Soup is the ultimate comfort food for cold, blustery day. If you’re tired of the typical chicken noodle soup, you may enjoy these two tasty and nutritious soups.
Christina’s Portuguese Caldo Verde
Serves 6 to 8
One of my oldest and dearest childhood friends introduced me to this soup recently. It is delicious and healthy, and bound to help you forget the cold weather upon us.
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
10 white potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 cooking onions, sliced finely
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 hot chorizo sausage, sliced
2-3 cups Kale, finely chopped
2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
- Fill a large pot with broth and add potatoes, onions, garlic, and half the sausage. The water should just cover vegetables.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and cook until vegetables are soft, roughly 25 min.
- Add kale, oil and seasonings and boil for another 5 to 10 min.
- Puree everything and add back to pot, along with the rest of the sausage. Simmer for another 10 min. The consistency should be creamy, rather than watery.
Mom’s Tortellini Soup
Serves 6 to 8
This hearty soup can certainly stand on its own as a meal.
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 small cooking onions
1 garlic clove, minced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
6 cups chicken broth
1 250 g package fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
½ bunch spinach, finely chopped
Salt, pepper and dried parsley to taste
Fresh Parmesan cheese
- Add olive oil to a large pot and sauté onions, garlic, carrot and celery for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add chicken broth and tortellini and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer on medium-low heat for 15 min.
- Add spinach and spices and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle with cheese before serving.
Farro Soup
Serves 6 to 8
Farro is a delightful grain that will stick to your ribs. This wonderful soup is something my mother frequently made on cold winter nights. Add some crusty Italian bread and you have a hearty meal.
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 small cooking onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 cup uncooked farro grain, rinsed
7 cups chicken broth
1 cup canned white navy beans, rinsed
1 tomato, sliced
Fresh parsley to taste
Salt to taste
Fresh thyme to taste
- In a large pot, add olive oil and sauté onions, garlic, celery, carrots and farro grain for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on medium-low heat for 30 minutes.
- Add beans and tomato and simmer for another 10 minutes, until tomato is soft.
- Add fresh herbs and spices.
Pureed White Bean Soup
Serves 6 to 8
This thick and creamy sage-infused soup is wonderful paired with garlic bread.
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 Vidalia onion
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
3 cups vegetable broth
2 tomatoes, chopped finely
2 cups white kidney beans
1 cup whole milk
Fresh parsley
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Fresh sage to taste
- In a large pot, add olive oil and sauté the Vidalia onion, garlic and celery for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in veggie broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on medium-low heat for 25 minutes.
- Add beans, tomato, herbs/seasonings and simmer for another 10 minutes, until tomatoes are soft.
- Puree in batches and return to pot. Add milk. Simmer for an additional 5 min.
Grocery List:
Take this handy list with you to the grocery store so you stay organized before hitting the kitchen.
Vegetables:
- Spinach
- Carrots
- Cooking onions
- Vidalia onion
- Garlic
- Kale
- Celery
- Tomatoes
- Veggie broth
- Fresh sage
- Potatoes
- Fresh thyme
- Fresh parsley
Meat/Proteins:
- Hot chorizo sausage
- Canned Navy beans
- Canned white kidney beans
- Chicken broth
Dairy:
- Parmesan cheese
- milk
Grains
- Cheese-filled tortellini
- Farro
