Healing Garlic Green Soup: Sopa de Ajo Recipe
Healing Garlic Green Soup, or Sopa de Ajo, is a comforting and nutritious Spanish-inspired recipe featuring tender leeks, fresh spinach or chard, and a bold garlic flavor simmered with rice in a savory broth. Crispy leek garnishes and a squeeze of fresh lemon add delightful texture and brightness to this wholesome soup perfect for wellness and digestion support.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Spanish
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 3 medium leeks (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 12 ounces (about 6 cups loosely packed) fresh spinach OR baby spinach OR white-stemmed chard
- 3 heads (about 25 cloves) garlic, peeled and sliced thinly lengthwise
Liquids & Oils
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 12 cups chicken or vegetable broth, homemade or store-bought
Other
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup uncooked, unrinsed white rice OR 1/2 cup brown rice, par-cooked al dente
- Wedges of fresh lemon (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the Leeks: Trim off root ends and remove 1-2 tough outer layers from each leek. Cut off darkest green tops, remove lighter green inner parts, and slice into 1/4-inch rings. Thoroughly wash the leek rings under cold water, using your hands to separate and stir to remove dirt. For very dirty leeks, soak briefly in water, then rinse again and drain.
- Prepare the Greens: Remove thick stems from spinach or chard and dice small; roughly chop larger leaves. Baby spinach requires no prep.
- Sauté Leeks: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Set aside 1 cup of sliced leeks for garnish. Add remaining leeks to pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook gently stirring occasionally for 12-15 minutes until softened but not browned.
- Add Garlic: Stir sliced garlic into leeks and cook 3-4 minutes until fragrant and softened, stirring frequently to avoid browning.
- Add Broth and Bay Leaves: Pour in broth and add bay leaves. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
- Cook Rice: Stir in rice once broth boils, return to boil, then reduce to simmer and cover. Cook 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender and flavors meld.
- Crisp Reserved Leeks: While soup simmers, heat remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add reserved leeks and cook 10-12 minutes until crispy and golden, removing just before fully cooked to prevent over-darkening. Set aside.
- Finish Soup: Remove bay leaves from soup. Stir in chopped spinach or chard and simmer until greens are soft — about 10 minutes for spinach, 15-20 minutes for chard.
- Season and Serve: Taste and season soup with salt and pepper as desired. Serve garnished with crispy leeks, a drizzle of leek oil from the pan, and a wedge of fresh lemon to squeeze over each serving.
Notes
- Leeks must be thoroughly washed to remove dirt trapped in layers.
- Par-cooked brown rice can be used but adjust simmering time as needed.
- The crispy leek garnish adds contrasting texture—do not skip.
- Fresh lemon juice brightens the soup’s flavor just before serving.
- This soup can be made vegetarian by using vegetable broth.
- Keep heat moderate during sauté to avoid discoloring garlic and leeks.
