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!
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.
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!
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”.)
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.”
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!
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 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
Directions
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 a few 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.
Serve the Sunchoke Soup
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.
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.
Don’t miss another post, sign up for my free weekly newsletter!
Sunchoke Soup (Jerusalem Artichoke Soup)
Special Equipment
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
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.
I had no idea what sun chokes were until you described them. geez all this time I thought they were a varietal or artichoke, This is a beautiful soup. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Velva
I did too, years ago! I hope you give it a try!
xWe love this quick and easy Sunchoke cream soup, I will make it again soon. A+
I’ve never made anything with sunchokes before but want to try this recipe. When you say trim them, what exactly do you mean by that?
Hi Cherylynn, so happy to hear you want to try this! Maybe trim isn’t the best word, but you can imagine the cut ends just need a little slice cut off. If you look on the photo of the sunchokes on the cutting board, you’ll see what I mean. Much like cutting the end off other veg. Hope that makes sense?
Love that you have these new recipe cards and can switch from US cups to metric for us in Europe. Good luck in navigating the new system – can’t be easy. Had no idea how Jerusalem found its way to name these forgotten veggies just by mishearing it. Yes, in France we call them Topinambour – I have a thing about saying it, as it just rolls off the tongue. Thanks for mentioning the cheese scones – yes, they would be so good with this lovely soup!
Yes, I’m finally using WPRM, but it’s so much more complicated than what I’m used to! Just now talking to Gianfranco about the pronunciation in Italian of topinambor!! UNBELIEVABLE!
Fabulous recipe and well explained. Love that you can change from US cups to metric. Bravo!
Jerusalem artichokes may be my all time favorite root vegetable. In season, I have them for lunch 2 to 3 times a week. Here in Michigan, they are easy to find at the shops featuring local produce all winter long.
Where are the instructions for this recipe?
Hi Ellen, lots of technical difficulties on this because I’m new to using this recipe format. The directions were in the main body of the post, but not in the recipe card. I have fixed it, so should be fine now (I hope!) Let me know, thank you!
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I just need to find the sunchokes! Thank you for sharing… diabetic recipes.
You’re in Susie! Sorry I forgot to add the shrimp recipe (was fighting with the new template). Here it is if you’d like to see it as it’s a diabetic friendly recipe. Lemon scented shrimp.