A spicy raw green smooth Cavolo nero soup recipe made with a Vitamix blender. My Vitamix machine was originally gifted by their PR company although this post wasn’t directly commissioned and written some time later.
What’s green and goes red at the flick of a switch? The answer – brace yourselves for being grossed out – is a frog in a liquidiser.
Although a die-hard Muppets and Kermit the Frog fan, this was my all time favourite joke when I was my son’s age. Indeed I had many favourite jokes and used to sit in the car reading them aloud to my long suffering parents.
And it was my lurid green cavolo nero soup today that reminded me of this old joke. My ingredients started out mostly orange from the butternut squash but turned frog coloured once the Vitamix had done its five minute soup program blitz.
Ok so it’s very green and crunchy Cavolo Nero soup
Now I won’t lie. Soup made with raw veg is an acquired taste – rather like wheat grass shots in Crussh. But once you’ve got your head around that, it oozes freshness in every spoonful. To spice things up I added some Thai green curry paste.
If I’m honest, I never imagined this soup would go quite so green. I thought it might have green bits in it but be mainly orange. Well duh, the Vitamix doesn’t “do” bits so lurid green, spicy soup we have and it’s all the better for it.
Buying Cavolo Nero cabbage and alternatives
Cavolo nero is something I was first introduced to in the River Cafe Cookbook. It’s an intensely dark green brassica. Cavolo Nero is popular in Italy, as you might have guessed from the name. In the late 90s, even in west London it was tough to track down but today I’ve got from from Tesco Finest range. They even sell it in Aldi sometimes.
If you’ve not tried Cavolo Nero before it’s a similar intensity to spinach but with tougher leaves more in common with Savoy cabbage. I saved money on a buy one get another half price type offer and it kept for weeks in the fridge drawer hence my reference below to the No Food Waste Challenge and Credit Crunch Munch.
If you really can’t find Cavolo Nero then substitute with Savoy cabbage.
Using the Vitamix Soup Program
The video above is from my Brocolli Cheese Soup but the principal technique is the same. To see how you would make cavolo nero soup using the Vitamix soup program take a look, particularly from 25 seconds in. (Edit 2025: I’m pleased to report I’m over 50lb lighter than when this was recorded)
Raw Cavolo Nero Soup (Vitamix)
Ingredients
- 3 leaves cavolo nero (or savoy cabbage)
- 1 onion
- 400 ml reduced fat coconut milk
- 500 ml water
- 1 tsp green Thai curry paste
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube
- 300 g butternut squash chopped into chunks (or use frozen)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds optional
- salt optional - I used black salt in pictures here
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into the Vitamix jug.
- Replace the lid firmly.
- Set to "soup program".
- Stand back and wait for about five minutes. When I say "stand back", you may feel more comfortable standing by the machine with the lid held down.
- (Although the soup will be hot after using the soup program, you may prefer the flavour by simmering it in a saucepan for ten minutes. It will not then be "raw" )
- Serve with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and a pinch of salt - I am enamoured with my Swedish black salt at the moment but you can use whatever you have.
Notes
Linking my Cavolo Nero Soup to these events:
-
- Simple and in Season hosted by Ren
- Helen and Camilla’s Credit Crunch Munch, currently hosted by Taste of Lancashire.
- Helen and Michelle’s Extra Veg event this month hosted by Michelle Utterly Scrummy
- Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary’s No Waste Food Challenge this month hosted by Michelle Utterly Scrummy
Other Kermit coloured green soup recipe inspiration:
Fat free lettuce and pea soup by Helen at Fuss Free Flavours
5 minute green smoothie soup by Jacc at Tinned Tomatoes
Creamy asparagus soup by Michelle at Greedy Gourmet
Heston Blumenthal’s Pea and Ham Soup featured by Gary Big Spud
Wow, what a quick and healthy soup and I’m so surprised at not removing the butternut squash skin. Just need a Vitamix now to try it:-) Thanks for entering Credit Crunch Munch:-)
I always eat my butternut skins, they’re the best bit although admittedly I usually cook them.
I used to tell that joke as a child, thanks for linking up to Credit crunch munch. Gribbit !!
Gribbit 😉
That’s one of my favourite jokes from childhood Sarah – just seeing those book covers took me right back as we had those copies too!!! I also loved the Ha Ha Bonk Book which I bought for Sam last year in a fit of nostalgia… That soup sounds delicious and looks super healthy!
Ooh yes I remember Ha Ha Bonk too, I must look that one up too.
How interesting, I have never tried the butternut skin, that’s probably where a lot of the nutrients are. Love the name of your soup.
They’re very tasty on roasted butternut, you must try them.
Well unthinking a a fabulous colour soup! Looks very virtuous. Reminded me of something from champneys. I must admit that I giggled at your joke too. Silly but I’m sure my daughter told me one like it. The oldies are the goodies
Amazing colour, I feel healthier just looking at that soup!
I so want a vitamix now, but it will have to wait. Thank you so much for sharing this gorgeous green spicy green soup to Eat Your Greens. Pls come back end of the month for the round up and next theme, I hope you will join in again.
What a vibrant colour and a fab, quick and healthy supper. Thanks so much for entering No Waste Food Challenge this month 🙂
I’m in love with this soup Sarah and I am in blender soup mode just now too. I made a tomato, spinach and coriander today, but it didn’t have this beautiful colour. The No Croutons Required roundup is now up x
What a beautifully vibrant soup! Love it! Thank you for sharing with the no waste food challenge 🙂
Errr right. Now I’m being entirely honest. I don’t like cold soup and I’m not even prepared to try it. As for the vision of Kermit in a blender – well no thank you. However I do give you five stars for the entertaining read leading up to the recipe.
You don’t drink it cold! The Vitamix soup program heats it up as it blends! Must be centre fugal force, however you spell that!