Healthy Soups To Make At Home
In the middle of winter, when all you want is warming sustenance, homemade soup is the ultimate soul-soother, says food writer and SL contributor Chloe Scott-Moncrieff. If you’re keen to stick to your New Year’s resolutions and try out some recipes which are on the healthier side, here are five to add to your repertoire now.
A Lentil Dahl Riff (Vegan, Gf)
Serves
3-4
Difficulty
Easy
Total Time
30 Minutes
Ingredients
200g of red split lentils
2 carrots, chopped into 1cm cubes
1 potato, chopped into 1cm cubes
1in piece of ginger, peeled
3 garlic cloves
250 -300ml of stock
1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk
Additional spices: 1 tsp of chilli powder, 1 tsp of medium curry powder, ½ tsp of cumin (ground or seeds)
Salt and pepper
Method
Step 1
In a large pan, melt a little oil or butter. Sizzle the garlic and ginger with the spices for a minute, then throw in the vegetable pieces, lentils and pour in the coconut milk. Pour in the stock. Simmer. Taste and season with salt and pepper.Step 2
When the lentils and veg are cooked and you’ve a thick consistency, serve with chutney and flat bread. If you’re not going vegan, a blob of Greek yoghurt on top is perfect.
Non-traditional Miso Soup (Vegan)
Serves
2
Difficulty
Easy
Total Time
30 Minutes
Ingredients
2 tbsp of miso paste
20g packet of seaweed flakes or 3 nori sheets (wakame seaweed is traditional but nori is readily available in supermarkets)
1in piece of ginger peeled
1 root vegetable of your choice: a carrot, potato or onion
100g of kale
1 leek, finely chopped
100g of marinated tofu, sliced into 1cm cubes
600ml of vegetable stock
Soba noodles (optional)
Method
Step 1
Bring the stock to a simmer in a soup pot on the hob. Drop in the chopped ginger, leek and the other root veg. Simmer for 5 minutes.Step 2
Pour in the kale and seaweed bits – if you’re using nori sheets, roughly shred them before adding and simmer.Step 3
Add the cubed tofu for the final 5 minutes.Step 4
To finish, mix in the miso paste, stirring well. Taste and season, if needed. Serve immediately.
Butternut Bisque (V)
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy
Total Time
30 Minutes
Ingredients
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed into 2cm chunks
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
200 -300ml of vegetable stock
1 onion, finely chopped
1 handful of tarragon, finely chopped
1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk
Small knob of butter or splash of olive oil
A bag of baby spinach (optional)
Sour cream (optional)
Salt and pepper
1 tsp of cumin seeds (optional)
A pinch of cinnamon (optional)
One chopped chilli (optional)
Method
Step 1
In a large heavy pan, melt a small piece of butter, or a slug of oil so the vegetable can cook. Sizzle the onion and garlic briefly. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in the butternut squash chunks, stock and coconut milk. Simmer.Step 2
To finish, blend the squash with a handful of tarragon and return to the pan.Step 3
If you’re including the baby spinach, this is the time to add it. Let it wilt while the soup warms on low heat on the stove for five minutes. Add a little sour cream if you want to. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. You can layer up with any of your optional spices.Step 4
Serve. Scatter over the last of the tarragon to serve.
Five Ingredient Tomato Soup (V)
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy
Total Time
30 Minutes
Ingredients
10 sun dried tomatoes, drained
2 x 400ml tins of chopped tomatoes
1 onion, finely chopped
400ml of stock (any)
1 tsp of black pepper
Cream (optional)
Chives (optional)
Method
Step 1
In a pan, sauté the onion in a little olive oil. Pour in everything else. Season with salt. If the tomatoes are acidic, you can add a pinch of sugar. Grind in the pepper for some piquancy.Step 2
Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Blitz in the blender. Taste to check seasoning. Serve immediately. If you wish, you can add a 1 tsp of cream swirled over each bowl and sprinkle over some chopped chives.
Bulgur, Mint & Yoghurt Soup (V)
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy
Total Time
30 Minutes
Ingredients
350g of plain yoghurt or low-fat Greek yoghurt, at room temperature
1 onion, finely chopped
200g of bulgur wheat or brown rice
2 tsp of dried mint
1 tsp of oregano
1 egg, at room temperature
1 tbsp of plain flour
800ml of stock (any)
1 generous handful parsley, dill, chives, or fresh mint (optional)
A pinch of paprika (optional)
