Cream of Spinach Soup

This fast cream of spinach soup recipe makes it easy to feel green. Use basic pantry ingredients and fresh or frozen spinach to make a vegetable-packed soup you can serve hot or cold.

A spoonful of fresh Cream of Spinach Soup from a bowl

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

This delicious cream of spinach soup is as rich, smooth, and creamy as the label "Cream of" would imply.

What Is Cream of Spinach Soup?

It's basically a vichyssoise, with spinach in addition to the potatoes, and can be served either hot or chilled.

Cream of Spinach Soup to serve

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Tips for Using Frozen Spinach vs. Fresh Spinach

Baby or mature fresh spinach work in this recipe. Baby spinach is convenient because it's typically sold already cleaned. Mature spinach has more flavor but can be very gritty, so wash it well. For this recipe, you can leave the stems on.

Defrost and drain frozen spinach before adding it to the soup. To defrost, use one of these methods.

  • Put the frozen spinach package in the refrigerator overnight.
  • Leave the frozen spinach package at room temperature for about 5 hours.
  • Defrost in the microwave — removed from the package and in a microwave-safe bowl — on the defrost setting for about 2 minutes.

Squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the defrosted spinach before adding it to the soup in Step 2.

Soup Too Thin? There’s a Fix!

Thickening puréed soup is easy. If your soup is too liquidy for your liking, we have a few techniques that will work for thickening this cream of spinach soup.

How to Store and Reheat This Recipe

Refrigerate tightly covered for up to 4 days. Reheat over medium-low heat at a simmer until heated through.

We don't recommend freezing this soup. The texture will change because of the potatoes. Also, the dairy may separate.

More Cream Soup Recipes to Try

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Cream of Spinach Soup

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 55 mins
Servings 6 to 8 servings

Recipe adapted from Potatoes!: Recipes for America's favorite vegetable published by The American Cooking Guild.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup chopped onion

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 2 cups chopped fresh spinach, packed, or 1 (10 to 12-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed

  • 3 medium potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks

  • 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

  • 1 1/2 cups water

  • 2 chicken or vegetable bouillon cubes

  • 2 cups half and half

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 3/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving, if you like

  • Chopped chives, for garnish

  • 1 pinch ground allspice, for garnish

Method

  1. Sauté the onion:

    In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté onion in butter for 4 minutes or until translucent.

    Cooking onions in a pot to make Cream of Spinach Soup

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

  2. Build the soup:

    Add potatoes, chicken broth, water, and bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

    Add spinach and cook for 2 to 4 minutes longer until spinach is tender.

    How to make cream of spinach soup with Potatoes, stock, and bouillon cubes in a pan

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    Adding fresh spinach to make a Cream of Spinach Soup recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

  3. Purée the soup and add the half and half:

    Working in batches, purée soup mixture in a blender. Return to saucepan. Whisk in half and half, salt, and pepper.

    Adding cream to a pot of Cream of Spinach Soup

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

  4. Whisk in the sour cream:

    Over low heat, bring to just before simmering. Whisk in the sour cream. You may want to use an immersion blender to get the sour cream fully incorporated.

    This soup can be served hot or chilled. Garnish with chopped chives, sprinkles of allspice, or a dollop of sour cream.

    Cream of Spinach Soup with sour cream added

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
156 Calories
7g Fat
20g Carbs
4g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 156
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 10%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 21mg 7%
Sodium 627mg 27%
Total Carbohydrate 20g 7%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 13mg 63%
Calcium 105mg 8%
Iron 2mg 14%
Potassium 646mg 14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.