This classic French watercress soup (soupe au cresson) is silky, vibrant green and full of fresh, peppery flavour. Made simply with fresh watercress, potato, onion and garlic, it's one of my favourite French soups from Autumn through Spring.
I made your watercress soup. Absolutely delicious!
Watercress is very nutritious. Your recipe made it enjoyable for all at our table. Thank you. - Susan
French Watercress Soup
Watercress (cresson) is a favourite in France, particularly for this classic soupe au cresson. It's season runs from autumn/fall through spring, when you'll find large bunches piled high at French markets.
This is the simple watercress soup we make at home: fresh watercress, potato, onion and garlic cooked in stock, then blended until smooth. You can also use a leek instead of the onion - I often do, and it works beautifully.
The potato naturally thickens the soup without needing lots of cream, while the watercress gives it that distinctive fresh, peppery flavour.
Watercress Soup Ingredients
To get the best out of your watercress, I recommend not overloading on the ingredients. Keep it simple to appreciate its natural flavour. For this recipe, it's so good, I often double the quantities.
- Fresh watercress - use 200g (7oz) trimmed watercress leaves and tender stems. French bunches can be enormous - a typical bunch I use weighs over 400g before trimming! As bunch sizes vary, use the weight rather than relying on "one bunch".
- Potato - floury varieties are best for soup, such as Binje in France or King Edward, Maris Piper, Cosmos and Desiree. Use about 250g (9oz) peeled floury potato. The potato isn't just there for flavour: it naturally thickens the soup, so weighing it helps give you the right consistency.
- Onion - one medium onion adds sweetness without overpowering the watercress. Alternatively, use one leek - I tested it again this way and it's equally delicious.
- Garlic & nutmeg - please don't make it without nutmeg. It's the secret ingredient that works.
- Stock - use 750ml (about 3¼ US cups) chicken or vegetable stock. I've deliberately kept this in ml and cups rather than pints, as UK and US pint measurements differ.
How to Prepare Watercress for Soup
Wash the watercress well. If they're particularly gritty, wash in a bowl of water with a few drops of vinegar or in a sink of cold salted water.
Then remove the large, thick stalks. I keep the leaves and the fine, tender stems near the tips - otherwise preparing a whole bunch becomes a labour of love!
Most importantly, weigh the watercress after trimming. Bunches vary enormously in size, so "one bunch" isn't accurate enough for this recipe.
How to Make French Watercress Soup
First, gently soften the onion (or leek) and garlic. Add the diced potato and stock, cover and cook for about 10 minutes before adding the watercress.
The watercress goes in later so it only cooks for another 10 minutes. This helps retain its beautiful green colour rather than over-boiling it.
For more on pommes de terre and other potato varieties for cooking,
see French Potatoes.
Once the potato is tender, blend until smooth and season to taste with salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg.
Adding the watercress later also avoids unnecessarily prolonged cooking while helping retain its fresh colour and flavour.
What Does Watercress Soup Taste Like?
Watercress has a distinctive fresh, peppery flavour, similar to other members of the mustard family. Cooking softens its raw pepperiness, but you should still be able to taste that unmistakable watercress character in the finished soup.
Potato rounds everything out without masking it, while a little nutmeg works particularly well with the greens.
Is Watercress Soup Good for You?
Watercress is naturally rich in nutrients including vitamins C and K. Rather than turn a soup recipe into a science lesson, I've covered its nutritional benefits, French season, varieties and how it's grown in my guide to French watercress (cresson).
How do you Make Watercress Soup Less Bitter?
Watercress is known for its fine, soft leaves and particularly spicy, bitter taste when raw. However, this bitterness subsides when cooked so there's no need to even add any sugar or sweet vegetables.
Once cooked in soup with a large floury potato and a little nutmeg, it even has a slight taste of cheese to it. Don't ask why but my daughters confirm they get that too!
It's so naturally vibrant green that there's no need to add any other green vegetable to it. That way you have it pure and simple: the taste is fabulous.
Can You Make it Ahead?
Soupe au cresson lasts in the fridge well covered for up to 3 days. Just cool it first before storing in the refrigerator.
Watercress soup freezes well. Freeze for up to 2 months, preferably in individual portions, then defrost thoroughly before reheating.
If the soup thickens after chilling, simply loosen it with a splash of stock or water.
What to Serve with Watercress Soup
French watercress soup goes well with light accompaniments, so not to interfere too much with its subtle flavours. Top with the little watercress leaves, stir or swirl a dash of cream or a wee dollop of crème fraîche. It's excellent paired with cheesy bread plus:
- A crusty baguette with either a little butter or dip into good olive oil.
- Leftover rice: like this carrot soup, add some rice if you prefer without potato.
- Surprise your guests with a mini savoury herb macaron
- Serve with fluffy cheese scones.
- Serve as mini soups as an apéritif with cheese biscuits or Parmesan crisps.
- Leftover soup? Use the rest of the soup to make a lush sauce, using the basis of this beurre blanc. Just replace the lemon with 3-4 tablespoons of watercress soup and pour over baked salmon, pork ribs or roast chicken.
