I’ll admit that green soups are never much to look at, and I usually have difficulty dressing them up. Still, I’m willing to get over the generally drab appearance of parsley soup in favour of its many nutritional benefits.
Parsley is one of the most popular herbs in the world for a reason. It’s a great source of vitamins, minerals and flavonoids and contains oils that can help neutralize carcinogens in the body. In addition, decadent parsley recipes are often used to boost immunity and reduce inflammation – the perfect meal when you’re bogged down by stress!
This parsley soup recipe can easily be made vegetarian, but I’ve adapted it to include organic, free-range ground beef for those looking for something a little heartier. Enjoy whichever way you choose!
Delightful Italian Parsley Soup With Ground Beef
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 large green onions (scallions or green shallots)
2 cloves garlic
3 cups vegetable stock (vegetable broth or vegetable bouillon)
½ cup parsley - chopped
½ cup spinach - chopped
1 cup ground beef (minced beef) - cooked
½ cup brown rice - cooked
1 medium lemon
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
Instructions
- Roughly chop the green onions and garlic and combine with the olive oil in a stockpot over medium-low heat. Saute until the onions are soft and the garlic is lightly browned.
- Add the vegetable stock, parsley and greens and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat then pulse with an immersion blender until smooth. Put the pot back over medium heat, add the ground beef (if using) and rice, and generously season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for a few minutes, then remove from heat and stir in the juice from one lemon.
- When plating, top with fresh chopped parsley, shaved asparagus and a fresh wedge of lemon.
