This simple creamy artichoke soup is made with canned artichoke hearts instead of starting with fresh. The artichokes are combined with onions, celery, garlic, and potatoes creating a flavorful soup without having to use a ton of ingredients.
In this recipe the creaminess of the soup comes from a roux (butter and flour mixture) and potatoes. The artichoke soup doesn’t contain any heavy cream, instead it has a creamy texture with a crisp, clean flavor that’s satisfying without being heavy.
We choose canned artichokes instead of fresh because they are available year-round at grocery stores and easy to prepare. Fresh artichokes have a limited storage time in the fridge (which is about 7 days) and there’s a fair amount of prep work. They need to be trimmed, cleaned, and cut.
For more easy artichoke recipes try our artichoke salad, our easy spinach and artichoke dip, and this artichoke chicken that makes a tasty dinner.
Ingredients
- Artichokes – This creamy soup is made with canned artichoke hearts. Choose quartered artichokes if possible.
- Fat – We use olive oil to sauté the vegetables. Use your favorite oil that is suitable for sautéing. Butter is used in combination with the flour to thicken the soup.
- Produce – Onion, celery, and garlic create the soup base, and the potato adds body. For the onion, yellow or white work best. For the potato we use a large russet but red has also worked well.
- Spices – A simple combination of Italian seasoning and black pepper season the soup beautifully. You may also need salt at the end.
- Pantry – For the broth, we use chicken broth; you can also use chicken stock. To make it vegetarian substitute vegetable broth. All purpose flour is used to create a thickener for the soup.
- Optional garnish ideas – Fresh chopped parsley, or other herbs like fresh thyme, rosemary, etc., parmesan cheese, croutons, sour cream, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, or a drizzle of olive oil.
- See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot (we use a 4.6 quart enameled Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add the onions and celery cook 3 minutes, stir frequently.
- Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Stir well and cook for 1 minute.
- Next, add the butter. Stir until it melts. Then, add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, while stirring.
- Add the broth while stirring and gently scrape the bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Add the artichokes and potatoes to the pot. When the broth comes back to a boil lower heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer the soup for 30-35 minutes. Or until the potatoes are fall-apart tender. They should break apart easily when pierced with a fork or knife.
- Take the pot off the heat, uncover, and let it stop simmering. Process the soup in the pot with a handheld immersion blender until it is smooth or has reached the desired texture. If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a traditional blender (see Cook’s Note below).
Cook’s note
Do not fill a blender to the top with hot liquid, process in small batches. Remove the center piece (feeder cap) from the blender lid. Replace the lid (without the feeder cap) and cover with a clean, folded kitchen towel. Hold the towel down while blending. Start at a very low speed and increase gradually if necessary.
If you prefer to leave the soup a little chunky you can use a potato masher instead of processing it. Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ¼ teaspoon salt to ours.
Serve and garnish
Ladle soup into a serving bowl, garnish with chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve with a side of crusty bread, like we do, a side salad, your favorite sandwich, or your side dish of choice.
Recipe tips and notes
- If you have canned whole artichokes quarter them before using in the soup.
- Rinse the artichokes to get the canning liquid off. I’m a fan of rinsing canned food (when appropriate). A quick rinse with cold water makes a difference in taste, plus you get rid of excess sodium.
- Use reduced sodium broth if you are sensitive to salt. You can adjust it at the end if necessary.
Frequently asked questions
To substitute a fresh whole artichoke in this recipe trim, cut, and clean it. Then, boil or steam until tender before adding it to the soup pot.
Yes, to make the artichoke soup vegetarian substitute a good vegetable broth or vegetable stock for the chicken broth.
Crusty French bread, a simple side salad, or a sandwich all go well with this soup. It’s also delicious as a starter soup for Italian recipes. Try it as a starter for a simple baked ziti or our tortellini bake.
Yes, pureed soups freeze well. Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight and reheat gently until hot throughout and at least 165°F. Stir or whisk it well until smooth.
Storing and reheating instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To freeze the soup, cool it quickly and place in a freezer-safe, airtight container. Leave 1-2 inches of space to allow for expansion. Freeze for 2-3 months.
Gently, reheat the soup in a covered saucepan over medium-low to low heat until heated through (at least 165°F), stir occasionally. Or reheat it in the microwave. It may be necessary to add a tablespoon or two of broth or water when reheating to loosen it a bit.
For more information on food storage and safety guidelines visit U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
If you’re a fan of creamy soups, then this delicious artichoke soup recipe is a good one to add to your repertoire. And if need more creamy soup recipe ideas see our cream of spinach soup, carrot sweet potato soup, a classic mushroom soup, and this irresistible broccoli cauliflower soup.
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📖 Recipe
Simple Creamy Artichoke Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Small Onion finely diced (use yellow or white onion)
- 2 Celery Ribs diced
- 1-2 Garlic Cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 14 ounce can Quartered Artichoke Hearts drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 3 tablespoons All Purpose Flour
- 3½ cups Chicken Broth or vegetable broth
- 12-14 ounce Potato peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces (we used russet, but red potatoes work well too)
- Salt to taste if needed at the end
- Fresh Chopped Parsley for garnish optional
- Grated Parmesan Cheese for garnish optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and celery cook 3 minutes, stir frequently.
- Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Stir well and cook for 1 minute.
- Next, add the butter. Stir until it melts. Then, add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, while stirring.
- Add the broth while stirring and gently scrape the bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Raise the heat and bring to a boil (will take about 2 minutes). Add the artichokes and potatoes to the pot. When the broth comes back to a boil lower to medium-low heat, cover, and simmer the soup for 30-35 minutes or until the potatoes are fall-apart tender. They should break apart easily when pierced with a fork or knife.
- Take the pot off the heat, uncover, and let it stop simmering. Process the soup in the pot with a handheld immersion blender until it is smooth or has reached the desired texture. If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a traditional blender (see notes).
- Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ¼ teaspoon to ours.
- Serve the creamy artichoke soup and garnish with chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
- Do not fill a blender to the top with hot liquid, process in small batches. Remove the center piece (feeder cap) from the blender lid. Replace the lid (without the feeder cap) and cover with a clean, folded kitchen towel. Hold the towel down while blending. Start at a very low speed and increase gradually if necessary. Alternatively, you can use a potato masher and leave the soup a little chunky.
- We hold off on adding extra salt to this soup because the canned artichoke and broth contain a good amount already. Taste it at the end and add a pinch of salt or two if needed.
- Use reduced sodium broth and unsalted butter if you are sensitive to salt.
Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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