With Spring right around the corner in our area (and already sprung in other areas!) and St. Patrick’s Day less than a week away, it’s the perfect time for this recipe. Broccoli, spinach, and leeks are all at their peak at this time of year, and the green color of the soup adds a festive touch leading up to St. Patrick’s Day.

Broccoli has always been a family favorite. We eat it steamed with just a bit of seasoning and some Parmesan cheese as a veggie side quite often. It is also a component of many dishes posted here. (Type “broccoli” into the search box on the top right hand side of the page for 20+ recipes using this vegetable.)

We use fresh spinach as a green in salads and frozen spinach as a pizza topping. And in a variety of other things. But I was shocked to find it as an ingredient in over 30 recipes on Why Go Out To Eat! I had expected to find more broccoli than spinach recipes on my blog, as I prefer broccoli to spinach. I commented on this discovery to Eric, who pointed out that spinach was his favorite vegetable. Then it all made sense! (To find my spinach recipes, both fresh and frozen, follow the same procedure described above using “spinach” in place of “broccoli.”)

I became a devoted fan of leeks after encountering them in an Irish cookbook after a 2001 trip to the Emerald Isle. They add a unique, sweet, and mild oniony flavor to dishes. (You can find them in more than 15 recipes on this site.)

These 3 awesome vegetables together make one wonderful soup!

Broccoli, Spinach, & Leek Soup (adapted from marthastewart.com) Total Time Required: 45 minutes, Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 20 minutes, Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 leeks, about 1 pound
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 small bunch of broccoli, about 12 ounces
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 5 ounces baby spinach, stems removed (6 packed cups)
• sour cream & pretzel nuggets, for serving, if desired

Directions:

Prep the veggies. Using the white and light-green parts of the leeks only, halve them lengthwise, then thinly slice them crosswise. Wash and drain them well. There should be about 2 cups of leeks.

Peel the stems of the broccoli, and cut them into 1/4-inch coins. Cut the head into bite-size florets.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and garlic to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are translucent, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the mustard, then the flour and cook until the mixture has a slightly nutty aroma, about 1 minute.

Gradually whisk the broth into the pot until it is combined.

Add the broccoli stems and season the soup with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to high and bring it to a boil, whisking constantly. Add the broccoli florets and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the soup, partially covered, until the broccoli is tender, about 8 minutes.

Stir in the spinach and cook 1 minute more. Remove the soup from the heat.

Using a wand blender, purée the soup. (Alternately, work in batches and purée the soup in a blender.)

Serve the soup with a dollop of sour cream and garnished with the pretzels nuggets, if desired.

The green season is upon us!  ~Linda

Broccoli, Spinach, & Leek Soup (adapted from marthastewart.com) Total Time Required: 45 minutes, Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 20 minutes, Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 leeks, about 1 pound
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 small bunch of broccoli, about 12 ounces
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 5 ounces baby spinach, stems removed (6 packed cups)
• sour cream & pretzel nuggets, for serving, if desired

Directions:

Prep the veggies. Using the white and light-green parts of the leeks only, halve them lengthwise, then thinly slice them crosswise. Wash and drain them well. There should be about 2 cups of leeks.

Peel the stems of the broccoli, and cut them into 1/4-inch coins. Cut the head into bite-size florets.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and garlic to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in the mustard, then the flour and cook until the mixture has a slightly nutty aroma, about 1 minute.

Gradually whisk the broth into the pot until it is combined. Add the broccoli stems and season the soup with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to high and bring it to a boil, whisking constantly. Add the broccoli florets and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the soup partially covered until the broccoli is tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook 1 minute more. Remove the soup from the heat.

Using a wand blender, purée the soup. (Alternately, work in batches and purée the soup in a blender.)  Serve the soup with a dollop of sour cream and garnished with pretzels if desired.