This creamy chervil soup has a delicate hint of anise. Serve it with a swirl of cream and some toast if you’re feeling indulgent. A zucchini or a potato gives it a velvety texture, and it’s ready in 30 minutes.
I absolutely love this soup. But soup and I haven’t always gotten along!
In French elementary schools, there’s no such thing as a lunchbox. Kids either go home for lunch or eat at the cantine, the school cafeteria, where everyone gets the same set meal. It’s a real relief for parents, but you don’t get to pick what’s on the menu, and when you’re little, it’s not always a treat. I still remember the ladles of soup poured into our bowls, with thin noodles floating around and little beads of fat that seemed to say, “Eat me, eat me!”
Years later, I discovered that soup could be silky and full of flavor, and this one sealed the deal. Beyond the zucchini or potato, all you really need is a generous bunch of chervil and an onion. And there’s not a noodle or a bead of fat in sight!
PREP TIME
10 min
COOK TIME
20 min
DIFFICULTY
Easy
STORAGE
3 days
When we lived in Brussels, I came across a big bunch of chervil one day while grocery shopping. I’d heard of the herb but had no idea what to do with it. So, of course, I bought it anyway (some things never change!) and started experimenting.
I soon learned that in Belgium, chervil is especially popular in soup, which is often called potage there. Blended with a little onion and a few vegetables, it makes a smooth soup with a subtle flavor. I was quickly won over, and I hope you will be too!
Tips for Making Chervil Soup
What is chervil? Chervil is a tender, lacy herb that looks a bit like flat-leaf parsley, with a soft, slightly anise-like flavor. It’s one of the classic French fines herbes, along with parsley, chives, and tarragon. In the US, look for it at farmers markets or specialty grocers, or grow your own: it does well in a pot in cool weather.
Zucchini or potato? Either one works: zucchini makes a lighter soup, while potato gives it more body. Use whichever you prefer or happen to have on hand, and dice it small so it cooks quickly.
Add just enough water to cover the ingredients. Once the soup is blended, you can add a splash more if you like it thinner.
In this recipe, the chervil cooks with the vegetables, which softens its flavor. If you’d like a stronger chervil taste, try the method a reader, Françoise, suggested: cook the vegetables in the broth, take the pot off the heat, add the chervil, and blend. Your soup will stay a bright green, too.
To finish, stir in a spoonful of crème fraîche (or heavy cream) or a splash of milk. For the photo, I topped the soup with frothed milk, but a spoonful of cream does the trick just as well. For a cozy meal, serve it with savory pesto and feta muffins.
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Easy Creamy Chervil Soup
A velvety soup with a delicate hint of anise, and a great way to use fresh chervil!
4
servings10
minutes20
minutesPour garder la recette visible pendant que je cuisine
Ingrédients
3.5 oz fresh chervil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced (or frozen chopped onion if you're short on time)
1 small zucchini or 1 very small potato, diced small
a little butter (or neutral oil for a vegan version)
1/3 vegetable or chicken bouillon cube (or swap the bouillon and water for homemade broth, even better!)
water, just enough to cover the vegetables
salt and black pepper
to finish: a little crème fraîche, heavy cream, or milk (or plant-based cream for a vegan version)
Instructions
- Melt a little butter in a saucepan over medium heat (or use neutral oil for a vegan version). Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent.
- If using zucchini, add it now and cook until it just starts to turn golden.
- Add the chervil. If using potato, add it now too.
- Crumble in the bouillon cube, then add just enough water to cover the vegetables.
- Simmer gently for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. The cooking time depends on the size of your dice, especially for the potato: the smaller the pieces, the faster they cook.
- Blend until smooth with an immersion blender (or carefully in a countertop blender, in batches). Season with salt and pepper, but taste first: the bouillon is already salty. Add a little water if you'd like a thinner soup.
- Just before serving, stir in the crème fraîche or milk. For the photo, I topped mine with frothed milk. It looks so pretty!
Minute Papillote Tip
- Chervil can have a fairly strong flavor. To soften it, add a second small zucchini, or even half an apple. Skip the extra potato, though, since it would change the texture. This might even win over a few picky eaters of all ages!
More Soups to Try
Looking for more? Try a zucchini soup you can serve warm or chilled, a mellow corn soup, a carrot soup with fresh ginger, or a hearty red lentil soup for nights when soup is dinner. Some of these recipes are still in French for now, but I’m adapting them for American kitchens, one by one.
Zucchini and Basil Soup
Serve it warm in winter or chilled in summer, topped with a few cubes of feta.
Creamy Japanese Corn Soup
A creamy corn soup that’s a favorite in Japan, made with frozen or canned corn.
Carrot Soup with Fresh Ginger
Fresh ginger adds a little kick, while milk or coconut milk rounds it out. Super easy to make.
Carrot and Red Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk
Red lentils give this vegan soup its hearty texture, with curry, ginger, and coconut milk for flavor.
