Sheet Pan Green Velvet Soup

Exploring more Healthy Passover Recipes? Discover an array of new and exciting ways to savor Kosher for Passover dishes while effortlessly maintaining a balanced diet with our curated Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes for Passover.

Essential Ingredients for Your Green Blender Soup

Crafting this vibrant green blender soup begins with a selection of fresh, high-quality ingredients. Each component plays a crucial role in building the soup’s rich flavor, creamy texture, and stunning color. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need:

• Versatile Vegetables: For a strikingly pure green hue in the final soup, I typically opt for a medley of brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, and zucchini. However, the true beauty of this recipe lies in its adaptability; the best vegetables to use are often the ones already nestled in your crisper drawer! Feel free to incorporate other green or light-colored vegetables like asparagus, green beans, or even bell peppers. Roasting these vegetables sweetens them and develops a depth of flavor that raw vegetables simply can’t achieve.
• Nutrient-Rich Greens: I often pick up a large bag of “super greens” from stores like Costco each week. This convenient mix, often containing spinach, kale, and chard, is perfect for a variety of uses, from making invigorating green smoothies to lightly steaming with garlic as a quick side dish. In this green soup recipe, these power greens are blended in, contributing not only their vibrant color but also a wealth of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, boosting the soup’s nutritional profile significantly. Any combination of spinach, kale, collard greens, or Swiss chard will work wonderfully.
• Flavorful Allium Vegetables: Roasted garlic and onions are absolute game-changers in this soup. Roasting them whole, with their skins on, mellows their pungent flavors and transforms them into sweet, caramelized, and incredibly aromatic essences. This process adds a tremendous depth of flavor to the soup without the need for additional oils or salts during the roasting phase, keeping the recipe naturally wholesome.
• Creamy Cashews: When blended with water, raw cashews create an incredibly rich, thick, and naturally creamy base for the soup. This makes the soup wonderfully indulgent without any dairy. For those who require a nut-free creamy vegan soup, a fantastic substitute would be any variety of white beans, such as cannellini or great northern beans, which offer a similar smooth texture and mild flavor when blended.
• Bright Spices: Turmeric is a star spice in this recipe, not just for its earthy flavor, but also for its remarkable anti-inflammatory properties and its ability to enhance the soup’s vibrant greenish-yellow color. Its golden hue adds to the visual appeal, making each bowl even more enticing. Consider adding a pinch of freshly grated ginger or a hint of cumin for an extra layer of warmth and complexity.
• Quality Veggie Broth: The foundation of any good soup is its broth. I highly recommend using my homemade no-salt vegetable broth recipe to control the sodium content and ensure the freshest flavor. If using store-bought broth, be sure to read labels carefully, opting for low-sodium or unsalted varieties to maintain the health-conscious integrity of this recipe. For ultimate convenience in meal prep, I utilize Souper Cubes to freeze my broth in handy 1-cup or 2-cup increments. This makes it incredibly convenient to defrost precisely the amount needed for any recipe, minimizing waste and maximizing efficiency.

Begin by pouring boiling water over your raw cashews and allow them to soak. This crucial step softens the cashews, ensuring they blend into an incredibly smooth and creamy texture later on. While they soak, prepare your vegetables for roasting. Cut Brussels sprouts into halves or quarters, depending on their size, to ensure even cooking. Trim cauliflower and broccoli into uniform florets, slice zucchini into rounds or half-moons, and peel and slice the onion. Aim for roughly similar-sized pieces for all vegetables to promote even roasting.

Next, arrange all your chopped vegetables, including the whole, skin-on garlic cloves, in a single layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Ensure the vegetables aren’t overcrowded; if necessary, use two baking sheets to allow for proper roasting and slight caramelization. Drizzle lightly with olive oil or, for an oil-free option, spray with a bit of vegetable broth or water. Season generously with salt and pepper. Place the sheet pan into a preheated 375°F (190°C) oven and roast for approximately 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork.

After about 20 minutes of the vegetables roasting, turn your attention back to the cashews. Carefully rinse them under cold water and drain thoroughly. Transfer the soaked and drained cashews to your high-speed blender. Add 1 cup of fresh water to the blender with the cashews. This forms the essential creamy foundation of your soup. For a truly smooth consistency, ensure your cashews are well-soaked and your blender is capable of a fine puree.

Secure the lid on your blender and blend the cashews and water on high speed. Continue blending until the mixture is uniformly thick, smooth, and wonderfully creamy. There should be no gritty pieces remaining. This luxurious cashew cream will give your soup its characteristic velvety texture and rich mouthfeel, making it incredibly satisfying. Periodically scrape down the sides of the blender if needed to ensure all cashews are incorporated.

Once your vegetables are tender and slightly caramelized from roasting, carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven. The edges of the vegetables might have a slight char, which adds another layer of flavor to the soup. At this point, set aside the roasted garlic cloves. These will be added back to the blender after their pulp is extracted, ensuring you capture all their sweet, roasted essence.

Transfer the majority of the remaining roasted vegetables into the blender, adding them to the cashew cream. Be careful not to overcrowd the blender; you may need to do this in batches if your blender pitcher is small. Sprinkle in the ground turmeric. Turmeric not only provides a beautiful golden undertone to the green color but also contributes its powerful anti-inflammatory benefits to your nourishing soup. Its subtle earthiness complements the roasted vegetables beautifully.

