This creamy artichoke soup is an easy, flavorful dish made with canned artichoke hearts for convenience. Sautéed onions, celery, garlic, and potatoes create a rich, velvety texture without the need for heavy ingredients. It’s a simple yet satisfying option for a light lunch, dinner, or an elegant starter.
What’s New in This Recipe
This recipe was originally published on October 1, 2023, and we’ve made some helpful updates to improve your cooking experience! We’ve numbered the instructions for easier step-by-step guidance, added a substitutions section for ingredient swap options, and expanded the tips and notes section. We also included prep tips to help you get everything ready smoothly, along with jump-to links for simple navigation.
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What’s great about this recipe
- Simple pantry staples – This soup comes together with simple ingredients like canned artichokes, broth, potatoes, and basic seasonings, making it easy to prepare anytime.
- Easy to customize – Swap the broth to make it vegetarian, adjust the seasoning to your preference, or add a splash of cream for extra richness.
- Simple yet elegant – Perfect for a light dinner, lunch, or an elegant starter for a multi-course meal.
- Make-ahead friendly – This soup reheats beautifully, making it ideal for meal prep or freezing for later.
Ingredients
- Artichokes – This creamy soup is made with canned artichoke hearts. If available, choose quartered artichokes for easier processing.
- Fat – Olive oil is used to sauté the vegetables, but you can use any sautéing oil you prefer. Butter is combined with flour to help thicken the soup.
- Produce – Onion, celery, and garlic create a flavorful soup base, while potato adds body. Yellow or white onions work best. For the potatoes, we use a large russet, but red potatoes also work well.
- Spices – A simple combination of Italian seasoning and black pepper seasons the soup beautifully. You may also need salt at the end to taste.
- Pantry – We use chicken broth, but chicken stock is also an option. To make the soup vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth. All-purpose flour is used to thicken the soup.
- Optional garnish – Fresh chopped parsley or other herbs like thyme or rosemary add freshness. For extra flavor, try Parmesan cheese, croutons, sour cream, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, or a drizzle of olive oil.
- See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
Prep work: tips and notes
- If using whole canned artichokes, quarter them before adding them to the soup.
- Rinse the artichokes to remove the canning liquid. I always recommend rinsing canned foods when appropriate—a quick rinse with cold water helps improve the flavor and removes excess sodium.
- Chop and measure ahead – Dice the onion, celery, and potatoes, and mince the garlic. Gather and measure the remaining ingredients so everything is ready to go before you start cooking.
How to make artichoke soup
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Stir well and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the butter and stir until melted. Then, add the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Pour in the broth while stirring, and gently scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Add the artichokes and potatoes, then lower the heat to medium-low once it returns to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30–35 minutes, or until the potatoes are fall-apart tender when pierced with a fork.
- Remove from heat and uncover. Let the soup stop simmering, then process the soup in the pot with a handheld immersion blender until it is smooth or to your desired texture. If using a traditional blender, see recipe tips and notes #1 for important safety information.
Taste the soup and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ¼ teaspoon salt to ours. Ladle into individual bowls and garnish with Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, if desired, or use your topping of choice.
Substitutions and variations
- Make it vegetarian – To make artichoke soup vegetarian, simply substitute vegetable broth or vegetable stock for the chicken broth.
- Adjust the creaminess – This soup gets its creamy texture from a roux (butter and flour mixture) and potatoes rather than dairy. It has a smooth consistency with a crisp, clean flavor. However, if you prefer a richer soup, stir in a splash of heavy cream or half-and-half at the end.
- Make it dairy-free – This soup gets its creaminess from a roux (butter and flour mixture) and potatoes, but you can make it dairy-free by using oil (such as olive oil or avocado oil) instead of butter.
- Try a different thickener – Instead of potatoes, you can use cauliflower for a lighter, low-carb option.
Storing and reheating instructions
- Refrigerator: Store leftover artichoke soup in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3–4 days.
- Freezer: To freeze, let the soup cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight, freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Leave about an inch of space to allow for expansion. Label it with the contents and date, then freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: If frozen, thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight. To reheat, place the desired amount in a saucepan over medium to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through (about 5–7 minutes). Alternatively, microwave the soup in a microwave-safe dish, stirring every 30 seconds until hot.
