Spinach Soup Recipe (Palak Soup)

Updated: August 16, 2023, By Swasthi

Spinach Soup is a hearty and healthy vegetarian soup packed with a flavor punch! Serve it with a crusty bread or a cheese toast for a cozy weeknight dinner. All you need is a handful of ingredients & 30 minutes of your time. You will love this for everything – delicious, easy to make, so colorful & its gluten-free with a vegan option. Spinach is the prima donna of this flavorsome and creamy soup lending its unique flavor & vibrant color to this dish.

spinach soup

Recipe Comments

With milk & cream providing the richness, spices like cinnamon adding a nice punch, this spinach soup scores high on taste and health ratings.

Spinach soup is one of those hot and yummy soups that will become a family pleaser. Kids who usually have an aversion to eating greens will enjoy eating spinach in this soup form.

This is a wonderful way to sneak in vital nutrients from green leafy veggies. It makes for a tasty snack meal when hunger pangs strike you at odd hours.

About Spinach Soup

As the name suggests, this soup celebrates the goodness and taste of spinach. Spinach leaves are stir fried, pureed and then simmered in a pot filled with spice enhanced liquid and gets a rich texture with the addition of cream.

The nutritional value, flavor profile, and the vibrant color make this a must-have soup in your meal rotation.

You’ll find different versions of this soup across the globe. Some use whole or chopped spinach while others use it pureed.

Did you know the Chinese have a version called “Emerald and White Jade” soup with tofu and spinach as the primary ingredients?

My Spinach Soup is more on the creamier side as I have used milk and cream to provide it with both a mild sweet note and great texture. The soup has been thickened and given a dose of fiber with the use of oat flour. If you do not like oats you can use all-purpose flour or wheat flour.

It is very easy to make and you probably have most of the ingredients in the pantry. You can make a large batch anytime you have fresh or frozen spinach available.

Make this broth-based or opt for the tastier cream based one like my recipe below.

More Spinach Recipes
Spinach Curry
Palak Chicken
Palak paneer
Dal palak
Palak paratha
Chana saag

Photo Guide

How to Make Spinach Soup (Stepwise Photos)

Preparation

1. Rinse 120 grams (4 cups) spinach leaves well, slice 2 medium garlic cloves, and keep aside 2½ cups milk and spices ready (1 ½ inch cinnamon and 1 bay leaf). Add 1 teaspoon of oil to a saucepan or soup pan on high heat. Reduce the heat to low and add 2 sliced cloves of garlic. Sauté for one minute.

fry garlic in oil

2. Add 4 cups (120 gm) of spinach. Sauté the spinach until it wilts and loses the raw smell.

spinach in a pot to make soup

3. You need to cook the spinach for at least 5-6 minutes.

wilted spinach and garlic for soup

4. Cool the cooked spinach and add it to a grinder or blender. Add ½ cup of water or stock/broth.

spinach in a grinder

5. Blend the spinach into a smooth puree and set aside.

pureed spinach in a grinder

Make the Soup

6. Return the same pot to the stovetop and melt 2 tablespoons of butter.

melt butter in a pot

7. Reduce heat to low. Add 1 bay leaf and 1½ inch of cinnamon. Let the spices sizzle in the butter for a minute.

fry the spices

8. Now add 2 ½ tablespoons of oats flour and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until the raw taste is completely gone. You can substitute oat flour with 2 tablespoons wheat flour or all-purpose flour. To make your own oat flour, grind 3 tablespoons of rolled oats to a fine powder in a small grinder. Use only 2 ½ tablespoons flour.

oat flour in butter

9. Be careful not to brown the flour or it will add a bitter and burnt taste to the soup.

frying flour in butter

10. Slowly pour 2½ cups of milk and stir well to combine. I use cashew milk here. You can make your own cashew milk or almond milk for this recipe by following my tips in the notes section. You can use any plant based milk here.

pour milk to make spinach soup

11. Simmer and let it cook until the soup turns slightly thick.

thickened milk and flour mixture

12. Now is the time to add ½ teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of sugar to the simmering spinach soup.

creamy oat milk mixture

13. Also add ½ teaspoon of crushed black pepper and the pureed spinach along with ½ cup of liquid (stock/broth or plain water).

14. Mix well and bring this to a gentle boil.

simmer spinach soup

15. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of cream.

adding cream

16. Let the soup simmer until it thickens and the raw flavor of spinach is gone (this will take about 3 to 4 mins). Taste test and adjust the seasonings.

17. When you feel the raw flavor has vanished completely turn off the heat. The bay leaf and cinnamon will continue to infuse their flavors. Keep them in the soup until you’re ready to serve.

simmer spinach soup till the raw flavor goes away

Pour spinach soup equally into serving bowls and garnish with ¼ teaspoon of red chilli flakes. Garnish with more cream and ground black pepper, if desired. Serve the spinach soup hot or warm with croutons or cheese toast.

spinach soup

Pro Tips

Spinach: Use fresh baby spinach or at least young spinach. Mature spinach tastes bitter, especially the stalks so avoid that. Retain the young stalks but discard fibrous and long stalks. Other kind of leafy greens may not work with this recipe.

Oat flour: You won’t taste the oat flour in the soup. It not only helps to make a gluten-free soup but also thicken and imparts a rich and milky aroma. It won’t make it slimy either.

