Five Simple Soups

Soups are a great way to use what you have in the fridge. Here a 5 simple soups which all follow our easy step by step guide which you can find on our website

View Instructions

Servings

6

Ready In:

45min

Lever:

Beginner

Skills covered

Knife skills, Seasoning, Simmering, Reducing, Cooking a Meal

Soups

By: Chloe Coker

Here are 5 different soup recipes which all follow our step by step soup guide to give you some ideas. Once you have mastered these, why not have a go at making one up yourself from what you have in the fridge.

Instructions

STEP		TOMATO AND LENTIL	MEXICAN BEAN	CURRIED SQUASH AND LENTIL	LEEK AND POTATO	BASIC VEG
1	OIL / BUTTER	1 tbsp oil	1 tbsp oil	1 tbsp oil / butter	1 tbsp butter / oil	1 tbsp butter / oil
2	AROMATICS	1 onion, 1 stick celery, 1-2 garlic cloves	1 onion, 2 garlic cloves Optional: 1 stick celery	1 onion, 2 garlic cloves, 2cm ginger	1 onion, 300g leeks	1 onion, 1 celery, 1 garlic clove
SAUTE FOR 5 MINUTES OVER A LOW HEAT
3	HERBS / SPICES	optional: ½ tsp smoked paprika, ½ red chilli / pinch chilli flakes	1 tsp cumin, pinch ancho chilli flakes, ½ tsp smoked paprika	1-2 tbsp mild curry powder, optional: ½ red chilli	Pinch of grated nutmeg	Optional: thyme, mixed herbs
4	VEG AND PROTEIN (400g)	4 tomatoes, Optional: 1 red pepper, 1 carrot diced	2 tomatoes, 1 red pepper, optional: 1 carrot	1 small squash, 1 sweet potato, 3 carrots, 100g red lentils	200g floury white potatoes such as maris piper	200g white potatoes, 200g vegetables (carrot / parsnip / broccoli, squash, peas)
5	SEASONING	Salt and pepper, 1 tsp sugar	Salt and pepper, 1 tsp sugar	Salt and pepper	Salt and pepper	Salt and pepper
6	LIQUID AND BULKING (700 ml)	1 x tin tomatoes, 300ml veg/beef stock, 3 tbsp red lentils (rinsed)	400 ml passata, 1 x tin red kidney beans	400ml coconut milk, 500ml veg stock	700ml vegetable or chicken stock	700ml vegetable stock Optional: 3 tbsp red lentils, cannellini beans
SIMMER FOR 20 – 30 MINUTES
7	QUICK COOK ADDITIONS	None	Optional: tinned corn	None	None	Optional: Spinach, pasta, kale
8	SMOOTH OR CHUNKY	Blend or leave chunky	Leave chunky	Blend or leave chunky	Blend or leave chunky	Blend or leave chunky
9	CREAMY SOUP?	Optional: blend in 2 tbsp cream cheese	No	Creamy already	Blend in 100ml cream	Optional: blend in 2 tbsp cream or cream cheese
10	FINISHING	Chopped fresh parsley, pesto	Lime juice, coriander, spring onions, nachos	Coriander, lime juice, pumpkin seeds, pesto	Chopped chives	Chopped fresh herbs, croutons, grated cheese

Tips, Tricks and Teaching Info

Seasoning

Seasoning as all about balancing salt, sweet and acid flavours. If you are making a tomato soup, tomatoes are acidic so adding a small amount of sugar or maple syrup helps to balance the acidity. If you are doing something sweet like carrot and squash / sweet potato, a squeeze of lime helps to add freshness and cuts through the sweetness. Salt brings out the flavour.

Nutrients and Bulking

Soup is a great way to pack in lots of vegetables and to get hidden veg into kids. Make it go further by adding beans, lentils, rice, quinoa and noodles.

Once you have tried these recipes why don’t you make up your own

use our step by step soup guide to make soup from what you have in your fridge

5 Simple Step by Step Soups