Crema de Alcachofas (Artichokes Creamy Soup)

This post is also available in Spanish

Colombian main dishes, especially at lunch time, usually consist of a bowl of soup, meat, poultry or seafood and a side dish like rice, potatoes, yuca, plantains, avocado or a small green salad.

I grew up eating soup for lunch every day and I always find comfort in a bowl of soup. I rarely tire of it and could eat it every day of the year. This Crema de Alcachofas (Artichokes Creamy Soup) is another Colombian soup from the Andean region of the country. It’s a creamy, rich and very comforting soup.

If you like artichokes, it’s almost impossible not to like a rich and creamy soup like this one. You could serve it with a teaspoon of cream and potato sticks, like I did. This soup was perfect!

Buen provecho!

Ingredients:

4 large artichokes hearts, frozen or fresh
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup heavy cream, plus more for serving
Potato sticks for serving

Directions

1. In a pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and garlic, cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the broth, the bring to a simmer.
2. Add the artichokes hearts and cook for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 30 minutes more.
3. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Strain the soup into a saucepan and add more broth if necessary, then add the cream. Serve the soup in bowls drizzled with extra cream and potato sticks.