Julie’s Soup Tips

Main Dishes 21 ingredients 7 steps

📷 stock photo

Ingredients

1. You can make soup out of anything!
2. Be adventurous – try new flavor combinations
3. There are 3 types of soups:
Broth Soups – chicken, beef or vegetable broth, tomato or vegetable juice
Thick Soups – Soups can be thickened with a flour/butter (roux) mixture, cornstarch, addition of pasta (like orzo), addition of rice, addition of cubed or grated potatoes
Roux – equal parts of butter or oil and flour. The fat can be used to cook vegetables, then sprinkle flour over vegetables OR melt butter or heat oil, add flour. Use equal parts oil to flour, so if you have ¼ cup melted butter, add ¼ cup flour. Whisk or stir flour and fat mixture until flour is cooked, about 3 minutes, before adding any broth or other liquid. If you are cooking gluten-free, use rice flour.
Cornstarch – Put 1-3 tablespoons of corn starch in a small bowl. Add just enough cold water until it is a thick paste. Pour this cornstarch mixture into the hot soup. Stir. As the soup heats, the soup will thicken. This is a common thickening agent in oriental soups.
Pureed Soups – Cook vegetables, add broth and puree with immersion blender of in blender or food processor.
4. Basic Soup Instructions:
Pick a fat (olive oil, butter or oil). Place 2-3 tablespoons of fat in soup pot.
5. Here are some spices/seasonings that are great in soups:
Nutmeg – flavor enhancer in cream soups
Cumin – adds depth and heartiness to lots of soups, especially Mexican and Spanish
Cavendar’s Greek seasoning – all around flavor enhancer, good in Greek & cream soups
Cayenne Pepper – a little dash is a flavor enhancer, but doesn’t make it too spicy
Garlic Salt – all around flavor enhancer, but cut down on the salt
Garlic Powder – quick addition for garlic
Onion Powder – adds additional flavor
Marjoram, thyme, and rosemary – great in beef soups
Bay leaves – A little more expensive, but provides earthy flavor to broths and stews
Lemon/lime juice – great in Mexican soups

Instructions

Add chopped onion, celery, carrots, root vegetables and sauté until soft.
Add chopped or smashed garlic and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds.
If you are adding flour to thicken, add now and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring.
Add broth or liquid. Heat while stirring occasionally.
Add seasonings.
Add meat (optional) or any additional items (canned beans, etc.). Heat.
Adjust seasonings, add salt and pepper to taste.