Nothing Hits the Spot Like a Pot of Soup
A simple pot of soup has unrivaled powers. It can warm you up, fill you up and make you feel better. It can provide hearty helpings of proteins and plenty of vegetables in each ladle. And, with an endless array of ways to make it, you can never really get bored of it.
Want to try a different recipe for chicken soup? Would you like your soup with lentils? Put on a pot of the recipes below and you’ll soon find yourself satisfied. But first, read through a few of our favorite tips on how to get the best flavors and to stay properly “stocked” up.
Soup’s On? Don’t Forget These Tips
Rind Out More Flavor
Instead of pitching your tough-to-chew cheese rinds, add them to your soup. The heat will help the cheese soften or melt and the taste will permeate, giving your broth an added intricate layer of extra flavor.
Strike a Better Salt Balance
Making soup is a fluid process. It takes tweaking to achieve the desired level of seasoning. As any cook knows, salt serves as a foundation to flavor. But fear not if you over or underdo it. It’s easy to remedy.
For satisfactory salting, start by adding some at the beginning when you’re sautéing the vegetables. This brings out the veggie flavor as a base.
Once you add the other ingredients and start sampling, you might be tempted to salt again, but don’t just yet. Let the soup cook and the flavors evolve. When everything is just about done, sprinkle in more salt until it reaches the desired level.
A little heavy handed? Not to worry. You can add more broth or water to lessen the saltiness (added bonus, more soup!). Or, add a couple potatoes to absorb some of the salt.
Cool It Quick
You’ve made a steaming pot of soup, now where do you put it? You can wait forever for it to cool on its own. Or, you can add some ice. Set the soup pot on a bed of ice inside a larger pot, if available, and speed up the cooling off. You can also freeze a large bottle of water ahead of time then dip the bottle in the soup to quickly cool it. Or, if you’re really serious about your soup, you can buy a rapid cooling paddle.
Freezing Soup
Soup is easy to freeze in any size container. Large containers make great one-and-done options when you have a large batch you want to save for later. If you want more convenient thawing, think small.
Pour your soup into quart-sized or smaller zip-top bags, then when you’re in the mood for a hot bowl, all you have to do it thaw one serving rather than a whole big block. To make the eventual wait even shorter, try freezing in ice cube trays. When it’s time thaw, the small cubes are ready in no time.
Our Favorite Soup Recipes