Watercress Soup (Soupe au Cresson)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 25 g (1oz/ ¼ stick) butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 250 g (9oz) floury potato (Binje, Maris Piper) peeled and diced
- 750 ml (3 ¼ cups) vegetable stock (or chicken broth)
- 200 g (7oz) watercress leaves & tender thin stems weighed after trimming
- 1 teaspoon sea salt & black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash the watercress, drain in a colander and set aside. Chop off the bottom stalks and keep the smaller stems (discard the large, thick stalks) and reserve a few smaller leaves for the garnish.
- Melt the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan or heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook gently until softened (but not browned) for about 5 minutes.
- Add the diced potato, nutmeg and stock. Cover the pot, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the trimmed watercress leaves and tender stems. Cover again and simmer for 10 minutes, until the potato is tender and the watercress remains bright green.
- Blend until smooth. Season to your taste with sea salt and black pepper.
Notes
This post was first published 5 November 2013 but has now been completely updated.
Susan E. Nielsen
Bonjour Jill
I made your watercress soup. Absolutely delicious!
Watercress is very nutritious. Your recipe made it enjoyable for all at our table.
Thank you.
Jill Colonna
So happy you all enjoyed it, Susan. Isn't it so good? Thanks so much for popping back to tell us!
Christina
Such a light and delicious soup. I say everyone should try it!
Jill Colonna
Thanks Christina. Agreed. Looks like any other green soup but the taste is so beautifully different. Let's just hope it's easy to find watercress outside of France!
Tracy W
Thank you. I have now learned something new. I never ever knew how watercress was grown and harvested. Now the 'water' in watercress makes a lot of sense. I somehow thought it was just grown like most other veggies...in the soil. You learn something new every day !
Gintare @Gourmantine
I've missed so many of your posts Jill, but it's always a pleasure to catch up! Watercress soup does sound very interesting, never tried it before, but perhaps I need all the vitamins to resist the creeping up cold. 🙂
Jill
Pleasure to see you popping in!
Jamie
What is funny is that last Friday at the market husband pointed and said "Oh look! Cresson!" I love your little trip because I did not know there was a special place devoted to cresson! This is so interesting but more than that wow is it pretty! A great little adventure - even though I can imagine how disappointed you must be about your back and your safari 🙁 But a lovely little escapade, Jill! I love discovering new hidden parts of France like this!
Jill
Thanks, Jamie. Well, I guess it's perhaps not so hidden now 😉
Highly recommend you take a wee jaunt there - not far for you in Nantes.
June S
Dad grows watercress in the new greenhouse. In fact I think it must have been bought for this purpose. Those egg and cress sandwich fingers at Musselburgh sure has lasting memories. M & S sells brioche fingers so with egg filling we are sorted. We loved this area in Normandy as well - must go back. Especially poignant at Remembrance Day.
Jill
Interesting comment, Mum - as we've been used to garden cress in sandwiches - I take it that's what Dad is growing in the new greenhouse? I've not really appreciated watercress until going to Normandy. The flavour between the garden - or mustard - cress is so different, although they are related.
Yes, highly emotional going to Normandy on the landing beaches. Coming up in the next post.
JP Durand
I think you've just helped me plan a weekend away Jill. Any good addresses? 😉
First time I've seen watercress being harvested too. Soup looks great.
Jill
It's a great spot for a weekend away - and this weekend is a long one too! I'll put together a post on this soon, especially as I've just created an account on TripAdvisor as didn't agree with the comments in this area. I highly recommend staying at the Casino Hotel in Saint-Valery-en-Caux just next to Veules-les-Roses. And in Veules, there's a great crêperie, Le p'tit Veulais.
Jean-Pierre
Hi Jill,
I can't thank you enough for your recommendations and for your email with more addresses. Enjoyed an amazing long weekend last week and you were spot on! Merci beaucoup J-P
Jill
Avec plaisir!
parisbreakfast
I've seen these gorgeous bunches of cresson at special marches and been soooo tempted.
NOW I know where to go and what to do
Big Merci!!
Jill
Highly recommended as another wee jaunt out of Paris - not that you're stuck for great ideas, Carol!
Linda Roberson
Hi Jill! Sorry to hear about your back problems! Africa is a fabulous place!
Wanted to mention the email you sent me was full of blanks, weird designs, and stripes.
Thank you!
Jill
Linda, I hear you - love Africa too but I'll go back one day (pardon the pun!)
Thanks for letting me know about the strange email - it's perhaps a problem with Feedburner? Not good with techie issues like this but if anyone else had a problem with the email alert, please do let me know. Cheers!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
I've never seen watercress harvested before. I do enjoy it on sandwiches but soup not so much. Maybe because I've never tried yours. I'll do that and let you know. 🙂
Jill
Isn't that funny, Maureen? Me too - my first reaction was I'm familiar with cress in sandwiches (favourite filling on Scottish summer picnics) but this is so different as watercress. The peppery taste is a bit like roquette but it's not. The soup is delicious - hope you try it!