GREEN BEAN, POTATO, & DILL SOUP

Green bean soup was one of my favorites while growing up in western Nebraska. During early fall we would harvest a bounty of fresh green beans and dill from our summer garden, and it seemed there was always, (at minimum), a ten-pound bag of potatoes at-the-ready in the pantry. (To say my Mom loves potatoes is an understatement!)

Green beans and potatoes are simple ingredients that seem to have a divine calling to be together, as the combination is found in recipes of numerous cultures around the world. You can create a French green bean-potato salad with a classic vinaigrette and top it with hard boiled eggs, you can simmer the combo in a Greek-style tomato sauce and sprinkle it with feta cheese, or you can make some pesto and combine the ingredients with your favorite pasta and have an Italian “Pasta alla Liguire con patate e Fagiolini”, (pesto pasta Liguria with potatoes and green beans), or,… well, I think you get the picture. The options are endless-and economical!

The original German recipes for this soup included both heavy cream and “glace”, (egg-noodle dumplings, kinda like a giant spaetzle). I’ve altered this recipe to make it more healthy, low fat, and adaptable to a dairy-free or gluten-free regimen. However, if you like to indulge every once and a while, by all means, add some heavy cream, a dollop of sour cream, or creme fraiche just before serving. I’ll leave the “glace” indulgence up to you too. Whatever you decide, I hope you enjoy this soup as much as we do. And do try out those other potato-green bean combinations I mentioned!

Green Bean & Dill Soup

A healthy interpretation of my Grandma’s German Green Bean Potato & Dill Soup

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine German

Servings 4 -6

Ingredients

  

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Soup

• 1 Leek Or Yellow Onion, (traditional), or a Shallot would work too. I just like the taste of the Leek.
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
• 1 Bay Leaf optional
• 4 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
• 2 Cups Water
• 2 Cups Diced Potato Cut into 2” cubes, (approximately)
• 4 Cups Green Beens Cut in half. *(Fresh are best but frozen will work too.)
• Salt & Pepper to taste Approx. 1/2 to 1 Teaspoon Salt & a large pinch of Pepper. *white pepper is good too.
• 1/3 Cup Chopped Fresh Dill (divided in half) *Dried Dill will also work-just use 3-4 Tbsp.-or more if you want more of the Dill flavor.

Topping – Homemade Croutons

• 1 1/2 Cups Bread Cubes Your favorite bread cut into approx. 1 1/2”cubes. (Gluten-Free bread works too)
• 3 Tbsp Butter or Olive Oil or Avocado Oil for a dairy-free option.

Instructions

 

Soup

• Cut off the dark part of the leek and discard. Cut the white part in half length-wise and wash under running water to make sure any remnants of dirt get rinsed away.

  *I find that setting the leek in a colander under running water while gently separating the layers so that the water runs through, tends to get everything clean.
• Chop the Leek into small thin pieces. *If using a Shallot or Onion, dice them.
• Add the Olive Oil to a stock pot and heat until slightly shimmering. Add the Leek, (or Shallot/Onion). Reduce the heat to medium, and gently sweat the Leek until it is soft and tender. (Approx. 5 minutes)
• Add the Thyme and 1/2 of the Fresh Dill. **If using Dried Dill, add it all at this time.  Continue to cook another minute until everything is incorporated.
• Add the Chicken/Vegetable Stock, Water, & Bay Leaf. Let this mixture simmer for about 15-20 minutes, to allow the flavors to meld.
• Increase the heat so that the liquid is boiling and add the potatoes and boil for 8-10 minutes, until fork-tender.
• After the potatoes have been cooking for 5 minutes, add the Green Beans, and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
• Serve the soup topped with the Homemade Croutons and a sprinkling of Fresh Dill. If you have some chives, they make a great addition to the topping as well.

  A dollop of Creme Fraiche or Sour Cream is a great addition as well.

Soup – “Creamy” Option – (in photo)

• If you would like the soup to have a “creamy-like” consistency without adding cream, do the following at Step 7:

  Before adding the green beans, cook the potatoes until they are done. Remove the pot from the stove and use an immersion blender to blend/cream the potatoes, until the soup is the creamy consistency desired. Cook the Grean Beans separately, and add them in.

  *If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can spoon out the potatoes and some liquid into a blender and blend until creamy, then return the mixture to the soup. Alternatively, you can use a potato masher and roughly mash some of the mixture.
• If you want to indulge a little, by all means, add 1/2 Cup +/- of cream.

Topping-Homemade Croutons

• Heat a non-stick skillet over high heat for 30-60 seconds. Add Butter (or oil) and reduce heat to medium.

  When the Butter is melted, add the Bread Cubes. Allow them to brown on 30-60 seconds each side. Rotate each cube with tongs or use a large spoon to make sure they are all nicely toasted & golden on each side.

  Remove the Bread Cubes from the pan and place them on a paper towel to extract any excess oils.

Notes

1. Another way to make the “creamy” version of this soup is to use leftover mashed Potatoes. So, this would be a great “leftover Thanksgiving” recipe.  **Sometimes I use 1/2 Potatoes & 1/2 Cauliflower-which is another great option for either version.  (This is the version used in the photo.) 

• When making the soup this way, add the mashed potatoes after the Grean Beans have been in for about 2-3 minutes to warm them through and allow the beans to finish. Adjust the thickness with stock or milk. 

2. If you would like to add cream, add 1/2 Cup +/- during the last few minutes of the cooking time, before serving.

3. If you would like to add milk, or your favorite dairy-free substitute, just used 1/2 Cup +/- during the last 3-5 minutes of Step 7.  

4. I serve this using different herbs as well as with various accompaniments, so feel free to be creative. Here are a few suggestions:

• Change up the herbs in the soup. The Dill is my favorite, and definitely German, but Tarragon or Basil are also good. *During the cooking process, only use the Thyme, and then at the end use either the Tarragon and/or Basil. (They become black and become bitter when cooked to long. Add them fresh at the end and mix in just before serving. 
• Use different herbs to add to the topping: Parsley, Chives, or some Microgreens.
• Add a Shallot Compote-as used in the photo. 

Keyword Green Bean Recipes, potato soup, Soup

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