easy soup recipes for a beginner?

with the cooler weather dh and i have been craving soup. but it's just not something i have ever cooked for some reason. any suggestions to start me off easy?

Re: easy soup recipes for a beginner?

Easy Chicken Noodle SOup

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can vegetable broth
1/2 pound chopped cooked chicken breast
1 1/2 cups egg noodles
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste


DIRECTIONS
In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Cook onion and celery in butter until just tender, 5 minutes. Pour in chicken and vegetable broths and stir in chicken, noodles, carrots, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes before serving

Re: easy soup recipes for a beginner?

Okay, at the supermarket, buy the soup mix. Basically, it is an onion, a potatoe, a stalk of celery and a carrot, a turnip and a parsnip and then some sprigs of dill and parsley.

I chop everything up. I even add a few more carrots and celery stalks as well as a clove of garlic.

In a stock pot, I heat up some olive oil and then sautee the garlic and onion. Add the carrot and celery. Mix around.
Add the other vegetables and mix. Also, add some salt and pepper.

Then add a container of broth. Your choice of flavor. then fill the pot up with water. I also like to add a boullion cube, too. I bring to a boil. Then I simmer for about 2 hours. Then I shut off the heat and add a handful of pastina.

Taste to flavor or flavor to taste. Easy and looks more complicated then it really is.

Re: easy soup recipes for a beginner?

Are you looking only for chicken soup? Here's a different option.

Tortellini Soup

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 can (48 oz) College Inn® Chicken Broth (99% Fat Free) OR (48 oz) College Inn® Beef Broth
1 package (19 oz) frozen cheese tortellini
1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach
2 cans (14.5 oz each) Del Monte® Stewed Tomatoes, undrained, cut into pieces
Grated Parmesan cheese

In large saucepan, over medium-high heat, cook garlic in butter for 1 to 2 minutes. Add broth and tortellini. Heat to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add spinach and tomatoes; simmer 5 minutes longer. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.

Re: easy soup recipes for a beginner?

MINESTRONE SOUP

1 onion - roughly chopped
1 clove of garlic - roughly chopped
1 Zuchinni - cut in half length wise and then sliced
3 carrots - peeled, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
3 celery stalks - cut in half lengthwise and sliced
3 oz Shitake Mushroom, sliced
3 oz Crimini Mushrooms, sliced
1/4 bag Frozen Peas
1/4 bag Frozen Chopped Spinach
1 can (15 oz) Canellini Beans (juice and all)
1 can (15 oz) Stewed tomatoes (juice and all)
1/2 can (2 oz) Tomato Paste
6 cups Vegetable or Chicken Broth
1 tbs italian seasoning
Salt & Pepper

1 Cup Ditalini Pasta (cook, drain & rinse then add at the end)

Add all the ingredients except the pasta into a pot, bring to a boil then simmer for 2 hours on low
(or put in crockpot on high for 4 hours)

Stir in the pasta and let it heat back up.

Serve with shaved parm cheese and toasted crusty bread.

Message edited 10/13/2008 6:03:00 PM.

Re: easy soup recipes for a beginner?

Easy French Onion Soup (serves 4)

3 tablespoons butter
4 cups thinly sliced onions, about 4 to 5 medium onions
4 cans condensed beef broth (10.5 oz each)
4 slices French bread, 1 inch thick
4 slices Swiss or Mozzarella Cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese


Directions for easy French onion soup
In a large skillet over medium low heat, melt butter. Saute onion until golden in color, about 8 minutes. In a medium saucepan, combine beef broth and sautéed onion; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, toast French bread on both sides under broiler;
Pour Soup in Crock and Place bread on top.
Top with cheese and sprinkle with parm cheese
Put under broiler until cheese is bubbly

Re: easy soup recipes for a beginner?

This recipe is originally from Men's Health. I have made it both in the microwave and just in a pot

Zuchinni Zuppa

15 oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) rinsed and drained - can substitute canelinni or kidney beans
15 oz can zucchini in tomato sauce
2 cans (14 oz ea) low-sodium chicken broth
9 oz package refrigerated cheese tortellini
1/2 C chopped onion
1/4 C finely chopped carrot
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Directions
1. In a 3 quart microwavable bowl, stir the onion, carrot, and garlic with the olive oil until coated. Nuke for 4 to 6 minutes or until soft.
Stir in the chickpeas, zucchini, broth, tortellini, and Italian seasoning.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the tortellini is cooked.
Stir in the salt and pepper.

Message edited 10/13/2008 5:59:58 PM.

Re: easy soup recipes for a beginner?

Thank you sooooo much. I have to try these. I like all kinds of soup so any other suggestions are welcome. Funny that I like them all but don't make any

Re: easy soup recipes for a beginner?

Here's a link for real easy pumpkin soup....YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even has lots of step by step pictures for the cooking challenged. I love pumpkin soup Easy Pumpkin Soup

Re: easy soup recipes for a beginner?

SUPER easy and delicious!!!

Creamy (curried) Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash (about 1 3/4 lbs), peeled and cut in 2 inch cubes.

4 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup blanched almonds
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Put squash cubes and 3 cups of stock in large pot. Bring to simmer over med. heat, then reduce heat, cover and cook until squash is tender, 15-20 min. Remove from heat and let squash cool in cooking water.

Put the blanched almonds and the remaining 1 1/2 cups of stock into a blender. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the cooked squash, curry, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.

Add the squash mixture to the pot of cooking liquid and bring just to a simmer over med. heat. Serve hot.

*This is the original recipe. To make it thicker, I cook the squash in the 3 cups and then use 1 1/2 cups of THAT cooking liquid to blend with the almonds, instead of "the remaining 1 1/2 cups of stock."

**If you want less curry or spice, I'd reduce the amount it calls for. You can really taste it in the original.

***Blanched almonds are without the skins. They look white in the bag or container and are usually cut up in some way. It usually says right on it that they are blanched.

****This is totally vegan-the blended almonds make their own type of milk, which makes it creamier.