Cinnamon imparts a earthy flavor to the soup without making it over powering. You may use ground but in small quantities.

Related Recipes

Recipe Card

spinach soup palak soup

Spinach Soup Recipe (Palak Soup)

5 from 60 votes
Make this hearty, healthy & delicious spinach soup with pantry staples. You will love this for everything – amazing taste, texture & flavor!!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Comments

For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings3 to 4
AuthorSwasthi
Diet : Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 120 grams (4 cups) spinach (discard the stalks)
  • 2 garlic cloves (medium)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 ½ inch cinnamon
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 ½ tablespoons oats flour (or 2 tbsps wheat or all-purpose flour)
  • cups milk (or ¼ cup cashews or vegan milk, refer notes)
  • 1 cup water (or stock or broth, divided)
  • ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (adjust to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons cream
  • ¼ teaspoon red chilli flakes (for serving, optional)


Instructions

How to Make Spinach Soup

  • Pour 1 teaspoon oil to a pot and saute sliced garlic for 1 minute.
  • Add the spinach and saute until it wilts and the raw smell has gone completely. This will take about 5 to 6 minutes.
  • Cool this and blend to a smooth puree with ½ cup water or stock/broth.
  • Melt butter in the same pot and reduce the heat to low. Add 1 bay leaf and cinnamon. Let them sizzle in the butter for a minute.
  • Add flour and saute until it loses the raw flavor, for 2 to 3 minutes. Do not brown the flour.
  • Pour milk slowly and mix well. Simmer and let it cook until slightly thick.
  • Then add sugar, black pepper, spinach puree and ½ cup more liquid (stock/broth or plain water).
  • Bring this to a gentle boil and add cream.
  • Let it simmer until the soup thickens and all the raw flavor of spinach is gone. (for about 3 to 4 mins). Taste test and adjust the seasoning.
  • Turn off the heat and cover the spinach soup. Bay leaf and cinnamon will continue to infuse their flavors so keep them in the soup until you serve.
  • Pour spinach soup to serving bowls and garnish with cream, black pepper and red chili flakes. Serve hot or warm with croutons or cheese toast.


Notes

  1. To make oat flour, grind 3 tablespoons rolled or quick cook oats in a grinder to a fine powder. Use only 2½ tablespoons flour in this recipe.
  2. Baby spinach works well for spinach soup. You can use the regular spinach but it is important to discard the stalks of the spinach as they can impart a metallic taste to the soup.
  3. If you are a vegan, use oil and any plant based milk.
  4. To make vegan milk, I soaked ¼ cup cashews (35 grams) in ¼ cup hot water for 10 mins and made a smooth paste in a grinder. Later I poured 2 ¼ cups more water and blend it to make 2.5 cups milk. You can also use overnight soaked almonds. Peel the skin and use them.
  5. You can experiment with different spices. If you like the Indian flavors you can add ¼ tsp garam masala or 1 tablespoon kasuri methi. 

Video

Watch Spinach Soup Video

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Spinach Soup Recipe (Palak Soup)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 283 Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Fat 20g31%
Saturated Fat 11g69%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 55mg18%
Sodium 602mg26%
Potassium 540mg15%
Carbohydrates 18g6%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 9g18%
Vitamin A 4525IU91%
Vitamin C 12mg15%
Calcium 293mg29%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

© Swasthi’s Recipes

Meat Recipes

About Swasthi

Iโ€™m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthiโ€™s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me

Follow Swasthi’s Recipes

Comments

Recipe Rating




14 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

5 stars
My whole family relished the spinach soup. Yummy recipe. Thankyou.

5 stars
The spinach we get here is bitter so I blanch it briefly before it goes into the blender. Turns out awesome every single time with almond milk. Thank you for the amazing recipes you share.

5 stars
OMG! Love this spinach soup. It is so delicious and easy to make. I am growing a lot of spinach and have been making this and your palak paneer in turns. Both are fabulous recipes.

5 stars
Never thought spinach soup can taste so good. I followed the recipe to the T and turned out fantastic. Thank you

5 stars
Delicious! Loved this spinach soup. Didn’t have oatmeal so used all-purpose flour. Still it was great!

5 stars
Made exac5as shown. Turned out amazing.

5 stars
I have never made spinach soup before. I searched all different recipes. This one caught my eye cause it seemed simple enough and oatmeal was a great addition. It is literally perfect and the flavors were amazing. My husbands loves the chili flakes.

5 stars
Hello Swasthi! This spinach soup was delicious. I served it with cheesy baked potatoes and crusty bread. The garnish of cream, red pepper flakes, and crushed peppercorn were a wonderful touch.

On a personal note, I’ve been following your blog for some time. I’m American-born, and my partner was born and raised in Mumbai. We live in Maryland. Having no other family in the U.S., he’s been very down these last 12 months not able to make his annual trip home due to the pandemic. I’ve been cooking your recipes for him to help lift his spirits, and he always eats second and third helpings. His sister, mother, and grandmother are above average cooks. I’d like to think your recipes provide both him and I a bit of comfort. Thank you for sharing your talents!

5 stars
Swasthi Thank you for all the recipes. I made it tonight for dinner and it tasted amazing. I added some Thai chillies for heat. Will be making this again