How to Make Soup, Vol. 2
A fall refresher
This week’s post is a deep dive—occasional posts that give you tips and tricks to empower you to become a better cook. If there’s a type of recipe you would love a deep dive for, drop it in the comments or in the chat!
I never thought I’d say this, but I love soup all year long. And cooler temps are the perfect excuse to make more soup. You can eat it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Last year I used raw chicken as the base for my soup, but this year it’s going to be all about rotisserie chickens. They make everything so much easier.
My first soup deep dive included a homemade bone broth cheat sheet and basic tips for making soup. This refresher will take your soup skills to the next level. It pairs unique recipes to show my tips in action and will teach you how to make the most delicious soups. Make them now and repeat all season long!!
Here’s what’s inside:
Kitchen Tools You Need for Soup Season
Essential Ingredients for Soup Season (with printable checklist!)
How to Make a Soup with Pantry Ingredients
Easy Tricks to Enhance Any Soup
My Favorite Soup Toppings
Flavor Boosts & How to Use Them
How to Make Soup Filling
A Reminder: Homemade Broth Cheat Sheet
And here are the recipes included:
Veggies & Rice Soup
Green Soup with Garlicky Croutons
The Perfect Late Summer/Early Soup
Ginger & Turmeric Chicken Soup
Kitchen Tools You Need for Soup Season
Stock Pot - Big and lightweight. It’s perfect for making homemade bone broth and can fit a whole chicken inside!!
Dutch Oven - Heavier, but a great size for soups of all kinds. Sturdy & oven-safe.
Deli Containers - Use these to store broths and soups in the freezer. Easy to label too
Ladle - Honestly I use a measuring cup, but Adi found a ladle similar to the one linked here, which is great for adding more broth to soup without a lot of extra inclusions
Wooden Spoon - I love this one from Earlywood!
Lemon Juicer - You already know this one (the grey one I use is always sold out, this is my next fave)
Microplane - I’ll often add chopped garlic with the mirepoix base, then grate extra garlic in at the end. Grating garlic helps it melt into the soup (and avoids big garlic chunks)
Knife - This is the one I’ve been using most often lately, and here are all my recommendations.
Time!! - I promise it’s worth it.
Essential Ingredients for Soup Season
Veggie and/or Chicken Broth - I like Bonafide
Tomato Paste
Tomato Sauce
Canned Tomatoes
Canned Beans - Black, Kidney, Cannelini, Chickpeas
Grains - Rice, Pasta, Bulgur
Onions & Garlic
Fridge Essentials:
Carrots
Leafy greens (bok choy, spinach, kale)
Veggies (zucchini, corn, leeks, broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts, etc.)
Mushrooms
Fresh ginger
Scallions
Fresh herbs
Frozen Essentials:
Meatballs
Dumplings
Bone Broth
Chicken (whole, breast, thighs, legs)
Beef (short ribs, ground beef)
Leftover bones & veggie scraps (to make your own broth!)
How to Make a Soup with Pantry Ingredients (A No-Recipe Recipe)
Once you’re stocked with the ingredients above, making soup won’t require any last-minute trips to the store (which will become an even bigger advantage when it’s cold and slushy outside).
Start with an onion of any kind, or use a shallot or leek if that’s what you have. Cook them for a few minutes to soften.
Add 1-2 chopped carrots, then cook for about five more minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and a few turns of pepper.
Stir in a few garlic cloves, roughly chopped, and cook for about a minute until aromatic.
Now’s the time to consider what kind of soup you want to make based on what you have. Add a cup of uncooked rice, chopped veggies (chopped small enough that they fit on your spoon!), frozen meatballs, a can of beans, or the chicken you have leftover from last night’s dinner. Save leafy greens, soft veggies, and pre-cooked grains for later. Give everything a good stir.
Pour in 4-6 cups broth of choice and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. You want enough liquid to make it soupy, but not so much that you’re only eating broth. If you have a lot of inclusions, add more broth!
Let cook for 45 minutes to an hour so the flavors meld together. If you want to add turmeric and ginger, now’s the time (see my tip below!). Stir in softer veggies like zucchini and spinach and add any pre-cooked grains if you want.
Taste and adjust seasoning as needed—salt, pep, garlic, lemon juice are where I normally start. More ideas below!
Garnish to serve, using fresh herbs, a drizzle of olive oil, or another idea from below. Some soups are great with lots of parm, some are great with a swirl of coconut milk. Choose your own adventure.
Grab a spoon and dive in!!
Tricks to Enhance Any Soup
These are easy additions to make any soup pop, either by adding a touch of acid to brighten the existing flavors or texture to make the eating experience more enjoyable. If I ever make a creamy soup, I like to add an element of crunch so it doesn’t feel like I’m eating baby food. Mix and match them with any soup! A cheat sheet with recipes for each of these is in today’s PDF.
Easy Toppings
Garlicky Croutons - Best for creamy soups
Mini Quesadillas - Perfect for tomato soup! And so cute
Toasted Breadcrumbs - Great on creamy soups when you want to add a little something extra. I like to add herbs and garlic so it’s extra flavor + crunch.
Coconut Milk - A delicious, dairy-free way to add creaminess to any soup, even if you’re going for a more brothy vibe.
Crunchy Green Topping - Brings in fresh flavors and color. I like to stir in sesame seeds too for a little extra crunch
Flavor Boosts
Lemon Juice - If you ever taste your soup at the end and feel like the flavor is a little flat, squeeze a lemon cheek in. It helps brighten the flavors. (Also, you might need more salt!)
Tamari - Tamari & soy sauce both work to give soup a little extra saltiness and umami. It’s great to drizzle over just before diving in. (Just make sure to add it before you add extra salt. You may not end up needing it!)
Fresh ginger & turmeric - I add extra turmeric and ginger to soup during cold season to ward off any bugs. Blend a 1” knob of fresh turmeric and fresh ginger with 1 cup of broth, then return it to the pot. Instant cold remedy.
Garlic - I cook some garlic at the beginning with the mirepoix, then if I want more garlicky flavor I grate another clove in. Finely grated garlic melts into the broth, adding flavor without unwanted textures.
How to Make Soup Filling
A soup becomes a meal when it includes a green, a grain, and protein. Here are a few tips for making a heartier soup:
Swap out pasta and rice for dumplings or filled pasta like tortellini
Make adding protein easy—throw in a handful of leftover chicken, crack an egg in just before serving, marinate tofu for a silky, flavor-packed add, or use frozen meatballs (SO EASY!!)
Stir in a handful of finely chopped kale before simmering or spinach at the end. It’s an easy way to clean out the fridge of small amounts of greens, add body to the soup, and get extra nutrients
Mini Soup Refresher
Last year, I made most of my soup starting with a raw chicken. On my kids’ first day of school this year, I used a rotisserie chicken and it was even better. Make broth the next time you work from home, freeze it, and repeat all fall (and winter). The bone broth cheat sheet in today’s PDF has everything you need!
Love this guide - and I completely agree that soup should be (and is!) enjoyed all year long!!! 🍜