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This easy Watercress Soup Recipe is a creamy, light soup bursting with goodness from fresh watercress and frozen peas. With a swirl of crème fraîche it’s a lovely light meal for warmer days, perfect for batch cooking and naturally gluten free.
What You Need To Know About This Soup
💚 This easy watercress soup recipe is ready in under 20 minutes and only needs 7 ingredients.
💚 Watercress is in season in the UK from May – November, and because this soup is so light it’s actually really refreshing for a light, summer dinner.
💚 This watercress soup is great for meal prep – make a big batch and freeze it in portions to save time and money.
💚 It’s also naturally gluten free and coeliac-safe, and can also be made dairy free with a few simple swaps (see the subs section or recipe card notes!)
💚 You can enjoy this watercress soup on its own, topped with gluten free croutons or with a gluten free bread roll or gluten free baguette on the side for dipping.
Table of Contents
Don’t just take my word for it…
Marie left ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and said: “Lovely recipe. We loved it and will make it often.”
Ingredients and Substitutions
There’s a printable recipe card below with the quantities for this watercress soup recipe, but here are the main ingredients and ideas for any substitutions.
- Butter: You can use a vegan margarine or olive oil to make this recipe dairy free.
- Potato: I use a medium/large baking potato – approximately 220g.
- Shallots: You can use a brown or red onion instead if you have these.
- Vegetable Stock: Always ensure you use a gluten free stock pot, like Knorr, You can also use chicken stock if you prefer, or homemade stock for a special touch!
- Watercress: I use 160g of watercress (usually found with salad leaves) which is usually two bags.
- Frozen Peas: These add a lovely flavour, thickness and enhance the vibrant green!
- Crème Fraîche: I used a low fat one, but full fat works too. Omit this for a dairy free soup, or use a vegan cream cheese instead.
How to Make Watercress Soup
There’s a printable recipe card below with the method. But here are some step-by-step photos to show you how easy this watercress soup recipe is to make.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
TO STORE: Once cooked and cooled, this watercress soup can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan or the microwave to serve.
TO FREEZE: I prefer to freeze this soup in portions, that way you can reheat straight from frozen in the microwave when you need a meal in a hurry!
Serving Suggestions
Watercress Soup Recipe
Equipment
- 1 blender
Ingredients
- 45 g butter
- 1 baking potato, (approx 220g)
- 3 small shallots, (or 1 onion)
- 500 ml gluten free vegetable stock
- 160 g watercress
- 140 g frozen peas
- 3 tbsp crème fraîche, (I used low fat, but full fat works too)
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Peel and finely slice the shallots. Peel the potato and cut it into small (1cm) cubes.
- Add the butter to a large saucepan and place on a medium heat. Once melted, add the potatoes and shallots and fry for 3-4 minutes.
- Pour in the vegetable stock, bring to a boil then simmer for 5-10 minutes until the potato chunks are cooked through. The bigger the chunks, the more time they will need.
- Once the potato is cooked, add the watercress and frozen peas and mix well. Simmer for another 3-4 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, add the crème fraîche and then blend using a stick blender, or pour into a jug blender and blitz until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper then serve straight away.
Notes
- Storage: This Watercress Soup recipe can be refrigerated and reheated to eat – or frozen. Heat straight from frozen for an easy meal.
- Dairy Free? Swap the butter for vegan butter (or olive oil) and use a vegan cream cheese instead of the creme fraiche. Or just omit for a lighter version!
Nutrition
More Quick Soup Recipes
I have tonnes of gluten free soup recipes to choose from, so once you’ve made this watercress soup, here are my top suggestions to try next:
- For a vegetarian soup: My Broccoli and Stilton Soup is a dreamy, creamy, cheesy delight which will brighten any day! Try my Leek and Potato Soup for something really hearty, or my Winter Vegetable Soup if you need a proper winter warmer.
- For a meal soup: My Chicken and Lentil Soup is a good one if you need a more substantial meal soup, as is my Peruvian Chicken Soup – or make my Carrot and Lentil Soup for a veggie alternative.
- For easy summer soups: I’ve only recently come to realise that soup in summer is actually a fantastic idea because it’s so light and easy to eat! My Courgette Soup and my easy Tomato Soup make the most of summer crops too.
- For happy soups: (because it is a thing) try my vibrant purple Beetroot Soup or my deliciously green Pea and Ham Soup. They’re so bright, you can’t not smile!
- For using up leftovers: My Gluten Free Chicken Soup is my go-to recipe for using up roast dinner leftovers, as is my Carrot and Parsnip Soup for any leftover veg!
Have you tried this recipe?
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If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave a comment and let me know!! xx
Lovely recipe. We loved it and willmake it often. X
Lovely recipe. We loved it and will
make it often. X