This Creamy Coconut Beet Greens and Fennel Soup Recipe is absolutely dreamy! A soup made out of beet greens may sound bizarre or beautiful (depending on your opinion of beets), but this soup is packed with delicious flavors AND is a great way to use any leftover beet greens (leaves atop the beetroot).
Are beet greens edible? Yes!
Many people are surprised to learn that they can eat beet greens. In fact, the entire beet can be eaten root to leaf, stems and all! This creamy beet greens soup is not only a wonderful way to utilize the beet from root to leaf, but it’s also an incredibly tasty soup that many people who aren’t fond of leafy greens, may just become super fans.
The beet greens (the leafy greens atop the bulbous beetroot portion) taste similar to Swiss Card and are extremely nutritious containing more iron than Spinach. Popeye would be proud!
Eating the beet from root to leaf reduces waste and fills your body with more nutrients. Beet greens and Swiss card and other dark leafy greens are rich in nutrients that support strong bones, healthy eyes, healthy iron levels, boosted immunity, and more.
Check out 10 INCREDIBLE HEALTH BENEFITS OF BEET GREENS for more amazing nutrition details!
If you don’t have beet greens or can’t find them locally, swap out beet greens for other dark leafy greens like Chard, Kale, or Spinach; however, spinach takes less cook time, so you may wish to simmer other ingredients and blanch spinach at the end.
Dark leafy beet greens (BEET TOPS) and fennel make a fabulous pairing! There are so many delicious ways to eat beet greens, but one of our favorites is to make a creamy soup paired with fennel and coconut milk. Although beet greens are the star of this tasty soup, fennel is a vibrant ingredient as well! If you haven’t eaten fennel, it’s time to give it a try!
What does fennel taste like?
Aromatic and with an anise-type flavor, fennel is part of the carrot family (although it’s not considered a root vegetable) and adds a bright flavor to the onions and earthy greens in this tasty leafy greens soup. Coconut milk is rich and creamy, the perfect addition to earthy beet greens and aromatic fennel. Yum!
For more recipes using the beautiful LEAFY BEET GREENS try some of our favorites: Sauteed Beet Greens / Baked Beet Greens Chips / Super Cleanser Beet Greens Smoothie / Vegan Minty Shamrock Smoothie with Beet Greens and Banana
Having a love affair with beet greens? Us too! Check out 15 Deliciously Creative Ways to Eat Beet Greens for more scrumptious ways to enjoy beet leaves.
CREAMY COCONUT BEET GREENS AND FENNEL SOUP RECIPE (VEGAN)
Creamy Coconut Beet Greens and Fennel Soup (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of beet greens (or about 4-5 cups tightly packed and coarsely chopped)
- 1 small fennel (bulb), chopped
- 1 cup coconut milk (this recipe uses canned coconut milk)
- 1 small yellow or Vidalia onion, chopped
- 2 celery sticks, chopped or quartered
- 2-3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 5 cups water or veggie stock
- 1 tbsp coconut oil or butter (optional)
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2-3 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Heat coconut oil or butter (or your preferred oil) in a medium heavy pot. Once heated, add fennel, Vidalia onion, and garlic to soften and lightly brown. Stir occasionally and heat for about 5-7 mins.
- In the same pot, add water or veggie stock, beet greens (leaves), celery sticks, dried cumin, dried oregano, salt and pepper.
- Cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
- You can keep this soup as a chunky vegetable stew, but to create a creamy version, purée warm soup in high-speed blender or immersion blender. Be careful when blended hot liquids. A top filling/loading blender is best used or an immersion blender - just use a large enough bowl to keep the liquid from spraying.
- Once blended, return pureed soup to pot and add coconut milk and lemon juice. Stir and add more salt and pepper to taste. If soup has cooled, reheat over low heat.
- Serve warm with fresh bread or crackers.
- Store cooled soup in air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Notes
If you use veggie stock, it may alter the color of the soup depending on the type of stock. Also - golden beets contain slightly lighter leaves than red beets.
Add more coconut milk for a creamier texture and less milk for a thinner texture.
Make sure beet greens are gently washed to remove any dirt. Also - for this recipe, only the beet leaves (greens) are used, and the stems (and center ribs) are removed and used for a Quick-Pickled Beet Stems side dish; however, there are many ways to eat the beet from root to leaf to reduce food waste and enjoy the beautiful beet.
To select beet greens and learn how store them, check out our guide: How to Select Quality Beetroots and Beet Greens
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