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Recipe / 002
Fennel dill
lemon soup.
The perfect balance of sweet and sour—hearty, playful, and made in one pot.
From my kitchen
Bright,
cozy & nourishing.
This soup brings seasonal produce together in under an hour. Fennel and dill keep it fresh, sweet potato softens the lemon’s tartness, and a little chili gives the whole pot a quiet warmth rather than a strong kick.
Make it your own
The recipe.
Choose 1×, 2×, or enter the exact number of people you are feeding. Every measured ingredient adjusts with you.
Ingredients / serves 6
- 4 cupschicken bone broth
- 1 largefennel bulb, preferably with the tops
- 1 ½ lbsweet potato
- 1 small/mediumsweet onion
- ¼ cupfresh lemon juice (roughly 4 lemons for the base recipe)
- 6 large clovesgarlic
- 2 large bunchesfresh dill (roughly 1 cup for the base recipe)
- ¼ tspred chili flakes
- salt and pepper, to taste
- olive oil
- sour cream or Greek yogurt, for topping (optional)
- roasted sunflower seeds (optional)
Method
- 01Roughly chop the onion and garlic. Slice the fennel bulb, peel and chop the sweet potatoes, and save a few fennel fronds for garnish.
- 02Lightly sauté the onion in a generous amount of olive oil until slightly translucent. Add the garlic, chili flakes, and fennel, then lightly season with salt and pepper.
- 03Cook the fennel—including the greens—until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
- 04Add the sweet potato and broth. Cover and gently simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the sweet potato begins to soften.
- 05Add half of the chopped dill, stems included, and the lemon juice. Continue simmering for another 10 minutes, or until the sweet potato is fully tender.
- 06Blend until smooth, then return the soup to the pot.
- 07Over low heat, stir in half of the remaining dill. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
- 08Serve hot with fresh dill, fennel fronds, sunflower seeds, sour cream or Greek yogurt, and a light drizzle of olive oil.
Substitutions
Use what works
in your kitchen.
Vegetable broth makes this vegetarian or vegan; chicken stock also works in place of bone broth. For more protein, blend in a drained can of cannellini or great northern beans.
For a dairy-free bowl, use a dairy-free topping or leave it off. Butter or avocado oil can stand in for olive oil. A large leek is lovely in place of onion.
Fresh dill really matters here—dried dill does not compare. Regular potatoes also work, though they may need a little honey, agave, or sugar to balance the lemon. Purple-fleshed sweet potato is a favorite for its color and nutrient density.
A note from Tiana
“I am such a texture girl, so the combination of yogurt, dill, fennel fronds, and roasted sunflower seeds on top makes every bite more exciting and layered.”
The sweet potato lets the lemon shine without overwhelming tartness, while yogurt or sour cream softens any lingering acidity. And please do not fear the chili flakes—they bring subtle warmth, not a strong kick. Taste before adding more salt, since every broth and salt brand is different.
Back to the kitchen