A green soup that brings together the gentle pepperiness of arugula (rocket) with the freshness of parsley. The ingredients are blended and then cooked briefly so the soup keeps its color and flavor. A light, low-calorie dish for anyone watching their weight who wants a warm green bowl.
Arugula usually appears on our tables as raw leaves in a salad, and this recipe, from the Shamlola website, turns it into a warm green soup alongside its companion, parsley.
We lightened the original by cutting the cream from a full cup down to 4 tablespoons of light cooking cream — the creamy touch stayed while the fat dropped considerably, an adjustment befitting a dish whose whole point is being light on calories.
Wash the arugula and parsley under running water and discard the thick, tough stems. Leafy greens carry soil between their leaves and need careful washing.
Put the onion, garlic, arugula, and parsley in a blender with 1 cup of the water, and blend until the mixture is smooth and uniform with a bright green color.
Pour the green mixture into a pot over medium heat with the remaining water and the dissolved stock cube, and let it cook for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then. Do not overcook, or the green color will fade.
Lower the heat and add the light cream, salt, and black pepper, stirring until blended. Taste before adding any extra salt — the stock cube is already salty.
Leave the soup over low heat for a few minutes until it simmers gently and thickens slightly, then ladle it into bowls, garnish with the chopped parsley, and serve hot.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Arugula and Parsley Soup, and how to fix them:
The cooking went on too long. Stick to about 10 minutes after blending — green leaves lose their bright color with prolonged boiling. Add the cream and seasoning at the end and turn off the heat quickly.
Large, mature arugula is sharper than young leaves. Choose young bunches with small leaves, and balance the sharpness with a squeeze of lemon juice or one extra spoonful of cream — fat softens bitterness.
Leafy greens carry no starch to thicken with. Let the soup simmer gently uncovered for a few extra minutes to concentrate, or next time add a small boiled, mashed potato cube for a thicker body with limited calories.
It was added at a hard boil. Lower the heat completely before adding it and stir immediately; if it separates, run the immersion blender for a few seconds and it will come back together.
The washing was not thorough enough. Soak the bunches in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes, swish them, then lift them out of the water rather than pouring the water over them — the sand stays at the bottom. Repeat until the water runs clear.
Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days — leafy-green soups lose their freshness faster than root-vegetable soups. Reheat over low heat without a hard boil to protect the cream and the color.
Best frozen before adding the cream, for up to 1 month, in an airtight container with room for expansion. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, reheat, then add fresh cream — the color and texture suffer if frozen with the cream in.
Over low heat with constant stirring until hot, without a strong boil, or in the microwave for a minute and a half, stirring halfway through. Do not reheat the same portion more than once.
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light cream | Low-fat Greek yogurt | 4 tablespoons added after taking the pot off the heat | Higher protein and less fat; add it off the heat so it does not separate. |
| Stock cube | Homemade vegetable stock | 4 cups of stock instead of the water and cube | Full control over sodium and a cleaner flavor for anyone watching their salt. |
| Arugula | Fresh spinach | Same weight, 400 g | A calmer flavor without the peppery bite, and the calories stay similarly low. |
| Parsley | Fresh cilantro | Same volume, 1 bunch | A differently aromatic character — a welcome option for cilantro lovers. |
| Servings | Arugula | Parsley | Water | Cream |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 servings | 2 bunches (200 g) | 1/2 bunch (50 g) | 2 cups (500 ml) | 2 tablespoons |
| 4 servings | 4 bunches (400 g) | 1 bunch (100 g) | 4 cups (1000 ml) | 4 tablespoons |
| 6 servings | 6 bunches (600 g) | 1 1/2 bunches (150 g) | 6 cups (1500 ml) | 6 tablespoons |
The sharpness of fresh arugula softens greatly with cooking, leaving a pleasant peppery note — no need to be wary of it. A squeeze of lemon juice at serving time lifts the green flavor and saves you from adding more salt, and anyone wanting a richer-feeling bowl without many calories can stir a spoonful of Greek yogurt into their serving.
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