Slurpy and hot, chunky and watery, sweet, sour and spicy, that’s all the things a simple bowl of soup can be. Come winters, I love snuggling in my quilt while sipping on some tasty soup. For those untouched by the phenomenon, soup is a liquid that is obtained by boiling solid foods like vegetables and extracting flavour from them. Often, soup is associated with Asian cuisines like Chinese, Japanese and Korean. However, there are plenty of Indian soups to boast about too like the Mulligatawny soup, rasam etc. My all-time favourite soup is manchow. The spicy and tangy flavours of the sauces do their magic pretty well.
Although I usually indulge in chicken soups, the concept of a vegetable soup is a nice way to eat the greens without a frown. Say, spinach soup for instance. I might decline the offer of having spinach as a vegetable with roti, also known as saag in India but if you tell me that we have spinach soup for dinner, I don’t mind giving it a shot. What makes soup so good is the fact that you can add your choice of condiments to the bowl and give it a whole new flavour.
The technique of making soup dates back to 20,000 years ago, when people discovered mud pots and clay pots to cook food. The idea of cooking a broth with a mix of a variety of ingredients in a single pot became a common practice. Derived from suppa, the Latin word for bread in broth, the concept of making soup made the task of cooking food easier and quicker while providing nutrition to the people of that time.
Today, if you want to increase your vegetable intake and eat fresh greens to your heart’s content, then these vegetable soups are a must-have.
1. Moroccan Vegetable Soup
This light and breezy soup is made with the goodness of yam, butternut squash and zucchini. The gluten-free soup is a delight to the taste buds with the freshness of sage and thyme. The freshness of the vegetables with the simple seasoning of salt and pepper gives the soup a touch of nature.
2. Mexican Vegetable Soup
If you know Mexican cuisine, you know how much they love potatoes. The diced potatoes feature in their vegetable soup too. Fill it with carrots, zucchini and spinach and make a watery tomato sauce with a thin consistency. The tanginess of tomatoes gives the soup a distinct flavour along with a bright red colour.
3. Creamy Vegetable Soup
A little detour from the watery and light soups, this one is all things cheesy and creamy. The pale yellow coloured soup is thick and filled with vegetables like small potatoes, broccoli and corn. The thawed vegetables are added to the soup and the creamy broth is prepared from cheddar cheese.
4. Tuscan Vegetable Soup
Give your vegetable soup an Italian makeover with this Tuscan special vegetable soup. Carrots, beans, onions, celery, tomatoes, basil and the list of veggies that can be added to this soup are endless. You’ll be in for a veggie ride once you try this heavenly bowl of soup.