One of my more recent projects around the house has been growing microgreens. I took a break for the summer, as the room where I am growing them was just too hot. But now that things have slowed down and cooled off, I am back at it.
Microgreens are super easy to grow, and now with little effort, I have a ton. I have been working to include these in our diet more regularly and looking for some new ways to use them. I have been experimenting with all sorts of things and this soup is one of my early favorites.
Microgreens are the seedlings of edible vegetables and herbs and have become a darling among foodies and nutrition enthusiasts. Studies have shown that these tiny greens have a higher nutritional density than their mature counterparts and can give a bright zing to just about any recipe. They are super easy to grow at home, and you can easily produce a modest amount of these tiny greens with little space and equipment. Or you can just buy them at farmer’s markets or specialty grocers.
I have been making a variation of this soup for years. First I made it with broccoli and potatoes, but after trading some bags of microgreens for my jam at a farmers market several years back, I was in a similar predicament: what do I do with all these tiny greens?
In that case, I simply put them in my “broccoli” soup in place of the broccoli, and served it to my family. I didn’t say what it was, and no one asked, as it looked pretty much the exact same after blending. They just ate it and no one was the wiser. So I guess to my family, it was an easy switch. I have made this with several different types of microgreens, and have found that when cooked and pureed, they bear a striking similarity to broccoli.
Like my broccoli soup, this green machine of a soup is fragrant and creamy. Kohlrabi is a fall vegetable that is plentiful at the markets right now. I use it most commonly to make kohlrabi pickles, but it’s mild flavor also makes it a great addition to soups. It is high in fiber, low in calories, and can help stabilize blood sugars. In place of usual potato, it works to thicken the soup, but without all the starchiness.
Kohlrabi and Microgreen Soup
If desired, serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese. To make this vegan, use vegetable stock.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 bunch kohlrabi, peeled and chopped
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 4 ounces microgreens (salad mix, radish, rutabaga, mustard, chard, etc)
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Step 1 In a medium pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, and cook, stirring regularly, for 3 to 5 minutes, until it softens. Add the kohlrabi and cook for 1 minute.
- Step 2 Add the chicken stock, stir, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes, until the kohlrabi is fork tender.
- Step 3 Add the microgreens and cook for 30 seconds. Using an immersion blender or traditional blender working in batches, puree the soup.
- Step 4 Add the mustard, and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
