I remember the first time I was served homemade soup at a dinner party. I was in my late 20s, and the concept of homemade soup was 100% foreign to me. Campbell’s made soup, and it came out of a can. Period. (In retrospect, my grandmother made homemade chicken soup every Friday night, but somehow that didn’t register).

My spouse and I had just moved to Boston, and I figured it was a Yankee thing. I don’t remember what kind of soup we were served, only that it was “fancy.” What I do remember is being so impressed I called my mother the next day to report the news: My first grown-up dinner party, with a formally set table, real silver, and homemade soup.

Fast forward a couple of decades: I make a pot of soup at least once a week. I find everything about soup-making comforting and cathartic: chopping, stirring, and slurping. Nothing fancy about my process. As an added bonus, soup is an efficient, uber-delicious way to eat your veggies, beans and legumes … and there’s still just one pot to clean.

5 Tips to Keep Soup-Making Simple:

  • Embrace Frozen Veggies: Stock your freezer with frozen vegetables (they contain just as many nutrients as fresh, sometimes more!).
  • Dairy Alternatives: Use cashew cream (cashews soaked in water) or coconut milk, as rich alternatives for creamy soups.
  • Freeze Leftovers: Imagine your happiness when your fridge is bare, and you discover homemade soup in your freezer.
  • Replace Water with Veggie Stock: Many soup recipes call for water; replace it with veggie stock for richer flavor.
  • Always Choose Low Sodium Veggie Broth: You can add salt if you want more (Imagine Vegetarian No-Chicken Low Sodium Broth rocks!).

Slurpable Soup Recipes: The Ultimate 1-Pot Meal

Creamy Potato Leek Soup: Recently I read an article on food myths that nutritionists wish would die. One was “white potatoes are bad for you.” French fries — especially if fried in beef tallow or palm oil — aren’t great for your heart. But the fiber, potassium and vitamin C in white potatoes are good for you. It’s not the potato, it’s what you do with it. Sautéing potatoes with sweet leeks, celery, thyme, and a splash of coconut milk for extra-luscious creaminess (use cashews if trying to cut back on saturated fat), is a respectful way to treat your beloved potatoes.

Pasta e Fagioli (Italian Bean and Pasta Soup): Serious Eats is my favorite non-vegan website. The recipes range from simple (this one) to complicated; they’ve all been tested, and include a “why this recipe works” narrative, for cooks interested in channeling their inner geek. Typically I use canned beans, but the reward for using dried in this soup significantly outweighs the cost of overnight soaking. This recipe is a reminder of how brilliant Italians are at making high-quality, simple ingredients sing with flavor.

Creamy Broccoli Soup: Broccoli is one of those vegetables I always have in my veggie bin, yet I often run out of ideas on what to do with. Even I get sick of stir fry (unless it’s made with dumplings; shout out to Hetty McKinnon). This broccoli-centric soup is a winner. The trick is in the “finishing” ingredients, which add deep umami goodness – soy sauce, nutritional yeast (do not be scared of this amazing, life-changing ingredient. I promise your grocery store carries it), a touch of Dijon mustard, and lemon juice for brightness. Another Nisha Vora masterpiece.

Curried Chickpea Soup: The first time I ate Indian food I was hooked. I’d never tasted anything like it – a combination of fresh ginger, onions, garlic, and curry powder. Once I stopped eating dairy, I learned that substituting ghee (clarified butter used liberally in many Indian dishes) with coconut milk made my Indian-inspired dishes even creamier. Which is why I love this soup.

Elevated Tomato Soup: Campbell’s, move over. There’s a new tomato soup in town. And once you taste this one, there’s no going back. Start with a humble can of San Marzano tomatoes, chop a carrot, a couple of potatoes for creamy heft, frozen corn, and you are just about there. Simple comfort in a single pot.

 

When’s the last time you checked out the Good News Veg Recipe Catalog? You’ve got 20+ categories of delicious and sustainable meal ideas from the internet’s best recipe creators, all curated by yours truly!