If you’re looking for a healthy and tasty soup perfect for the cooler weather but a change from the usual chicken soup, this easy beet soup is a great option. If you’re hesitant to try it because you’re unsure about the taste of the beets, trust me, try it anyway. They are flavorful and while the color is a major hint, if you don’t have them often (or you’re doing a blind taste test), they’re a bit hard to identify. *A note about beets and your health can be read below.

To add creaminess, you can add some sour cream or yogurt, but I didn’t find it necessary- the soup is still quite creamy without it! Preparing this soup takes less than an hour and the beautiful purple color makes it an aesthetically pleasing dish for guests.

Easy Beet Soup

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Butter or Olive Oil
1 Yellow or Red Onion, finely chopped
2-3 Garlic Cloves
4 cups Chicken Broth and more to thin as needed
3 Medium Beets, peeled and halved
1 Medium Potato, peeled halved crosswise
1 Bay Leaf
2 Sprigs of Thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried
Optional: 1 tsp Red Wine Vinegar, and Full-Fat Plain Yogurt or Sour Cream for serving

Instructions

Heat the butter or oil over medium-high heat in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes.

Add the broth, salt, pepper, beets, potato, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and allow it to simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes. Check that the beets and potato are tender, allowing them to simmer longer if they can’t be pierced with a fork. Discard the bay leaf and the thyme.

Puree the soup until it is smooth and creamy with an immersion blender or in batches using a high-speed blender. If desired, add the vinegar and stir in up to a 1/4 cup of yogurt or sour cream.

Divide the soup between bowls and drizzle with additional yogurt or cream.

Enjoy!

*Note: The beets will most likely cause the color of your urine to turn a deep red/purple. Do not be alarmed! This is especially important to disclose to guests who need to monitor their health more closely. Beets are very healthy but can also contribute to kidney stones.

Related:

Potato and Spinach Cream Soup
Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup Recipe
Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili Recipe