More delicious soups recipes:
~ Turkish Lentil Soup (Mercimek Çorbasi)
~ Swiss Barley Soup (Gerstenzuppe)
~ French Onion Soup
~ Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta Fazool)
~ Chicken & Sweet Corn Soup
~ Watercress Soup with Chive Pullaparts
Top 5 Soups
There’s something comforting and nurturing about soup at any time, whether it’s a hearty minestrone in front of the fire on a winter evening, or a chilled tomato gazpacho at a shady table on a hot summer day. Soups are found in every cuisine and come in all shapes and sizes, from delicate broths to sustaining dishes that are meals in themselves. Best of all, they’re quick and easy and can be adapted to use whatever’s on hand. Many are based on stock, but most have enough flavour that you can use water instead (which is preferable to packet stock or stock cubes). Dress them up with a swirl of cream, yoghurt or pesto and a sprinkle of chopped herbs, croutons or cheese and they make an impressive entrée too. Here are five of my favourite classic soups, use them as a starting point for your own improvisations – there’s a print friendly version of each available on the recipe pages.
Minestrone Italy
www.food-wine-travel.com/minestrone
Literally meaning ‘big soup’ in Italian, minestrone is half way between a soup and a stew. Vegetable-based, it’s traditionally made from leftovers and whatever is in the garden or foraged nearby, often with beans or pasta (sometimes both) added to make it more filling.
Pumpkin Australia
www.food-wine-travel.com/pumpkin
This classic Aussie dish is so quick, easy and tasty that it’s a staple on pub menus and family dinner tables across the country. I spice mine up with a dash of ginger and a swirl of yoghurt for tartness to balance the sweetness of the pumpkin.
Zucchini Middle East
www.food-wine-travel.com/zucchini
Fresh green veggie soups are perfect for spring (and so quick and easy). Middle Eastern spices, such as cumin, add a lovely fragrant earthiness to vegetables, and a sprinkling of za’atar (a blend of thyme, sumac and sesame seeds) adds a wonderful zing.
Vichyssoise France/USA
www.food-wine-travel.com/vichyssoise
Created in the 1920s by a French chef working in New York, this versatile puree of potato and leek is usually served chilled. It was however based on a traditional hot soup from the chef’s home near the town of Vichy, and is just as delicious warm.
Gazpacho Spain
www.food-wine-travel.com/gazpacho
Gazpacho is an ancient Spanish bread soup, possibly dating back to Roman times, which was readily adapted to include the New World tomato in the 18th century. It makes a delicious, appetite-stimulating start to a summer meal and is great in shot glasses for cocktail parties.