- Reheating tip: If the soup thickens after storing, stir in a splash of broth or water while reheating to restore its creamy consistency.
- Food safety: Do not leave food at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if the ambient temperature is above 90°F. Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. For more information on food storage and safety, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
Recipe tips and notes
- If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a regular blender. To process the soup safely, do not fill the blender to the top with hot liquid—work in small batches instead. Remove the center piece (feeder cap) of the blender lid to allow steam to escape. Replace the lid (without the feeder cap) and cover the opening with a clean, folded kitchen towel. Hold the towel down while blending, starting at low speed and increasing gradually if needed.
- Go easy on the salt when making this soup, as canned artichokes and broth already contain a good amount. Use reduced-sodium broth and unsalted butter if you're sensitive to salt. And don’t forget to rinse the canned artichokes to remove excess sodium from the canning liquid. You can always taste the finished soup and adjust at the end if needed.
- For a chunkier texture, use a potato masher instead of blending.
- If the soup is too thick, stir in 1–2 tablespoons of broth at a time, stirring between each addition until it reaches your desired consistency. Warm over low heat until heated through.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, but fresh artichokes require extra prep. To substitute fresh whole artichokes in this recipe, trim, cut, and clean them first. Then, boil or steam until tender, remove the tough outer leaves, and scoop out the fuzzy choke before adding the hearts to the soup pot.
Crusty French bread, a simple side salad, or a sandwich all pair well with this soup. It’s also delicious as a starter for Italian recipes. Try serving it before a comforting baked ziti or our tortellini bake for a complete meal.
Yes! Puréed soups freeze well. Let the soup cool completely before transferring it to an airtight, freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat gently over medium-low heat until hot throughout (at least 165°F). Stir or whisk well before serving to restore its creamy texture.
We use canned artichokes in this recipe because they’re available year-round and easy to prep—just drain, rinse, and they’re ready to go! Fresh artichokes are great, but they require more work, from trimming and cleaning to removing the choke. Plus, they only last about a week in the fridge.
If you love artichokes, here are more easy recipes using canned artichokes: Try our refreshing artichoke salad for a light and flavorful side, our warm and creamy spinach and artichoke dip or spinach artichoke bites for a crowd-pleasing appetizer, or our artichoke chicken for a simple and delicious dinner.
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📖 Recipe
Artichoke Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Small Onion finely diced (yellow or white onion)
- 2 Celery Ribs diced
- 1–2 Garlic Cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 (14-ounce) can Quartered Artichoke Hearts drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 3 tablespoons All Purpose Flour
- 3½ cups Chicken Broth or vegetable broth
- 12–14 ounces Potato peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (russet or red potatoes work well)
- Salt to taste if needed at the end
- Fresh Chopped Parsley for garnish optional
- Grated Parmesan Cheese for garnish optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Stir well and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the butter and stir until melted. Then, add the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Slowly pour in the broth while stirring, and gently scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Raise the heat and bring to a boil (about 2 minutes). Add the artichokes and potatoes, then lower the heat to medium-low once it returns to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30–35 minutes, or until the potatoes are fall-apart tender when pierced with a fork.
- Remove from heat and uncover. Let the soup stop simmering, then blend with an immersion blender until smooth or to your desired texture. If using a traditional blender (see Note #1 for important safety information).
- Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference, we added ¼ teaspoon to ours.
- Serve and garnish with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
- Blending safety: Do not fill a blender to the top with hot liquid—process in small batches instead. Remove the center piece (feeder cap) from the blender lid. Replace the lid (without the feeder cap) and cover the opening with a clean, folded kitchen towel. Hold the towel down while blending. Start at a very low speed and increase gradually if needed.
- If you prefer a chunkier soup, use a potato masher instead of blending.
- We hold off on adding extra salt during cooking since canned artichokes and broth already contain a good amount.
- Taste at the end and add salt if needed. Use reduced-sodium broth and unsalted butter if you are sensitive to salt.
Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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