Chilled Lettuce Soup

Updated Feb. 29, 2024

Chilled Lettuce Soup
Evan Sung for The New York Times
Total Time
20 minutes, plus 1 hour's refrigeration
Rating
4(58)
Comments
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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2tablespoons butter
  • 1large onion, sliced
  • Salt
  • ground pepper
  • 2 to 3heads romaine lettuce, cut into thin ribbons
  • 2cups chicken stock
  • ½ to 1cup cream or half-and-half
  • Small croutons or crumbled bacon for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

240 calories; 14 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 24 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 10 grams protein; 1402 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; when it melts, add onion and sweat for about 2 minutes or until it begins to soften; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add all but a couple of handfuls of the lettuce to the pan, reserving the rest for garnish, and cook until it wilts. Add stock, turn the heat to medium-high and bring liquid to a boil; lower heat to medium and cook until lettuce is very soft, about 5 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Put cooked lettuce in a blender and add 2 cups of ice water. Purée mixture until smooth, then put in a large bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour.

  3. Step 3

    Once soup is chilled, add cream or half-and-half to taste and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Finely chop reserved lettuce and put about ¼ cup in each bowl and ladle soup on top. Garnish with croutons or bacon.

Ratings

4 out of 5
58 user ratings
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Comments

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This was delicious. Not very lettuce-y, with romaine as called for, and certainly not bitter; more a light onion with a green sheen, but tasty and a good first course on a hot night. I might try it again adding some of the bitter leaves I'm getting from my garden.

How I happened to have so much shredded Romaine is a long story, one I will never tell. And it is really hot here in Tucson, so I was not only looking for a way to use up the lettuce, but a cool, refreshing meal. This is amazingly great! So easy. I did add a bit of garlic. It will be a treat all summer!

Had a beautiful farmers market butter lettuce that was getting too sad in the fridge. Followed the recipe until it just before it suggests to add water and just blended with the stock. Ate it directly from the blender - delicious. I think the water would have made it too watery and I don’t like cream.

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