Sunchoke Soup (Jerusalem Artichoke)

If you run across a sunchoke at your farmers market or already eaten this vegetable you have to try this easy and tasty sunchoke soup. Full of healthy ingredients it’s a super flavorful and creamy soup that is also low calorie. Plus it takes little time to make so you can whip up a batch for lunch or a light dinner.

You might also like low carb creamy curry carrot soup recipe!

I came across sunchokes or Jerusalem artichokes years ago and really liked it. However this root vegetable is not very easy to find in my area. Recently I ordered from Misfit Markets and they had sunchokes so I was really happy to try them again.

I had made some sunchoke chips in the past so this time I decide to make a sunchoke soup. It turned really delicious as well as super easy to make. I personally love pureed soups and this one just was full of flavor and perfect for this cold spring weather we’ve been having. Plus it is low calorie and a pretty low fat soup.

Below I’ll tell you more about this cool veggie (also known as a Jerusalem artichoke) and how to make this easy and healthy recipe.

What is a sunchoke or Jerusalem artichoke?

A sunchoke is also called a Jerusalem artichoke if you have heard of that. It’s actually part of the sunflower family though it looks to me like a cross between a piece of fresh ginger root and a potato. It’s actually a tuber and grows underground like a potato. Below are ones I bought to make chips with.

What does sunchoke taste like?

They have a crisp and crunchy texture when they are raw just like a raw potato. And you can eat them raw (unlike a potato) on or in salads. I however prefer them cooked as to me that taste like a potato but a bit sweeter and earthier in taste. Some describe it a nutty too.

I think they have an artichoke flavor too and If you have ever made a whole artichoke and scraped the flesh from the leaves then you will know the flavor I’m talking about. Combine that with a potato and you have what a sunchoke tastes like to me.

Sunchokes are a good source inulin rich dietary fiber and also is a good prebiotic. So they are good for gut health too so give them a try if you run across them in the grocery store.

What ways can you prepare and eat a sunchoke?

You can prepare this vegetable in many ways that you would a potato but you can eat it raw too. Try cutting it up into match sticks and sprinkle over your salad or slice thinly and make chips.

They are also easy to puree like this soup or make it thicker more like mashed potatoes. Roasted sunchokes are a great way to substitute for potatoes.

Toss with oil and seasonings and then roast in the oven or air fryer. I wish they were more abundant in our area as I would definitely eat more them this way.

Recipe ingredients and substitutions.

The simple ingredients I used today for this soup were butter, carrots, celery, yellow onion, garlic cloves, sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes), cauliflower, salt, black pepper, thyme, onion powder, parmesan cheese and Better than Bouillon chicken base.

• Vegetables – The purpose of the post is to use sunchokes but you could substitute potatoes if you wanted. I liked using the rest of the vegetables for nutrition and added flavor. You could eliminate the cauliflower if you have a lot of sunchokes to make up for the volume. I would keep the other veggies though.
• Chicken Base or Broth – The Better than Bouillon chicken base adds tons of flavor to soups and I use it a lot. I used chicken flavored but you could use vegetable base if you are vegetarian. You can also use dried bouillon or at least vegetable stock or chicken stock. You might want to add a bit more seasonings though.
• Spices and Seasonings – I used fresh garlic and dried thyme as my main seasonings. You can play around with other spices like rosemary, sage, basil, etc or even fresh herbs for garnish. I’ve been using thyme more in my soup recipes and like it but this recipe is pretty flexible.
• Parmesan Cheese – And lastly I used parmesan cheese for another layer of flavor. If you want a dairy free substitute try nutritional yeast. You can eliminate it as well but it you have it, give it a try.
• Optional – You can also add hot pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper to add a bit of heat. We like to add lots of freshly ground black pepper or hot pepper flakes to our food so if you are like us go for it.

How to make sunchoke soup (Jerusalem artichoke soup).

Here is how to make sunchoke soup (or Jerusalem artichoke soup). Note when you chop the veggies that you don’t have to be too precise. You are going to puree them anyway. Also there is no need to peel the sunchokes.

Step 1: Get out a large soup pot and heat to medium high heat. Add the butter and then the onions, carrots and celery. Saute for a few minutes to help the veggies soften a bit.

While this is cooking, mix the Better than Bouillon with the water to make a broth. Or just use 4 cups vegetable stock or chicken broth.

Step 2: Next add the cauliflower, sunchokes and broth and seasonings (the rest of the ingredients except the parmesan cheese). Give it a stir, turn the heat down to medium heat. Once it comes to a simmer, cover and cook for 5-7 minutes until the veggies are fork tender.

Step 3: Once the vegetables are cooked through you are going to want to ladle the mixture into a high speed blender or food processor and blend soup on high until you get a smooth texture. You could also use an immersion blender or stick blender. I find immersion blenders don’t give it as a smooth a texture though.

Beware as this mixture if very hot and you don’t want to burn yourself.

You will most likely have to do this in batches with the blender. I like to use a big bowl and pour all of the soup mixture in so that once I blend it, I can pour it back in the original pot. Continue until you have blended everything and placed it back in the soup pot.

Step 4: Now all you have to do is add the grated parmesan cheese. Mix to combine and cook over medium heat for a just a minute or two to incorporate it in the mixture. This just adds another layer of flavor. 

And that is all there is to it. Ladle this smooth soup into bowls and enjoy! I also added some chopped green onions as this has a bit of potato soup vibes and I didn’t have any chives.

However you can eat it as is and it’s delicious. Serve with crusty bread and a nice green salad to make it a complete meal.

Tip: For an even creamier texture or to make more of a rich and decadent soup you can add a bit of heavy cream at the end. Just whisk some in when you add the parmesan cheese. Or swirl some creamy on the top.

Store leftover Jerusalem artichoke soup in an airtight container. This will also freeze well so you can have it another day. Please scroll down to view the printable recipe card. 

You could eat this like my loaded keto cauliflower soup. Top with some of the following – sour cream, cheddar cheese, bacon bits, chives, green onions, etc. Basically anything you would put on a loaded baked potato.

Well I thoroughly enjoyed this easy sunchoke soup recipe and I wished I had frozen some for another day. I’ll just have to see if I can get my hands on some more Jerusalem artichokes. I hope you like it as much as I did.

The nutrition info for 1 serving of this Jerusalem artichoke soup is: 174 calories / 4.3g fat / 27.1g carbs / 3g fiber / 5.7g protein