Following on from the meal thread I’d love some more ideas for soups that are either really easy and/or I can batch cook. My favourite is mulligatawny which we had for dinner tonight, but it would be great to have some more up my sleeve for variety. I’m essentially vegan, but DH and dd aren’t so any suggestions/recipes would be very welcome!

We do two soups regularly: roasted butternut squash and tomato and lentil.

Roasted butternut squash soup is: one butternut squash, 2 large carrots and one very large or two medium jacket spuds. Roasted with veggies with olive oil and bake potatoes at the same time. Liquidise with about 1 litre of stock - more if it’s too thick (we use marigold bullion). Add black pepper to taste.  Dead easy! Freezes really well - we often defrost with a splash of milk to stop it sticking, but water works fine too.

Tomato and lentil soup is: one can of chopped tomatoes, one can of water or stock, one large chopped carrot, half an onion, 2 handfuls of red lentils, squirt of tomato paste (optional), mixed herbs, black pepper. Cook for 30 mins then liquidise. I usually double this one up.

Enjoy!

Angie

Second tomato and lentil

Or vegetable and tinned chick pea
Cook garlic, leek/onion with a few veg like peppers, sweet pot, parsnip
Add stock, tinned chick peas and seasoning

I also like a chunky soup with kale or cabbage, leeks, green pepper, sweet pot and tinned cannelloni or borlotti beans.
Nice served with lots of grated cheddar or parmesan

Simple tomato soup! Fry some onions, add passata/tin of tomatoes, milk (cream if you want it thicker), season. Simmer and then blend if you want it smooth, leave if you want it chunky.

White fish chowder too is a winner here. Potatoes on to cook (boil or steam). Decent amount of milk in a pan, throw in your white fish and a bay leaf plus seasonings. When fish is cooked, remove from heat and pour milk into a jug. Chop and fry some onion, throw in a little tinned sweetcorn and a chopped pepper. When browned, add the milk back in. Simmer for 10/15mins. Flake the fish, add to the chowder along with some frozen prawns and simmer for another five. Done.

Mexican tomato and bean.

Fry a red onion with garlic and cumin, chilli too if the children don’t object!
Add a jar of passata and tin of kidney/black eye beans.
Simmer and season.
Just before serving, add lime juice and lots of coriander.

Mamapixie, what are the quantities for the chowder - it sounds fab!

Angie

All of these sound delicious, thank you! Keep them coming-the more the better!

We make one with butternut squash, coconut milk and ginger - you can also add honey if you like too which is yum. This is my fave soup of all time.

Good old leek and potato is a fave here, we like it quite thick and rosemary is a must - I use about 900g potatoes, 3 leeks, few sprigs rosemary, boil up, blend and then add milk.

Second tomato and lentil

x x

Mm yes I love leek and potato, it’s one the kid will eat with obvious enjoyment too.

The fish chowder sounds lovely.

I also make corn chowder, which is sweetcorn (best with fresh but frozen or canned can be used), milk, spring onions, red pepper, little bouillion stock, 1 large tattie, oregano and thyme.  Season to taste.
Fry up the onion and pepper till nice and soft, add the tattie and cook for a few minutes, then add the sweetcorn, milk etc and simmer.  If you use fresh corn, the starch should thicken this soup up nicely.  If not add a little cornflour mixed in water to thicken.  Cook for another 10 mins or so to cook out the flour.  Season to taste.  Delicious with fresh homemade bread and butter and a green salad.

I also like thick soups made with split peas, gives avery moreish taste, but for some reason the kids aren’t keen, so I don’t make it often.

Oooh and I do like thin soups too, thin chicken soup with dumplins.  Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm   (I pop the left over chicken, chicken stock, spring onions, black pepper in the slow cooker and cook for a hour on low (as the chicken is already cooked) and then add the dumplins and then cook for another 30 or so minutes.  YUM.  I keep meaning to have a go at making those Jewish dumplins with Matzo meal, but not yet attempted it.

I’m biased, Joxy, as matzah makes me feel sick at the best of times, and we have a whole week of eating it coming up, but I wouldn’t bother with matzo balls! If you already make nice dumplings, stick with them - matzo balls are just a replacement for “proper” dumplings as they can’t be eaten during Passover….

Angie