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Nässelsoppa
Nettle soup
Nässelsoppa: Sweden's bright green spring nettle soup, served with halved boiled eggs
In Sweden the first young nettles of April and May go straight into nässelsoppa, a smooth, grassy green soup often served at Easter or on Walpurgis Night with halved boiled eggs. It tastes a little like spinach with a mineral edge, and is eaten with crispbread and butter. A bowl with one egg gives about 10 g of protein, so it is a light soup, not a high-protein meal; add a second egg each if you want it more filling. Wear gloves to pick and wash nettles: blanching removes the sting completely. The most common mistake is cooking the nettles too long, which turns the soup khaki and dull; add them at the end and blend straight away. Chef's tip: pick only the top four to six leaves of young plants before they flower; older leaves are tough and gritty.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the soup
- 7 oz young nettle topsabout 2 litres loosely packed; picked with gloves
- ⅔ oz butter
- 1 onionchopped
- 1 potatofloury, about 200 g, peeled and diced
- 1 litre vegetable stockmeat-free
- 3 ½ tbsp single cream (optional)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp chivessnipped
To serve
- 4 eggs
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What you'll need
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Wearing gloves, rinse 7 oz young nettle tops in a sink of cold water and discard any thick stalks.
Step 2: Lower 4 eggs into boiling water and boil for 9–10 minutes, until the yolks are fully set. Cool in cold water, peel and halve.
10 minStep 3: Melt ⅔ oz butter in a large pan over a medium heat and soften 1 onion for 5 minutes. Add 1 potato and 1 litre vegetable stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 12 minutes, until the potato breaks when pressed.
17 minStep 4: Add the nettles, push them under and simmer for just 2–3 minutes, until wilted and bright green. Don't cook longer, or the colour fades.
3 minStep 5: Blend until completely smooth, stir in 3 ½ tbsp single cream if using, and season with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp white pepper. Reheat gently without boiling.
Step 6: Ladle into bowls, top with two egg halves each and scatter with 1 tbsp chives.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 170 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does nässelsoppa take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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