A creamy pale soup flecked with green spinach and chunks of artichoke heart, a generous crown of golden garlic Parmesan crumbs and a little lemon zest on top, warm yogurt flatbreads beside it for dipping.
Recipe from the soups cookbook

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Soup

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Everything people love about spinach artichoke dip, in a bowl. Half the artichokes cook all day and get blended into a garlicky potato base, so artichoke flavor runs through every spoonful, and a crunchy topping of garlic Parmesan crumbs stands in for the dip's golden baked crust.

6 servings (about 11 cups)5-quart slow cookerPrep Worth-It Step: one stovetop step, such as browningLOW 6 to 8 hours · HIGH 3 to 4 hours

Ingredients

  • 1 lb (450 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cans or jars (14 oz each) artichoke hearts packed in water or brine (not marinated), drained, chopped and divided
  • 5 cups (1.2 L) low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1/4 tsp salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • a pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 4 oz (115 g) light cream cheese, cut in cubes
  • 1 cup (240 ml) 2% milk
  • 1/2 cup (50 g) grated Parmesan
  • 5 oz (140 g) baby spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice plus the zest of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tbsp butter (for the crumbs)
  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil (for the crumbs)
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely grated (for the crumbs)
  • 1/2 cup (30 g) panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup (25 g) grated Parmesan (for the crumbs)

Method

  1. Put the potatoes, onion, the 6 minced garlic cloves and half the artichokes in the slow cooker. Add the broth, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cover and cook until the potatoes are very soft.
  2. Last 30 min: blend the soup smooth with an immersion blender, or in batches with the center of the lid removed and a towel held over the top. Whisk in the cream cheese until it melts, then stir in the milk, the 1/2 cup Parmesan and the rest of the artichokes. Cover and cook on LOW 20 to 30 minutes, until hot.
  3. Meanwhile, make the garlic Parmesan crumbs: melt the butter with the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the grated garlic and stir 30 seconds, then add the panko and stir 3 to 4 minutes, until golden. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the 1/4 cup Parmesan. Worth it: crunchy, garlicky crumbs on a creamy soup taste just like the crust on a pan of baked dip.
  4. Stir the spinach into the soup for the last 5 minutes, until wilted.

Freezer: Freeze the blended base before the cream cheese, milk, Parmesan and spinach go in, up to 3 months. Make the crumbs fresh.

Wake it up
Stir in the lemon juice and zest, then taste for salt; artichokes in brine and Parmesan are already salty. Spoon the garlic Parmesan crumbs over each bowl right before serving so they stay crisp.
Next day
Turn it back into the dip: simmer leftovers until very thick, spread in a small baking dish, top with shredded mozzarella and bake at 375°F for 15 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips or toasted pita.
Half batch
Halve everything and use a 3-quart cooker.
Swap
Gluten-free: skip the panko crumbs and top each bowl with grated Parmesan and crushed tortilla chips.
Serve with
Two-Ingredient Yogurt Flatbreads

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories
306
Protein
16 g
Fiber
7.2 g
Sodium
783 mg
Carbs
36.8 g
Fat
12.5 g
Sat. fat
6.2 g
Easy Slow Cooker Soups and Stews Cookbook, by Marilyn Luis

This recipe is one of 100 in Easy Slow Cooker Soups and Stews Cookbook, each with a color photo and nutrition facts per serving.

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What makes it taste like the dip?

Three things do the work. The first is the base: potatoes, onion and garlic cook with half of the artichoke hearts until very soft, then the whole pot is blended smooth, so the soup is creamy before any dairy goes in. The second is the dairy at the end: cream cheese, a little milk and Parmesan, which is the flavor of the dip. The third is the topping. Crunchy, garlicky crumbs on a creamy soup taste just like the crust on a pan of baked dip, and they take about five minutes in a skillet.

The other half of the artichokes goes in after blending, so you still find tender pieces in the bowl instead of a uniform purée.

Which artichokes should you buy?

Use artichoke hearts packed in water or brine, not marinated. Drain them and chop them, and divide them into two equal piles: one goes in at the start, one goes in at the end. You need two cans or jars of 14 oz each.

When does each ingredient go in?

The slow cooker does the long part, and the last half hour does the finishing:

  • At the start: potatoes, onion, the garlic, half the artichokes, vegetable broth, salt, pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook until the potatoes are very soft.
  • Last 30 minutes: blend the soup smooth with an immersion blender, then whisk in the cream cheese until it melts. Stir in the milk, the Parmesan and the rest of the artichokes, and cook on LOW 20 to 30 minutes, until hot.
  • Last 5 minutes: stir in the spinach until it wilts.
  • At the table: lemon juice and zest, then the crumbs on each bowl right before serving so they stay crisp.

If you do not have an immersion blender, blend in batches with the center of the lid removed and a towel held over the top, so the steam can escape.

How do you wake it up before serving?

Stir in the lemon juice and zest, then taste for salt. Artichokes in brine and Parmesan are already salty, so add salt at the end rather than the beginning. Spoon the garlic Parmesan crumbs over each bowl just before serving.

Can you freeze spinach artichoke soup?

Yes, with one rule about timing. Freeze the blended base before the cream cheese, milk, Parmesan and spinach go in, for up to 3 months. When you want soup, thaw it, then finish it the same way: cream cheese, milk, Parmesan, the rest of the artichokes, and the spinach at the end. Make the crumbs fresh each time.

What can you make with the leftovers?

Turn it back into the dip. Simmer the leftover soup until it is very thick, spread it in a small baking dish, top with shredded mozzarella and bake at 375°F for 15 minutes. Serve it with tortilla chips or toasted pita.

Smaller batch, no panko, and what to serve with it

For a smaller batch, halve everything and use a 3-quart cooker. To go without the panko, skip the crumbs and top each bowl with grated Parmesan and crushed tortilla chips. The book pairs this soup with Two-Ingredient Yogurt Flatbreads, and any warm bread you can dip works too.

This is one of 100 recipes in the Easy Slow Cooker Soups and Stews Cookbook, every one with a color photo, nutrition facts per serving and a freezer note.