Last weekend while at the farmers market, I saw some beautiful Swiss chard bunches for sale. I thought about this soup right away, since I haven’t prepared it in along time and this cold weather really calls for soup.
Swiss Chard and Potato Soup | Sopa de Acelgas con Papas
The addition of the cheese takes it to another level. This is a comforting, healthy and easy-to-make soup for a satisfying dinner.
Swiss Chard is called “Acelgas” in Mexico, and are often used as part of vegetable soups, stews and tamales. The variety found in Mexico has large green leaves and sometimes is included in the prepackaged vegetable mix sold at the markets. It is available year round all over the country.
How to make Swiss Chard and Potato Soup
DIRECTIONS:
- Peel and dice the potato, place in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water and cook on a medium heat. Bring to a boil, an reduce to simmer. Precook for about 10 to 15 minutes. Do not over cook since the potatoes will finish cooking with the rest of the soup ingredients in the final step. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- While potatoes cook, cut the Swiss Chard, first cutting the stalk and then cutting the leaves into 2-inches pieces.
- In a large saucepan, heat oil over a medium heat. Add onion and cook until transparent. About 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and keep cooking for 2 more minutes, onion will look slightly browned.
- Add chopped tomato and cook for 5 minutes, the tomatoes will release their juices. Keep stirring while cooking.
- Add potatoes and cook for 2 more minutes. Then stir in the chicken broth and Swiss chard leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered with the saucepan lid, for about 15 minutes and until vegetables are tender.
- Serve in bowls and top with cheese.
¡Buen provecho!
Mely,
Do you have a favorite vegetable?
More recipes:
Mexican Shrimp Soup
Mexican Fava Bean Soup
📖 Recipe
Swiss Chard and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Large potato about 2 cups when diced
- 1 bunch about ¾ pound of Swiss chard rinsed
- ½ cup white onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 medium size tomatoes chopped. (about 2 cups)
- 8 cups of chicken broth
- 8 oz. “Queso fresco” cheese diced. Optional
- Salt and pepper.
- Bread or tortillas for serving
Instructions
- Peel and dice the potato, place in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water and cook on a medium heat. Bring to a boil, an reduce to simmer. Precook for about 10 to 15 minutes. Do not over cook since the potatoes will finish cooking with the rest of the soup ingredients in the final step.
- While potatoes cook, cut the Swiss Chard, first cutting the stalk and then cutting the leaves into 2-inches pieces.
- In a large saucepan, heat oil over a medium heat. Add onion and cook until transparent. About 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and keep cooking for 2 more minutes, onion will look slightly browned.
- Add chopped tomato and cook for 5 minutes, the tomatoes will release their juices. Keep stirring while cooking.
- Add potatoes and cook for 2 more minutes. Then stir in the chicken broth and Swiss chard leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered with the saucepan lid, for about 15 minutes and until vegetables are tender.
- Serve in bowls and top with cheese.
Amy
This is a good, but simple soup. Easy to make and really flavorful. A new favorite of our family.
Sandy
Have you tried spinach, is there a reason not to use it?
Why Mexican cheese instead of
Jack cheese? Does the Mexican cheese
Taste better?
Gracias!
Mely Martínez
Hello Sandy,
You can use spinach if you want. In Mexico, Jack Cheese is not very common.
becmesk
Excellent soup! We had some chard from our garden and were looking for something different to use it in. This was so flavorful and filling. My husband likes a little spice, so added a few red chili flakes, but that was the only change made. Will absolutely make this again.
Leslie
Humm collard greens sound good Broadcasting from a knitting parlour I think I will also have to try that next time.. Anyway Mely I also wanted to thank you for this recipe.. I did not know this was my boyfriends favorite soup, so when I made it for him he called his mom and told her, so I got a thank you from his mom in Mexico for making it for him and his 4yr-old boy loved it because he ate all of it..
mmartinez
Hello Leslie,
I'm so glad they enjoyed the recipe. This maybe seem like and odd combination, but it is quite delicious!
Happy cooking!
broadcasting from a knitting parlour
I wish I had chard growing in the garden. Lots of other greens though: collards, turnips, mustard, kale. I thinnnnnk...collards would be a great substitute. The next soup...yep...I'll give it a whirl.
Byte64
Qué ricura, mi encantan las sopas, la voy a hacer, aquí en Italia las acelgas se dicen "bietole" o "biete".
Ciao!
Tlaz
Karen
Oh, that chard looks so bright green and healthy! I bet this soup is wonderful!
Nammi
yumm...
Prieta
OMG, this looks amazing! I love Swiss chard, it is one of my favorite leafy vegetable and I eat it all the time. Lately, I have been using this religiously in my green drinks. But I also like eating it on flat bread, instead of lettuce in my sandwich, in soups like you, I just love it! I'm going to try your soup as I always have chard and potatoes in my kitchen, I'm sure this will be delicious. thank you for sharing.
Nora
Mely me gusta mucho la sopa de acelgas. Mi mamá la hacía con caldo de res, le ponía chorizo estilo español y tiritas de tortilla frita doradas para servir. Me hiciste recordarla. Besos
Swathi Iyer
Delicious potato soup Mely, great for this winter.