4 Homemade Soup Recipes to Warm Your Soul

Feel free to disagree, but don't you think soup is one of the most underrated meals in the book? Maybe it's because home chefs think it takes forever to prep (that's false, btw!), but the dish is often the last to come to mind when it's time to satiate our hunger.

Of course, now that sweater weather is in full force, nothing hits the spot quite like a bowl of the rich, creamy entrée, and that's why we rounded up four of our go-to homemade soup recipes. Needless to say, they all taste amazing and can soothe what ails you from that very first slurp. Who said healthy comfort food is not a thing?

Brown Rice Chicken Soup

Chicken and noodles are a match made in heaven. For an extra dose of fiber, substitute the noodly treat with brown rice⁽¹⁾. The whole wheat grain is rich in manganese and magnesium, maximizing the soup's nutritional punch while the chicken does what it knows best - making the dish taste awesome and upping your protein intake. If that's not #nutritiongoals, then we don't know what is.

Ingredients:

1 cup TVP Chicken Bits

½ cup brown rice

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1/4 cup dehydrated corn

¼ cup dehydrated carrots

3 tsp dehydrated celery

1 tsp dehydrated garlic

½ tsp black pepper

1-2 tsp salt

¼ tsp sumac spice (not poison sumac!⁽²⁾)

1 bay leaf

Directions:

1. In a bowl, add the TVP chicken bits and one cup of broth (preferably lukewarm). Let them sit for 15-20 minutes or until they are hydrated.
2. In a separate bowl, add the corn, carrots, and celery along with ¾ cup of warm water and set aside for the same amount of time.
3. Once all of them are hydrated, add the remaining 3 cups of broth and 2 cups of lukewarm water in a pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
4. Then, add all the ingredients to the pot (except for the rice) and cook for about 30 minutes or until the veggies and chicken are fork-tender.
5. About 15 minutes before you turn off the heat, stir in the rice and let it blend in with the other ingredients.
6. Once the ingredients are cooked through, remove from the heat.
7. (Optional Step) If you're a sucker for soups with creamy texture, let it cool down for a bit, then pour it into a food processor and blend until it's smooth, or use an immersion blender.

* Note: If you want the soup to be creamier without using a food processor, add less water or ½ tsp of flour.

Cheesy Broccoli Soup

From salads to smoothies, broccoli is the easiest way to sneak a bunch of nutrients into your body. But, truth be told, this cheesy broccoli stew convinced us that the veggie belongs in a soup as well. More than that, the dish's creamy texture makes sure each spoonful is as soothing for your soul as it is for your taste buds. So, bon appetit!

Ingredients:

1 cup dehydrated broccoli

¼ cup dehydrated carrots

2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 cup milk

¼ cup unsalted butter

3 tbsp all-purpose flour/ or use an alternative flour if staying away from gluten.

2 tbsp dehydrated onions

1 tbsp dehydrated garlic

Salt and pepper, for seasoning (according to taste)

Directions:

1. Add the broccoli and carrots to a bowl along with the vegetable or chicken broth.
2. Let the veggies soak for about 15 minutes or until they are completely hydrated.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pot over medium heat and sauté the onions for a couple of minutes.
4. Then, whisk in the flour until it loses its granular texture.
5. About 2-3 minutes in, add the rest of the ingredients (minus the Parmesan cheese) and stir well.
6. Top with a lid and let the soup simmer for 30 minutes.
7. 5 minutes before you turn off the stove, add the cheese and keep stirring to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
8. Once, the cheese is melted, remove it from the heat and set aside to cool.

Vegan Potato Soup

It’s said that chicken soup is for the soul. But, let’s be honest: Soup sans-chicken (or any animal product, for that matter) can be just as satisfying and beneficial for the mind, body, and soul. Honestly, that’s the case with this potato soup. Featuring zero dairy and meat and turning all attention on veggies, the dish can help you crush your Meatless Monday goals without sacrificing on flavor (and nutrients). Cool, huh?

Ingredients:

1 cup dehydrated potato dices

½ cup dehydrated sweet potato dices

¼ cup dehydrated carrots

3 cups vegetable broth

1 cup coconut milk

½ tbsp coconut oil

¼ tsp dehydrated garlic

½ tsp dried thyme

Salt and pepper, for seasoning (according to taste)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, add the potato dices (both white and sweet) and the carrots along with two cups of the vegetable broth.
2. Set aside for about 15 minutes until the veggies are hydrated.
3. Then, transfer the bowl's contents to a pot and add the coconut milk and the remaining cup of broth.
4. Bring to a simmer over low to medium heat.
5. Once it starts simmering, stir in the remaining ingredients and let the stew cook for about 20-25 minutes until it turns silky.
6. Remove from heat and serve with buttered croutons or chopped chives.

Creamy Eggplant Soup

Touché: Creamy soup is a classic, but this version offers a new twist. Somewhere between the creamy texture of navy beans and the rich taste of eggplant, this combo will warm up your winter nights.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups diced eggplant
• ½ cup dehydrated navy beans
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• 3 tbsp dehydrated onions
• 2 tsp dehydrated garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Salt and black pepper, for seasoning (according to taste)

Directions:

1. Add the beans to a pot along with one cup of water and simmer for about 25-30 minutes. Alternatively, you can put them in a bowl with water and let them sit overnight.
2. Once hydrated, strain and place the beans on a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
3. Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat and sauté the onion and eggplant.
4. Once it's fragrant (after a few minutes), stir in the garlic and thyme and sauté for another minute.
5. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot, cover with a lid, and let the stew cook for about 30 minutes.

*Note: Use an immersion blender to process the soup to a creamy puree.

So, which of these cozy soups will you curl up with? Let us know in the comments below!

References:

1. https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/20037
2. https://chippewa.com/lifestyles/greenspace-there-s-more-to-roadside-sumac-than-meets-the/article_03f797e6-d610-11df-a93c-001cc4c002e0.html

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