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Sunchoke Soup (Jerusalem Artichoke Soup)

Sunchoke soup (or Jerusalem artichoke soup) is a quick and delicious option for a light lunch or soup course. If you like the flavor of artichokes, you’re going to love this sunchoke recipe for soup!

sunchoke soup with scone on plate

If you love the flavor of artichokes you’re going to love this sunchoke soup!

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you to Melissa’s Produce for sending me sunflower chokes. As always, all opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this recipe.

I first tried sunchokes, or as they’re called in the UK, Jerusalem artichokes, at my Aunt Rosa’s house in England years ago.

Aunt Rosa making bread pudding

In addition to her rhubarb fool and British bread pudding recipe, I knew it was another recipe I was to add to the list! All of my Italian aunts and my mother are incredible cooks, in fact you can see the ever growing list of my family’s recipes here!

sunchoke soup with scone on plate

What are Sunchokes, Sunflower Chokes, Sunroot, Jerusalem Artichokes, etc.?

This root vegetable, helianthus tuberosus, has almost as many names as frappe! And despite the name Jerusalem artichoke, it is not from Jerusalem or related to artichokes. It’s so interesting that the name was apparently a mistaken translation of the Italian word for sunflower, “girasole” (which English speakers misheard as “Jerusalem”.) 

sunchoke tubers

What’s even more interesting is that when I looked up the name for sunchokes in Italian, I was shocked to see an almost unrecognizable “topinambur”! Who knew? And it’s almost the exact same name in French, “topinambour.”

Jerusalem artichoke soup with a scone

The plant is similar to sunflowers and its roots resemble ginger root tubers. You can read more about sunchokes, and even order them, from Melissa’s Produce. You can also ask for them from your grocery store’s produce manager because you’ll love using this sunchoke recipe!

stirring the sunchoke soup

The basic message I want to give you is not about how many names this vegetable has or that Jerusalem artichokes have some awesome health benefits, but that I want you to actually MAKE THIS SUPER EASY SUNCHOKE SOUP RECIPE! It won’t win any beauty prizes, but the flavor is enormously satisfying! They taste like little artichoke-flavored potatoes.

Honestly, go out of your comfort zone, buy a bag of these little tubers and make this quick and easy recipe. You can thank me later…

sunchoke soup with a Jerusalem artichoke in background

Sunchoke Soup Recipe
(Jerusalem Artichoke Soup)

recipe by Christina Conte                               serves 5

FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW

Ingredients

  • extra virgin olive oil
  • butter
  • celery, chopped
  • onion, chopped
  • sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes)
  • chicken stock
  • milk (and cream – optional)
  • Kosher or sea salt 
  • freshly ground black pepper

Special equipment: immersion blender or blender

sunchokes on my granite countertop

Directions 

Wash, trim and cut the sunchokes into pieces.

adding onion to celery in pot

Pour the oil into a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped celery and onion and cook for a few minutes.

adding sunchokes to pot

Add the chopped sunchokes, sprinkle with a dash of salt, and sauté for about 7 or 8 minutes, stirring frequently. 

sunchokes cooking with celery and onion

If any of the veg starts to brown, lower the heat.

Pouring in the stock.

Pour in the stock, and increase the heat.

sunchokes and veg in stock

Bring the sunchoke soup to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for about 45 minutes or until the sunchokes are tender. 

blending soup

Remove from the heat and purée with an immersion blender until smooth (if using a blender, allow the soup to cool before blending, for safety reasons.) Put the pot back onto the heat.

adding milk

Add the milk (if using) and stir in well.

pepper in sunchoke soup

Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the Sunchoke Soup

ladling soup into bowl

Add a splash of cream or more pepper, if desired, and serve hot. I suggest serving this soup with savory parsnip scones or cheese scones.

spoonful of sunchoke soup

I hope you enjoy this sunchoke soup as much as I do! If you tried this recipe, please let me know in the comments or reviews below, and if you’d like to see more sunchoke recipes.

sunflower chokes soup with scone

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Jerusalem artichoke soup with a scone

Sunchoke Soup (Jerusalem Artichoke Soup)

Servings: 5
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Sunchoke soup (or Jerusalem artichoke soup) is a quick and delicious option for a light lunch or soup course. If you like the flavor of artichokes, you're going to love this soup!
5 from 4 votes

Special Equipment

  • 1 immersion blender

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 lb sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes)
  • 24 oz vegetable stock or chicken stock
  • 4 oz milk whole
  • ¾ tsp Kosher or sea salt Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Wash, trim and cut the sunchokes into pieces.
  • Pour the oil into a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped celery and onion and cook for 2 or 3 minutes.
  • Add the chopped sunchokes, sprinkle with a dash of salt, and sauté for about 7 or 8 minutes, stirring frequently. 
  • If any of the veg starts to brown, lower the heat. Pour in the stock, and increase the heat. Bring the sunchoke soup to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for about 45 minutes or until the sunchokes are tender. 
  • Remove from the heat and purée with an immersion blender until smooth (if using a blender, allow the soup to cool before blending, for safety reasons.) Put the pot back onto the heat.
  • Add the milk (if using) and stir in well. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add a splash of cream or more pepper, if desired, and serve hot. I suggest serving this soup with savory parsnip scones or cheese scones.

Notes

  • Chicken stock may be used instead of vegetable stock.
  • Better than Bouillon mixed with water is also an option.
  • Add a splash of heavy whipping cream to serve, if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 175kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 820mg | Potassium: 510mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 418IU | Vitamin C: -1.656mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 3mg

 

Christina’s Cucina is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

5 from 4 votes (1 rating without comment)

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19 Comments

  1. Mocha coffee set
    Sun chokes are really unique so seeing this recipe makes me very happy. I have had them plain but your recipe using them in soup is so awesome. I love your recipes and always look forward to what you offer next.

  2. Oh my gosh, the best news about this soup is that you don’t have to peel the sun chokes! I think I’ve avoided any sunchokes soup for that reason, alone! I will definitely be giving this a try, as the sun chokes will be coming into our market soon. The sweetest little old man comes with a tiny card table and sells them, weighing them on the oldest scale I have ever seen.