Creme de Legumes Rápido
(krem deh leh-goomz rah-pee-doh)
The Nightly Bowl: Sopas para a Alma
Twenty minutes. In Portugal, soup anchors dinner before the fish arrives—time enough to hit a heavy-bottomed pot of supermarket carrots with a stick blender, releasing the smell of a bubbling pot of Creme de Legumes as the ultimate scent of homecoming. You might expect heavy dairy, but that is an Americanized myth; the texture relies entirely on the alchemy of starchy potatoes, sweet butternut squash, and a patient, slow sauté of aromatics, leaving only a finishing glug of olive oil before it coats the spoon and warms the kitchen.
Before you start
Store and reheat for even better flavor.
This soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld and freezes beautifully for up to three months. When reheating, whisk in a little water if the starch has thickened it too much.
Ingredients
- extra-virgin olive oil3 tbsp
- yellow onion1 large
- cloves garlic3 med
- carrots2 med
- leek1 med
- Russet potatoes2 med
- butternut squash2 cup
- zucchini1 med
- water5 cup
- kosher salt1 1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Start the slow sweat.
Place a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add two tablespoons of the olive oil, followed by the onion, garlic, leek, and carrots. Sauté slowly for about seven minutes until the onions are translucent and sweet, taking care not to let them brown.
- 02
Build the starchy base.
Add the potatoes, butternut squash, and zucchini to the pot, stirring well to coat everything in the aromatic oil.
- 03
Simmer until tender.
Pour in just enough water to barely cover the vegetables, add the salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer vigorously for 20 to 25 minutes until a fork easily pierces the potatoes and carrots.
- 04
Blend into a velvet cream.
Remove from the heat and use an immersion blender to purée the soup directly in the pot until incredibly smooth. If it feels too thick, whisk in a splash of boiling water until it reaches a rich, pourable consistency.
- 05
Finish with a raw thread of oil.
Ladle the hot soup into bowls and drizzle a generous, raw thread of your best extra-virgin olive oil over each portion just before serving.
Notes
Skip the heavy cream entirely.
Dairy masks the bright earthy flavors of the vegetables. The rich mouthfeel comes purely from the potato starch emulsifying with the olive oil.
Swap pumpkin for butternut squash.
American carving pumpkins are too watery to replicate the dense Portuguese abóbora. Pre-cubed butternut squash from the supermarket is the perfect authentic match and saves prep time.