Lettuce Soup is a fresh and light vegetable soup with a sweet and delicate flavour. This creamy blended soup is the perfect way to use excess lettuce and turn it into a surprising soup that will impress your family and friends.
Why make Lettuce Soup?
Have you heard of lettuce soup before? It’s certainly not as well known as soups like Lentil or Scotch Broth. However, it is a very simple soup to make and is a brilliant way to use lettuce that is not quite in peak condition or, if you grow your own lettuce, it’s perfect to use bolted lettuce before it starts to flower.
What Ingredients do I need to make Lettuce Soup?
The ingredients you need are very simple and you are likely to already have most of them in your fridge or larder. Here is what you will need:
- butter
- onion
- carrots
- lettuce
- stock
- salt & pepper
- full fat milk
- single cream (optional)
- chives
A full list of quantities and cup conversions is located in the recipe card at the bottom of this article.
What equipment do I need?
- chopping board
- sharp knife
- large saucepan
- measuring jug
- wooden spoon
- blender
What kind of blender do I need?
I use a standalone power blender to blend my soup because it gives a very smooth velvety texture to the soup. However, if you don’t have one you can use a stick blender, a personal blender/smoothie maker or a food processor
What kind of lettuce should I use in Lettuce Soup?
You can use any kind of lettuce to make lettuce soup. I’ve made this soup with Cos (Romaine) lettuce, butterhead lettuce, little gem and mixed salad leaves. If you use darker leaves it will affect the colour of the soup but not the flavour.
Can I use lettuce that is not in prime condition?
You can definitely use that forgotten lettuce at the bottom of the fridge, you know, the one that is slightly limp, maybe a little brown around the edges. But definitely NOT wet and slimy lettuce, I’m afraid that one goes in the compost heap.
Can I grow my own lettuce?
Lettuce has to be one of the easiest crops to grow. Salad Bowl lettuce is the easiest and you can pick as much as you need and then come back for more.
How to Grow Salad Bowl Lettuce is a step by step guide to show you how easy it is to grow salad leaves so you can enjoy fresh salad all summer long.
Lettuce grows well in containers, so if you don’t have a patch of ground you can still grow lettuce. Pay attention to the watering as this is even more crucial when a plant is in a container.
Other lettuces are not difficult to grow but you need to plant only a few seeds each week or you will end up with too many at once. And that is when Lettuce Soup comes to your rescue!
Why add carrots to lettuce soup?
I like to add carrots to the soup because they add a bit of natural sweetness and help to add some body. Lettuce leaves are very high in water so a more dense vegetable like a carrot definitely helps add both flavour and texture.
What kind of stock can I use to make lettuce soup?
I use vegetable stock made from vegetable stock cubes. You need a light stock that is flavourful but will not overpower the delicate taste of the lettuce. You can also use chicken stock if you prefer.
Can I use oil instead of butter?
Yes, you can. Use oil that does not have a strong flavour. Rapeseed (Canola) or Sunflower oil are both good options.
Can I replace dairy milk with plant milk?
I am not an expert in cooking with plant milk and I have not tested this recipe with plant milk. If you want to try it, then use plant milk that is stable when heated.
Can I add other vegetables to Lettuce Soup?
Traditionally Lettuce Soup is made only with lettuce and onions or leeks, but you can add many other vegetables to your lettuce soup. As long as there is more lettuce than other ingredients, then you won’t lose the delicacy of flavour.
Here are a few ideas:
- I always add a few carrots, as they provide a little sweetness.
- Chard leaves
- Spinach leaves and stems
- Pak (Bok) Choi
- Celery
- Peas
- Broccoli stems
Can I make lettuce soup ahead of time?
You can make the soup, cool it and store it in a covered container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat the soup gently until it is piping hot, then serve with a swirl of cream and a garnish of chopped chives.
Can I freeze lettuce soup?
Yes, let the soup cool, then put it in a freezer-proof container and freeze it for up to 3 months. To use the soup either thaw overnight in the fridge or, heat gently in a saucepan from frozen, stirring frequently. You can also thaw lettuce soup on the defrost setting of the microwave and then reheat it until piping hot.
How should I serve Lettuce Soup?
Serve this versatile soup as a starter (appetiser) at a dinner. It is light enough not to spoil your appetite for the main course and a small portion is a great way to start your meal. I like to garnish the soup with a swirl of cream and some chopped chives, but you can add croutons or use other herbs if you prefer.
Lettuce Soup also makes a great soup to serve on its own for lunch or a light supper. Serve a larger portion with lots of crusty bread and butter, it’s very satisfying.
Can I serve Lettuce Soup cold?
