Herbs and spices are perfect add-ons to whatever type of soup you prefer. Throw in a few vegetables and some meat and you're sure to have a fulfilling appetizer!
Enjoy a healthy bowl of hot soup tonight for dinner with these 3 quick and easy recipes:
Classic Cream of Herbs Soup
What you need:
5 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped spinach
1 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped basil
1 cup half-and-half cream
5 tbsps. butter
2 tbsps. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. white sugar
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
In a large saucepan, melt 3 tbsps. butter over medium heat then add onions. Sauté onions until tender before adding spinach, parsley and basil. Reduce heat to low and cover for 10 minutes. Stir in chicken broth and sugar then slowly add cream. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Melt the remaining butter in a separate saucepan over medium heat. Add flour then stir constantly for at least 2 minutes. Pour a little of the herb soup over the flour and mix until smooth. Remove from heat and pour the flour mixture over the soup. Transfer soup to serving bowls and garnish with parsley leaves if desired.
Carrot and Cumin Hot Soup
What you need:
6 cups chicken stock
1 kg. carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1 potato, peeled and cut into chunks
1 medium onion, sliced
2 tbsps. olive oil
1 tbsp. ground cumin
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add in carrot, potato and onion slices and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add chicken stock and cook until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat and pour into a blender. Process until soup is smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl and season with cumin, salt and pepper. Mix soup well before serving.
Herbs and Spices Butternut Squash Soup
What you need:
5 cups vegetable stock
2 butternut squash, peeled and sliced into squares
2 sticks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. dried chili flakes
1 pinch ground cumin
1 pinch smoke paprika
Heat olive oil in a large pan. Add garlic, onion, rosemary, chili flakes, cumin and paprika and sauté until garlic and onions are tender. Stir in squash and celery and cook for 5 minutes, making sure they are coated with the herbs and spices. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low heat for 40-50 minutes. When ready, puree soup in batches using a blender. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
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