Spinach-and-Cilantro Soup With Tahini and Lemon

The simplicity of this soup’s technique belies its depth of flavor, which is both vivid and complex. Though the soup is made bright with lemon and fresh with cilantro, the secret ingredient is tahini, which is layered into the soup to thicken it, and then drizzled generously on top in the form of a gently spiced sauce. The result is a soup that’s both vegetal and creamy, tangy and rich. You’ll find it so tasty that you’ll forget you’re drinking your vegetables.

Ingredients

For the sauce:

• ¼ cup well-stirred tahini
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 large clove garlic, finely grated or pounded to a smooth paste
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 12 ounces baby spinach (about 12 packed cups)
• 4 cups roughly chopped cilantro (from 2 large bunches)
• ¼ cup well-stirred tahini
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed

For the soup:

• 7 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

• Nutritional Information

  • • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

      232 calories; 14 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 8 milligrams cholesterol; 806 milligrams sodium

  Note: The information shown is DiningAndCooking.com’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. First, make the sauce: Combine tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, cumin and red-pepper flakes with 2 tablespoons water in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth, adding more water as needed to achieve a drizzle-able consistency, and set aside.
2. Next, make the soup: Add stock to a Dutch oven or heavy pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in spinach, cilantro, tahini and salt, and return to a boil. Turn off heat, and stir in lemon juice.
3. Use an immersion blender to purée soup. Taste, and adjust seasoning with more salt and lemon, if desired.
4. Serve soup immediately, and drizzle with tahini sauce. Cover and refrigerate remaining soup and sauce for up to 1 week, or freeze soup for up to 1 month.

Tip

• Because this soup is so simple, the quality of the stock really makes a difference, so use homemade or purchase some from a butcher. Avoid canned and boxed stocks if possible.