Lettuce soup is delicious served cold, just make sure it is really well chilled. It would be perfect served in shot glasses as an elegant canape or as part of afternoon tea.
How many people will this soup serve?
Lettuce Soup serves four medium portions of approximately 1 1/2 ladles of soup per portion. This serving size is suitable as an appetiser followed by a main course. If you plan to serve this recipe as a main meal with crusty bread then it will serve 2-3 portions.
If you serve lettuce soup in shot glasses or small cups as an elegant canape and it will serve 8-12 portions depending on the size of the glasses or cups.
More Creamy Soup Recipes
Cullen Skink is a traditional Scottish soup made with smoked fish, potatoes, and onions. It’s the perfect soup to serve as a hearty family meal with homemade soda bread and equally at home at an elegant dinner party.
Creamy Wild Garlic Soup is a chunky soup made with potatoes, peas, ham, and foraged wild garlic leaves. The soup has a mild garlic flavour and is creamy and totally delicious.
Carrot and Tomato Soup is one of my favourite soups, it’s rich and creamy, full of flavour, really easy to make and very economical.
Lettuce Soup
Equipment
- 1 chopping board
- 1 Sharp knife
- 1 Large saucepan
- 1 measuring jug
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
- 25 grams (1¾ tbsp) butter
- 1 (1) large onion roughly chopped
- 1 (1) large carrot washed and finely diced
- 2 (2) heads of lettuce or about 200 g leaves
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) chopped chives
- 300 millilitres (1⅓ cups) vegetable stock
- salt & pepper
- 300 millilitres (1⅓ cups) full fat milk
Garnish
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) chives finely chopped
- 50 ml (3 tbsp) pouring cream
Instructions
- Melt the butter over a medium heat. Add 1 large chopped onion and 1 large chopped carrot and cook until the onion is soft.
- Roughly chop the 2 heads of lettuce (approximately 200 g/4 cups) and add to the pan, cook until the lettuce has wilted.
- Add the 300 ml (1¾ cups) stock, season with a little salt and pepper and cook for about 5-10 minutes until the carrots are just softened.
- Remove from the heat and place into a blender with the 300 ml (1 ¾ cups) milk. Blend until completely smooth, taste and add more seasoning if required.
- Return the blended soup to the pan and heat gently.
- Serve with a swirl of cream and a sprinkling of chopped chives
Hannah Hossack-Lodge says
I’ve never actually tried lettuce soup before, but I am forever finding half-eaten, browned lettuces in the salad drawer so I should probably give it a try!
Janice Pattie says
This recipe is definitely for you Hannah! You can add lettuce to any soup you are going to blend.
Helen @ family-friends-food.com says
That looks and sounds delicious! I’ve never even heard of putting lettuce in soup before, but why not? Will have to give it a try next time I forget about a lettuce in the fridge…
Janice Pattie says
I hope you do Helen, you won’t be disappointed.
Michelle @ Greedy Gourmet says
I’ve never had lettuce soup but it sounds good. Great tip for using up limp lettuce in fridge!
Janice Pattie says
Thanks, Michelle. It is a delicious soup.
Ceri Jones says
I’ve never tried lettuce soup, it sounds such a useful way of eating it up and moving a summer veg into the autumn!
Janice Pattie says
Well, I’m surprised Ceri! You do such amazing things with vegetables, i thought you would have tried this, not to late to start now though.
Choclette says
That looks so delicious Janice and a great way to use up a surplus of lettuces. I haven’t made lettuce soup in a long time, but we’ve got a couple of large ones that are in need of eating up, so I can see your recipe proving to be very useful indeed.
Janice Pattie says
Absolutely the best way not to waste lettuce.
Rebecca - Glutarama says
I’m going to share this recipe with my daughter – she loves lettuce so much she eats an iceberg like an apple biting huge chinks out of it. She’s going to go bonkers when I tell her she can make soup too!
Janice Pattie says
I hope she enjoys it as much as we do. It freezes really well too.
Amy says
I never would have thought to make soup out of lettuce, but it’s a fabulous way to use up lettuce! I will have to give this a try!
Janice Pattie says
It really is a great way to use lettuce. So tasty too.
CJ says
Ah turns out carrot is key and why I’ve never quite got this right before! It’s so surprising how little the finished soup tastes like lettuce and such a good way to use up the bits that aren’t quite good enough for salad anymore.
Janice Pattie says
The carrot really does make a difference to the taste and texture.
Lesley says
This made a delicious bowl of soup, full of fresh veg flavours. I’ll be keeping this recipe in mind when I’ve got a glut of lettuce in the garden this summer.
Brenda says
Such a light and tasty soup. The perfect way to use up a surplus of lettuce.
Janice Pattie says
Thank you Brenda.