Soup Recipes

The Best Soup Recipes From LoveToKnow

Here are 0 great time-tested recipes you can cook today!

Dinner Is in the Pot

There's something extremely satisfying about a hot, bubbling pot of soup on the stove on a cold winter's night. Soup makes a wonderful meal, and once you make a pot or two, you'll discover it isn't really that hard to make.

Soup can be stock or broth-based, like chicken noodle soup, or it can be creamy, like creamy mushroom soup. Both take basically the same preparation. First sauté vegetables in oil or butter, stir in flour or cornstarch as a thickener (this makes a roux), then add stock or milk, and the remaining ingredients, and simmer to allow the soup to thicken and the flavors to blend. All soups are based on this simple preparation, and once you make your own homemade soups, canned will never taste the same.

Soups can serve as a main dish when they are hearty and filled with meats and vegetables. Or, they can serve as an appetizer or first course when they are rich and satisfying. They can be elegant, or they can be homey, ethnic or traditional, but they belong in every kitchen sooner or later.

Handy Tips

• Don't boil soup too much. It will lose color and flavor if overcooked.
• You can use cheaper cuts of meat, because simmering them for several hours helps make the meat tender.
• Use a handheld stick blender to blend soups to a creamy consistency without adding a lot of milk or cream.
• Make a double batch of your family's favorite recipe and freeze one batch for a quick meal when you're running low on time.
• Don't add pastas too early; they will overcook and become mushy.

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