For the love of soup! Our top 5 year round recipes

For the love of soup; even as the days get warmer and spring is knocking on the door there is still room for soup on the menu. Soup is one of the best ways to boost your nutrition, here are my top five super-healthy and delicious vegan or vegetarian recipes.

Soup is a fantastic and simple way to introduce more plant-based whole foods into your diet as it is one of the healthiest ways to get a good dose of vitamins and minerals. Contrary to popular fears you are not totally destroying the nutrients in the vegetables by boiling them as a good percentage of the goodness remains in the broth. The following is a range of my favourite recipes which are great served with select breads: flat breads, rye or  whole grain for a wholesome and filling lunch or dinner.

1. NORTHERN-STYLE THAI VEGAN SOUP

This Northern-style vegan Thai coconut soup is a take on one of my favourite Thai soups: Khao Soi. This version is made vegan and gluten-free by using vegetable broth and replacing the traditional egg noodles with rice noodles.

by Jess at Choosing Chia.

Ingredients

• 1  1/2 tbsp avocado oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1-inch cube of ginger
• 1–2 tbsp of Thai red curry paste (*see note)
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 Litre low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup coconut milk (full-fat from a can)
• 2–3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp coconut sugar (maple syrup or agave work too)
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 7oz rice noodles (about 1/2 a pack)
• cilantro (coriander) to garnish

Instructions

1. Heat the avocado oil in a large pot on medium-high heat.
2. Add the onion and cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Next, add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.
3. Add the Thai red curry paste, curry powder, turmeric powder, vegetable broth, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil stirring everything together, then lower the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Next add in the soy sauce, coconut sugar, and lime juice and stir together. Reduce heat to low and let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes.
5. While the soup is simmering, cook the rice noodles according to package directions.
6. Add the rice noodles to the soup.
7. Serve with fresh coriander and a lime wedge.

Notes

Some brands of Thai curry paste are spicier than others. I’d recommend starting with 1 tbsp and then adding more as needed to your taste. Or, be brave and make your own, once you have done it once you’ll never look back (and you’ll have all the ingredients!).

Depending on how salty your vegetable broth is to start, you may need more or less soy sauce. Taste and adjust accordingly

2. MOROCCAN SWEET POTATO LENTIL SOUP (SLOW COOKER)

A soul-warming Moroccan sweet potato lentil soup recipe. This soup is made in the slow cooker and requires hardly any work at all. If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can make it carefully on the stove on a low heat.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed into small pieces
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 cup onions, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 ½ cups green or brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 1 ½ teaspoon EACH coriander AND cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon curry powder (or more to taste)
• ½ teaspoon EACH smoked paprika, ground cinnamon, AND turmeric
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 6-7 cups low sodium broth (vegetable or chicken)
• 2 ½ cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup lemon juice or lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

1. Place the sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, red bell pepper, garlic, lentils, spices, and 6 cups of broth into a slow cooker. Cover and cook on the low setting for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Check the lentils for doneness. If you’re lentils have been in the pantry for a while, note that they’ll take a bit longer to cook through.
2. Place half the soup into a blender along with a little additional broth (½ cup or so) and blend till smoothish. Alternately, you can use an immersion blender directly in the slow cooker but be sure to not blend all of the soup if you want it to have a chunkier texture.
3. Add the puree back into the slow cooker. Stir in the baby spinach and lemon juice. Cover the slow cooker, unplug it, and allow the ingredients to just hang out for 30 minutes or so until the spinach wilts down.
4. Season with salt, pepper and curry powder to taste as desired. Thin with additional broth to desired consistency. Serve warm with whipped greek yogurt, fried pita bread, and tons of fresh herbs (parsley or cilantro) on top!

3. CLASSIC ROASTED TOMATO SOUP

This easy roasted tomato soup is MUCH better than the can and couldn’t be simpler — perfect for fresh garden tomatoes and herbs! This healthy soup is naturally gluten-free and vegetarian. You can easily skip out on the milk and cheese to make this a dairy-free, vegan recipe.

by Ashley at The Recipe Rebel.