Now, gently push the soft, sweet garlic pulp out of its papery skins. The roasting process will have transformed the cloves into a spreadable, mellow paste. Add this fragrant garlic pulp to the pile of roasted vegetables already in the blender. This roasted garlic contributes an unparalleled depth and sweetness that cannot be replicated with raw garlic, truly enhancing the soup’s overall flavor profile. Its subtle presence will elevate every spoonful.

Finally, pour in the vegetable broth and add your chosen power greens to the blender. Secure the lid and blend on high until the soup is completely smooth and creamy. Continue blending until all ingredients are fully incorporated and there are no visible chunks of vegetables or greens. If the soup appears too thick for your preference, gradually add more vegetable broth or water, a quarter cup at a time, until you achieve your desired consistency. Taste the soup for seasoning, adjusting with additional salt and pepper as needed to perfect the flavors.

Debra’s Pro Tips for the Perfect Green Blender Soup

Achieving a consistently delicious and visually appealing green blender soup is easy with a few expert insights. Here are some of my top tips to elevate your soup-making experience:

• Mastering the Green Hue: If the vibrant color of your soup is a priority – and let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a beautifully colored dish? – strategically choose your ingredients. Opt for white or yellow onions instead of red, as red onions can sometimes impart a slightly purplish tint when blended. Similarly, stick to green or light-colored vegetables like zucchini, cauliflower, and broccoli. Most importantly, do not skip the turmeric; its golden pigment works wonders in enhancing and stabilizing that brilliant greenish-yellow hue. You’ll be rewarded with a soup that looks as good as it tastes.
• Perfectly Roasted Veggies: When roasting your vegetables, the goal is for them to be tender and slightly softened, but not necessarily crisped or heavily browned. While a touch of caramelization adds amazing depth of flavor, over-browning can alter the soup’s final color and texture. You want them just soft enough to be easily pureed into a silky-smooth, creamy soup. Test with a fork; if it slides in easily, they’re ready for the blender.
• Avoid Overcrowding the Blender (and Sheet Pan!): This is a crucial tip for both roasting and blending. When roasting, spreading vegetables in a single layer on a sheet pan prevents them from steaming and ensures they get that lovely roasted flavor. Similarly, when it comes to blending, do not overcrowd your blender pitcher. Overfilling can lead to a less smooth consistency and put undue strain on your appliance. It’s perfectly fine, and often recommended, to blend your soup in two or more batches. In fact, you might find you don’t even need *all* the roasted vegetables. This is a delightful bonus, as any extra roasted veggies are incredibly delicious straight from the pan – they tend to get gobbled up quickly!
• Seasoning is Key: Always taste and adjust your seasonings at various stages. Start with the recommended amount of salt and pepper, but be prepared to add more to taste after blending. Roasted vegetables intensify in flavor, and blending can sometimes mellow or enhance certain notes. Don’t be afraid to experiment with a little extra pinch of salt, a dash of white pepper, or even a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavors just before serving.

Serving Suggestions and Smart Storage for Your Soup

This versatile green blender soup is not only easy to make but also incredibly flexible when it comes to serving and storage, making it an ideal candidate for healthy meal prep.

• Serving Temperature Versatility: One of the fantastic attributes of this pureed vegetable soup is its delightful taste whether served warm, at room temperature, or even chilled. Enjoy it steaming hot on a cool evening, or as a refreshing cold soup during warmer months for a light lunch.
• Perfect Pairings:
  • For a truly satisfying and hearty meal, serve your soup alongside a slice of warm skillet cornbread or fluffy vegan dinner rolls. The textures and flavors complement each other beautifully.
  • Elevate your meal with a crisp and refreshing simple green salad. A light vinaigrette will add a zesty contrast to the creamy soup.
  • Garnish with fresh herbs, a swirl of extra virgin olive oil, toasted seeds (like pumpkin or sunflower), or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast for added flavor and visual appeal.
• Refrigerator Storage: Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep wonderfully for up to a week, making it perfect for grab-and-go lunches or quick dinners throughout your busy week. The flavors often meld and deepen even further overnight.
• Freezing for Future Enjoyment: This soup freezes exceptionally well, making it a meal prep superhero! You can freeze it for up to 3 months without compromising its taste or texture.
• Smart Freezing with Souper Cubes: For ultimate convenience, I highly recommend using Souper Cubes. These allow you to freeze the soup in convenient 1-cup or 2-cup portions. Once frozen solid, simply pop out the cubes and transfer them to zip-top freezer bags. This method ensures you always have a perfectly portioned serving ready to go.
• Reheating Instructions: To reheat, simply transfer your soup, whether straight from the refrigerator or frozen, into a saucepan. Warm gently over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s thoroughly heated through. You can also microwave frozen soup portions in a microwave-safe bowl for a quick reheat at the office or at home.
• Lunchbox Friendly: For an easy and nutritious lunch on the go, pack a frozen cube or two of soup in your lunch bag. It will naturally thaw by lunchtime, ready to be enjoyed cold, or you can transfer it to a bowl and heat it in the microwave for a warm meal.

Sheet Pan Green Blender Soup Recipe

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