As soon as temperatures drop and the weather worsens, soup becomes an absolute must. It’s wholesome and filling and can be packed with nutrients to keep you going through the winter months. Of course, there are endless varieties of soup available to choose from, so you may be wondering where to start. Here are a few crowd pleasers you might like to try!
Winter Soups to Add to Your Meal Plan
Matzoball Soup
Matzo ball soup is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish dish that is commonly served during Passover. On Passover, anything that could become leaven or “chametz” can’t be eaten, meaning that many additions to traditional soups, such as dumplings or croutons are out of bounds. While the origins of matzo balls aren’t certain, at some point, people found that once a matzo was already properly baked then it can no longer become “chametz” and could become part of Passover meals. While still highly popular in Jewish communities, the soup is now loved worldwide. It has a distinct, warm, chicken taste, thanks to the use of “schmaltz”, or rendered chicken fat. The matzo balls tend to take one of two forms - “floaters,” (which are light, fluffy matzo balls), or “sinkers” (denser and heavier dumplings). Experiment with both types to find the one that best ticks your boxes.
Chicken Soup
There are countless takes on chicken soup. From chicken noodle soup to a chicken vegetable soup recipe. No matter what chicken soup you make, there are a few tips and tricks that can help to make the dish as delicious as possible. The first top tip is to make your own stock. Sure, ready-made stocks are fast and convenient, but if you have a little more time on your hands, you can create a more flavoursome stock by taking a DIY approach. You may not be used to dealing with chicken feet, but they can be found at butchers or most Asian supermarkets. Add chicken feet to the pot, along with water, aromatic vegetables (i.e. carrots, celery, and onions), and a few seasonings to your taste. You should also add some black peppercorns and a bay leaf. Once it’s ready, strain it. This will give you a delicious, light, flavoursome stock for the base of your soup.
Matzo ball soup is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish dish that is commonly served during Passover. On Passover, anything that could become leaven or “chametz” can’t be eaten, meaning that many additions to traditional soups, such as dumplings or croutons are out of bounds. While the origins of matzo balls aren’t certain, at some point, people found that once a matzo was already properly baked then it can no longer become “chametz” and could become part of Passover meals. While still highly popular in Jewish communities, the soup is now loved worldwide. It has a distinct, warm, chicken taste, thanks to the use of “schmaltz”, or rendered chicken fat. The matzo balls tend to take one of two forms - “floaters,” (which are light, fluffy matzo balls), or “sinkers” (denser and heavier dumplings). Experiment with both types to find the one that best ticks your boxes.
Chicken Soup
There are countless takes on chicken soup. From chicken noodle soup to a chicken vegetable soup recipe. No matter what chicken soup you make, there are a few tips and tricks that can help to make the dish as delicious as possible. The first top tip is to make your own stock. Sure, ready-made stocks are fast and convenient, but if you have a little more time on your hands, you can create a more flavoursome stock by taking a DIY approach. You may not be used to dealing with chicken feet, but they can be found at butchers or most Asian supermarkets. Add chicken feet to the pot, along with water, aromatic vegetables (i.e. carrots, celery, and onions), and a few seasonings to your taste. You should also add some black peppercorns and a bay leaf. Once it’s ready, strain it. This will give you a delicious, light, flavoursome stock for the base of your soup.
Soups With Cheese
We don’t often automatically associate soup with cheese, but some people’s firm favourites contain this key ingredient. Take broccoli and stilton or broccoli and cheddar as an example. If you decide to make a cheesy soup, you’re going to have to be careful with adding the cheese to the broth, as it can easily curdle. Start by bringing your soup to a low simmer and gently add a small handful of cheese at a time, consistently whisking or stirring it to make sure that it properly melts. Taste as you go along to make sure that there’s good taste and texture, but that things don’t get overly strong or overpowering.
We don’t often automatically associate soup with cheese, but some people’s firm favourites contain this key ingredient. Take broccoli and stilton or broccoli and cheddar as an example. If you decide to make a cheesy soup, you’re going to have to be careful with adding the cheese to the broth, as it can easily curdle. Start by bringing your soup to a low simmer and gently add a small handful of cheese at a time, consistently whisking or stirring it to make sure that it properly melts. Taste as you go along to make sure that there’s good taste and texture, but that things don’t get overly strong or overpowering.
Soup will quickly form a staple in your diet this winter. Follow some of the tips above and you should be able to find some firm favourites.
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