Ingredients

• 3 lb Roma tomatoes (about 9 large)
• 1/2 small onion (or less, if you prefer, sliced)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 370ml cream, optional
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional
• 3 tablespoons fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees
2. Halve tomatoes and place cut side up with the onion on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and add garlic, salt and pepper. Stir to coat well.
3. Roast for 40-50 minutes, just until starting to brown.
4. Place in the blender and puree until smooth (you’ll want to leave the lid cracked slightly so the steam can escape).
5. Add milk, cheese, basil, tomato paste, and sugar and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference.
6. Serve immediately with some whole grain bread.

4. GREEN PESTO VEGETABLE SOUP

This green pesto vegetable soup is a celebration of spring and summer bounty, made with farm-fresh zucchini, fresh herbs, and pasta (use wholewheat or replace with a grain such as quinoa or millet, if preferred).

by Sarah at Well and Full

Ingredients

The Soup

• 1 Small White Onion chopped
• 2 Cups Zucchini (courgette), chopped
• 2-3 Large Stalks Celery chopped
• Olive Oil for sautéing
• 4 Cups Vegetable Stock
• 2 Cups Water
• 1/4 Tsp Coriander
• Salt and Pepper to Taste
• 4 Cups Cooked Pasta (I prefer wholewheat)

The Pesto

• 1/3 Cup Cilantro
• 1/3 Cup Parsley
• 1/3 Cup Basil
• 3 Spring Onions, chopped
• 1/4 Tsp Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper

Instructions

1. Start by prepping the vegetables – chop the onion, zucchini, and celery.
2. Bring a pot to medium heat with a little olive oil. Add chopped vegetables and sauté for 5-10 minutes, or until onions are translucent.
3. Add in vegetable stock, water, coriander, and salt and pepper. Stir well.
4. Then make the pesto – add all pesto ingredients into a food processor and process until everything is smooth. Or, for a chunkier pesto, process for less time. Add pesto to soup and stir well.
5. Finally, add in cooked pasta – I used farfalle. If pasta isn’t your thing, feel free to add to add 2-3 cups cooked rice or any other grain, like millet or quinoa.
6. Serve in bowls and garnish with fresh herbs.

Enjoy!

5. GOLDEN SOUP

Cozy, bright, and healing with power-foods like turmeric, cauliflower, and cashews. Topped with crispy chickpeas. Super creamy and SO GOOD.

by Lindsay at Pinch of Yum.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• half an onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 head of cauliflower, chopped into about 5 cups of chunks or florets
• 1 cup cashews
• 1 tablespoon turmeric  – see notes
• 7–8 cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• a squeeze of lemon juice

Instructions

1. Sauté: Heat the oil in a deep soup pot. Add the onion, garlic, cauliflower, cashews, and turmeric. Sauté for 10 minutes or until very fragrant.
2. Simmer: Add the water (I usually start with 4 cups) and salt. Simmer until softened.
3. Blend: Transfer the soup to a blender and blend into a creamy consistency. It’s best to do this in batches.
4. Finish: Return to the soup pot and add any additional water (remaining 2-3 cups) if you need to thin it out. Also a good time to season with more salt and a squeeze of lemon juice. Also a good time to top with spiced chickpeas and parsley and olive oil and more salt and put on your most comfy sweater and FALL IN LOVE.

Notes

For the Spiced Chickpea Topping: Drain and rinse 2 14-ounce cans chickpeas. Spread them on a baking sheet. Preheat oven to 400. Sprinkle chickpeas with a dusting of cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, salt, and/or any other spice combo you want. Drizzle with olive oil. Stir right on the pan, then roast for 30-40 minutes or until semi-crispy.

Turmeric: Turmeric has a strong flavour, so if you’ve never tried it before and you’re not sure you will like it, I would suggest using 1-2 teaspoons to start. If you’re a confident turmeric user, go for the full 1 tablespoon!

Blender Stains: Depending on your blender, this soup can leave a stain from the turmeric. If this happens, we recommend leaving your blender sitting in a window in the sun for a day or two which will help get rid of the stains!

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