Spanish Vegetable Soup (Menestra de Verduras)

By
Lisa & Tony Sierra
Lisa & Tony Sierra
Lisa and Tony Sierra are freelance writers and Spanish food experts who lead culinary tours of the country.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 09/20/19
Vegetable soup
Claudia Totir / Getty Images
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 4 to 5 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
551 Calories
19g Fat
79g Carbs
21g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 5
Amount per serving
Calories 551
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 25%
Saturated Fat 3g 16%
Cholesterol 11mg 4%
Sodium 693mg 30%
Total Carbohydrate 79g 29%
Dietary Fiber 23g 82%
Protein 21g
Calcium 212mg 16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

“Menestra de verduras” is a wonderful dish, full of fresh vegetables and a bit of Serrano ham. The great thing about this dish is that you can use whatever vegetables are in season at the time. So, you might want to add or substitute spinach, swiss chard, asparagus, leek or fava beans.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound carrots
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 2 turnips
  • 1 pound green beans
  • 3 ounces Serrano ham (1 slice, 1/8 inch thick)
  • 6 tablespoons Spanish olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 8 cups water
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 (15-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
  • 1 (15-ounce) can peas, drained

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Peel and chop the carrots into small cubes. Peel and chop the onion and turnip. Rinse the green beans and snap off the ends. Chop the Serrano ham into very small cubes.

  3. Pour the olive oil into a large pot and heat on medium. When hot, add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the ham to the pan and stir. Add the flour, sprinkling it around the pan. Stir with a wooden spoon.

  4. Add the carrots and turnip and stir. Cover the mixture with water and bring to a simmer. Simmer slowly for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are half-cooked, then add the green beans and salt to taste and continue to simmer until vegetables are cooked, 5 to 10 minutes. They should be slightly soft, but not mushy.

  5. Once the vegetables are cooked, add the artichoke hearts and peas to the pan and stir. Make sure that they are completely heated before serving.

  6. Enjoy!