It is that time of the year when the days get shorter and the nights get longer. The chilly winds, late sunrises, cosy hot chocolates, coffees, blankets, and sweaters all describe the winter season. But among these, the fresh produce that this season brings is also one of its highlights, especially the greens such as sarso, methi, bathua, and more. Spinach or palak is one of them and is arguably the most valued and cherished green of all.
Read more: 3 Wholesome Himachali Soups For The Soul
Palak is known for its versatility and impeccable nutritional profile. You can make a dry sabzi with palak, add it to your dals, make parathas with it, or make elaborate curries like the palak paneer. The possibilities are endless. But one more dish that palak is a great addition to is soup. You can make deliciously creamy soups using palak, which is a must-have during the winter season. So, let's take a look at five of these palak soups that you can enjoy this winter season.
Palak-Chole Soup
This is a simple preparation that brings two wholesome ingredients together. Palak and chickpeas blend extremely well and the dish, chole-palak, is a great proof of that. But in this partnership, palak takes centre stage while chickpeas are the supporting cast.
Here, onions are cooked with chickpeas and then they are cooked for the second time in the same water in which the chickpeas were soaked. Later, all the ingredients are blended to create a smooth, soupy consistency and are then garnished with croutons.
Spinach With Paneer Croutons Soup
Let's give the famous pairing of palak and paneer a different look with this scrumptious soup. This is a very healthy soup that packs the goodness of spinach and is also rich in protein, thanks to paneer. You can not only make this soup with spinach but other greens can also be added, like fenugreek or dill, to enhance the soup even further.
It is a great dish to try and the croutons add a great crunch and texture to the creamy soup. You can make any addition to the soup, like proteins or other veggies.
Spinach-Cauliflower Soup
This soup brings two healthy veggies together to create one lip-smacking soup that you can enjoy on those chilly winter nights. Both the veggies are also low in calories so you don't have to worry much and you can have this guilt-free.
It is a healthy dish that you can make by boiling the palak and gobi in stock with onions until they are soft. Once soft, they are blended and incorporated with seasonings like salt, chilli powder, and more. You can also add milk to this to make it even richer.
Spinach-Chicken Soup
This is an easy dish to make that packs a lot of protein while also being filling. Here, minced chicken is incorporated with many veggies and herbs like carrots, ginger, garlic, and onions. Then they are made into small balls, bound together with the help of an egg and then kept in a fridge.
Once the balls get a little firm, they are taken out and then boiled with soup stock until they are perfectly cooked, and during that, spinach leaves are added. You can also add and pick any vegetables of your choice to make this a more satisfying meal.
Italian Orzo Spinach Soup
This is a comforting soup that will warm your body on a chilly winter night. It is a classic soup that is packed with zesty Italian flavours. It is delicious and cosy. The best part? This soup comes together in under 30 minutes so you can make it after a long, tiring day of work.
You will need basic ingredients like onions, carrots, celery, garlic, pepper flakes, Italian seasonings, stock, orzo, spinach (you can also add other greens like kale or fenugreek), and some parmesan cheese for garnishing.