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Soup season is officially here and in honour of that, it’s time to dig out your largest pot and start brewing up something special. Some days you just need something hot and substantial to wash away the cares of the day and soup is a simple way to go about it. You can toss a lot of ingredients into a pot, set it and forget it and then come back to a divine dinner ready to go. Soups are also notoriously great and fending off sickness and helping you stay healthy during the cold season.
These 3 recipes are easy to make even for a beginner and require very little to no prep work. They feature seasonal and classic winter ingredients and a both healthy and delicious. All 3 can be made non-vegetarian with the simple addition of cooked chicken breasts if desired, but are equally good on their own. Keep these recipes handy for those busy weeknight cooks.
Carrot And Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients:
- 6 large carrots
- 2 small sweet potatoes
- 1 large onion
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- Paprika powder to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1L vegetable broth
- 250ml of coconut milk
- Lime wedge
Method:
- Optional step: Roast the carrots, onions and sweet potatoes at 190°C for 40 minutes for extra flavour.
- If you’d rather skip the hassle, wash, peel and chop them raw and add them to the pot.
- Throw some ginger and garlic paste, turmeric, garam masala, and paprika into a pot with some oil and stir into a paste.
- Add the onions, carrots, and sweet potatoes and top up with broth. Let it simmer until all the vegetables are cooked. Season to taste
- Let it cool slightly and then blend with an immersion blender.
- Add some coconut milk for creaminess and finish with lime.
Red Pepper Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- 2 red peppers
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- ½ cup diced onions
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
Method
- On a gas stove place your red peppers over the open flame until charred. Let them cool and carefully scrape off the skin.
- In another pot add some oil and cauliflower florets, and keep tossing them until uniformly golden brown.
- Add in the onions and garlic and saute until soft.
- Remove the seeds of the pepper, chop them roughly and add them to the pot.
- Season with paprika, thyme, salt and pepper to taste.
- Top off with chicken broth and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- Blend with an immersion blender until smooth, top with crumbled feta and enjoy!
Hearty Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 onion
- 4 large carrots
- 4 stalks celery
- 3 cups baby potatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2-3 sprigs of rosemary or thyme
- 1 cup uncooked green or brown lentils (thoroughly rinsed and drained)
- 2 cups chopped kale
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- In a large bot heat some oil and add the diced onion, carrots, celery and garlic, season to taste and saute until softened.
- Add the halved or quartered potatoes and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the vegetable broth with some fresh herbs and bring the liquid to a rolling boil.
- Add the lentils, and then reduce to a low simmer.
- Cook for another 20 minutes until the lentils and potatoes are cooked through.
- Add the chopped kale and adjust the seasoning to taste.
- Serve hot with crusty bread!
