Fiddlehead Soup

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A delicious Spring soup recipe, this Creamy Fiddlehead Soup is a delicious way to enjoy this Springtime delicacy with it’s nutty, sweet and slightly grassy flavor profile.

The perfect creamy, nutty and sweet soup recipe, Fiddlehead Soup is one of those culinary treasures that only comes around in the Spring. Grab our recipe to make the best use of your Fiddlehead stash

Fiddlehead Soup Recipe

I always get so excited every Spring at the first spotting of fresh fiddleheads at our farmer’s market.

I know, it’s super weird to get excited about the sight of a vegetable, but that’s what seasonal availability does to a girl.

If you’re a fan of asparagus, I highly suggest seeking out fiddleheads from your local farmer’s market in the Spring. They have that same crunchy tenderness of asparagus but with a slightly different flavor profile.

They lend a slightly nutty, sweet and grassy flavor to this light and creamy soup. It’s very similar to asparagus soup, but different enough to make it worth the little bit of additional scouting.

I’ve made this soup a couple of times now, with heavy cream and without. Without the heavy cream, its light and delicate, perfect as an appetizer or pairing with another dish. With the heavy cream, its more substantial and filling. I also enjoyed hitting it up with some dill, but I’ve left that as an optional add in. Taste and season however you’d like.

What is a fiddlehead fern? Fiddleheads are the tightly coiled young shoots of a fern that has not yet unfurled into a full frond. They are so named because of the visual similarity to a violin. They are often foraged in the wild and in North America, we eat the shoots of the Ostrich Fern. Fiddleheads are only available for a few weeks of Spring and usually just at local farmer’s markets, though I have seen them pop up at small grocery stores in recent years.

While some fiddlehead aficionados forage for their own fiddleheads, it is best to only do this with an experienced guide as shoots from other fern varieties can be toxic. (Also, you want to ensure that you are foraging in approved areas and not on private property.)

How to Cook a Fiddlehead Fern

Fiddleheads are closest in texture to a green bean and can also be compared texture and flavor-wise to asparagus, so they require the same gentle preparation methods to ensure they retain their delicate flavor and crunch. Over cooking fiddleheads can lead to a mushy, less-than-stellar eating experience.

Rinse your fiddleheads well in cold water before preparing to remove dirt. I like to either delicately steam for 5-8 minutes before a quick pan sear, or blanche in heavily salted, boiling water for 2 minutes before draining and then pan searing.

More Fiddlehead Recipes

Fiddlehead Soup Ingredients

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.

Tip: dill is a great addition to this soup, feel free to taste and add whichever seasonings appeal to you.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

  • Measuring Cups and Spoons
  • Sharp kitchen knife <– this is a great set
  • Cutting Board
  • Stockpot
  • Wooden Spoon or Spatula <– I like these spatulas because they are one solid piece and don’t have removable heads for bacteria to get trapped underneath. Plus they are heat-resistant and have a lifetime warranty.
  • High-powered blender <– this is the one I use, it’s pricey but a workhorse

How to Make Fiddlehead Soup

In a large stockpot over medium heat, melt the butter.

Once hot, add the onion and fiddleheads. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent.

Add the garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute.

Add the chicken broth and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil.

Reduce to medium-low and simmer for 10-12 minutes until fiddleheads are tender.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup or allow to cool slightly and puree in a blender. (Place a kitchen towel over the blender lid to help prevent spills and burns.)

Pour the pureed soup back into the stockpot and stir in the heavy cream.

Season with salt and pepper and cook for 3 more minutes before serving.

 

Pin this Easy Fiddlehead Soup recipe to enjoy this Spring delicacy:

How to make a fresh, creamy Fiddlehead soup recipe using this gem of the Spring. Similar to cream of asparagus soup, but with a lighter and nuttier flavor profile
Grab your free printable recipe card for our fiddlehead soup recipe:

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Yield: 4 servings

Fiddlehead Soup

Fiddlehead Soup

How to make a fresh, creamy Fiddlehead soup recipe using this gem of the Spring. Similar to cream of asparagus soup, but with a lighter and nuttier flavor profile

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Additional Time 5 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 1 Small Onion, diced
  • 1 1/2 cups Fiddleheads, rinsed well
  • 1-2 Garlic Cloves, minced
  • 3 cups Chicken Broth
  • 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. In a large stockpot over medium heat, melt the butter.
  2. Once hot, add the onion and fiddleheads. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent.
  3. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute.
  4. Add the chicken broth and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil.
  5. Reduce to medium-low and simmer for 10-12 minutes until fiddleheads are tender.
  6. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup or allow to cool slightly and puree in a blender. (Place a kitchen towel over the blender lid to help prevent spills and burns.)
  7. Pour the pureed soup back into the stockpot and stir in the heavy cream.
  8. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 3 more minutes before serving.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 273Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 829mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 3g

Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.

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I hope you enjoy this Spring soup recipe – part of what makes it special is knowing that there’s only a short 6 week window each year that you get to enjoy it.

For more satisfying soup ideas, check out our full collection of soup recipes here:

For more delicious vegetable dishes, check out our full collection of vegetable recipes here:

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