted, just like in many Japanese restaurants. Here, their nutty flavor is accentuated by the peppery freshness of just-picked arugula.

(By the way, have you ever tried growing your own arugula? We have some in windowboxes, and they grow like a weed. And their flavor is so much more intense than the store-bought version – nutty with a deep intense peppery flavor, grassy and slighty bitter – just delicious! A few leaves really pump up the flavor of a simple sandwich.)

If you serve this warm or at room temperature, use the recipe as it is. If you want to serve it chilled, you’ll want to add a bit of extra vegetable stock to thin it out after chilling it.

Edamame is incredibly good for you.  It is packed with protein, vitamins and minerals.  You get a good serving of the green soybeans in this soup, as well as guilt-free creaminess!  That’s right, there’s no cream or milk in this soup!  The soybeans themselves lend that rich creaminess to the dish.

Edamame Arugula Soup

1 tbsp olive oil
1 ½ cups shelled edamame
1 cup packed arugula
4 cups vegetable stock
½ onion, chopped
salt

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot, then add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until translucent and slightly browned.

Add the edamame and 3 cups vegetable stock. Simmer over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the arugula and stir in briefly until wilted.

Pour the soup into a blender and purée (or use an immersion blender to purée it in the pot). Pour it back into the pot and taste for seasoning, adding salt if needed. If the soup is too thick, thin it out with the extra cup of vegetable stock until it is the desired consistency.

Serve slightly warm, at room temperature, or chilled (adding a bit more stock if needed).