Get ready for a restaurant-worth sensation – Jerusalem Artichoke soup with a crunchy rocket hazelnut pesto. Whether you’re a seasoned food enthusiast or a casual home cook, this Jerusalem Artichoke soup with a crunchy rocket hazelnut pesto is a culinary journey you wouldn’t want to miss.
I’m still amazed by the incredible versatility of Jerusalem artichokes and, at the same time, how underrated they are. I’ve only come across them in a few places in Zagreb, but they should be more widely available, considering how delicious and nutritious they are.
So, I have an idea! To celebrate their vast culinary and nutritional potential, let’s transform them into a rich, creamy soup that’s easy to make and bursting with flavour.
All you need to do is bake Jerusalem artichokes and garlic ” en papillote” and blend them with soy milk and miso paste until perfectly smooth.
Top it off with a crunchy rocket hazelnut pesto and enjoy a restaurant-worth soup from the comfort of your kitchen. I promise you, you won’t regret it!
WHAT ARE JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES?
I still remember the first time I heard about Jerusalem Artichokes. At that time, I was still living in London, where they are much more popular than here in Croatia.
I remember being so confused by their name. Artichokes from Jerusalem? They have nothing to do with Jerusalem, and they are not closely related to artichokes at all.
Jerusalem artichokes, also called sunchoke, earth apple, and sunroot, are sweet, crunchy tubers from the sunflower family. They have yellow flowers that look very similar to sunflowers, but they develop a funny-looking root similar to ginger root.
The name originated from a historical linguistic mix-up. These delicious tubers are native to North America, but during their journey to Europe, some things got lost in translation. The “Jerusalem” part turns out to be a mispronunciation of the word “girasole,” Italian for sunflower or “turning to the sun”. The artichoke part, more logically, came from their similarities in taste.
WHAT DO JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES TASTE LIKE?
You might not be drawn in by their looks at first glance, but wait until you’ve tasted them.
When you eat them raw, they have a flavour that’s a bit like watery chestnuts, combining a pleasant nuttiness with sweetness. And when they’re raw, they’re surprisingly crunchy, almost like biting into an apple.
But the real magic happens when you cook them. Their flavour and texture undergo an amazing transformation. As they cook, they turn incredibly creamy, almost like potatoes, and they taste nutty and sweet with hints of artichoke flavour.
It’s a delicious surprise that might just change your perspective on these unique tubers!
REASONS TO LOVE THIS JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE SOUP
Nourishing appetiser: Jerusalem artichokes are a great addition to your diet, thanks to their unique nutritional profile. They can benefit your heart health, boost immunity, and positively influence your metabolic health. Find out more reasons why this soup should be on your table more often in the “Nutrition” part.
Hands-off preparation: To make this soup, Jerusalem artichokes are baked in the oven, eliminating the need to watch the stove for potential boil-overs. Once baked, the soup is quickly blended and ready to be served.
Meal-prep friendly: This soup recipe keeps well in both the fridge and freezer. Prepare a larger batch and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. For more extended storage, freeze it for up to 3 months.
JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE SOUP INGREDIENTS
Jerusalem artichokes
Garlic bulb
Miso paste
Soy milk (unsweetened)
Spices (cumin & nutmeg)
ROCKET PESTO INGREDIENTS
Rocket
Hazelnuts (roasted)
Olive oil (extra-virgin or virgin)
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE SOUP?
1. Prepare the ingredients
Before you start, preheat the oven to 200 °C.
Like many other root vegetables, Jerusalem artichokes may have some dirt clinging to their skin. Give them a good wash under running water, and for a thorough clean, use a brush to remove any leftover dirt.
There is no need to peel Jerusalem artichokes but ensure they are well-washed.
Once clean, dry them thoroughly before cutting them into evenly sized pieces. Depending on size, you can cut them into 4-6 pieces.
Next, slice the top of the garlic bulb, revealing the cloves inside.
2. Bake veggies
To make this soup, I’ve decided to bake Jerusalem artichokes together with garlic using a method called “baking en papillote”. If you’ve tried my beetroot and goat cheese salad, you might already be familiar with this method.
Jerusalem artichokes and garlic are wrapped inside a foil, which traps the moisture inside, combining the benefits of both baking and steaming.
This method gives tender and juicy veggies that can be easily blended into a luxurious, creamy soup.
Baking “en papillote“:
- Line a baking tray with a longer piece of foil. Lay the prepared veggies on the foil closer to one edge.
- Combine ground nutmeg, cumin, a pinch of salt, and olive oil in a small bowl. Pour the spiced olive oil evenly over the veggies. Add a touch of water to speed up steam creation.
- Overlap the other end of the foil over the veggies, closing the edges to create a pouch.
- Bake the garlic and Jerusalem artichokes at 200 °C for 40-45 minutes. The pouch should bubble from the steam, indicating it is sealed correctly.
3. Make the rocket pesto
This is probably the easiest rocket pesto recipe out there. The method couldn’t be simpler. All you need to make this rocket pesto is a hand blender.
Simply add hazelnuts, washed rocket, olive oil and a pinch of salt to the hand blender cup. Blend everything until you reach your desired consistency. It will only take a minute or two to achieve the texture shown in the picture below.
As simple as that, your rocket pesto is ready to be stirred into the soup.
4. Blend the soup
After 45 minutes, let the veggies cool for about 15 minutes. Carefully open the foil, as the steam can easily burn you.
Transfer Jerusalem artichokes to a blender. Squeeze out the garlic flesh, leaving the peel behind.
Next, add water, soy milk, and miso paste. Blend the ingredients on high speed for about a minute until perfectly smooth.
Adjust the liquid based on your preferred soup consistency.
HOW TO SERVE THIS JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE SOUP?
Even though this soup tastes fantastic on its own, the rocket hazelnut pesto adds a touch of freshness that is worth the effort.
Once the soup is perfectly smooth and of preferred consistency, place it back on the stove and reheat it for the ultimate burst of flavour. Top it with a spoonful of rocket hazelnut pesto and roughly chopped hazelnuts. Stir well, and enjoy!
SEARCHING FOR MORE NUTRITIOUS SOUP RECIPES?
If you like this Jerusalem artichoke soup, I’m sure you’ll love these amazing nourishing soup recipes:
