My Favorite Home Made Soups


  • Curried Zucchini Soup

  • 1 onion (about 8 oz.), peeled and chopped
  • cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 pound zucchini, rinsed, ends trimmed, and coarsely chopped
  • can (15 oz.) chicken broth
  • can (14 oz.) reduced-fat (light) coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • Salt and white pepper

  • 1. In a 4- to 5-quart pan over medium heat, stir onion and garlic in oil until soft, about 8 minutes. Add zucchini and 1 cup chicken broth; simmer until zucchini is tender, about 10 minutes.
  • 2. Transfer mixture to a blender; whirl until smooth.
  • 3. Return to pan. Stir in remaining chicken broth, the coconut milk, curry powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir until hot.


Smoked Turkey-Lentil Soup

  • 6 cups organic vegetable broth
  • (8-ounce) smoked turkey leg
  • 1/2 pound dried lentils, rinsed and drained
  • (8-ounce) container refrigerated prechopped celery, onion, and bell pepper mix
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Nonfat Greek yogurt (optional)
  • Oregano sprigs (optional)
  • 1. Place first 6 ingredients in a 3- to 4-quart electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW 8 to 10 hours or until lentils are tender and turkey falls off the bone.
  • 2. Remove turkey leg from cooker. Remove and discard skin. Shred meat; return to cooker, discarding bone. Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with yogurt and oregano sprigs, if desired.

Black Bean Soup with Shredded Pork


  • 1 pound dried black beans, rinsed and picked over
  • bone-in center-cut pork chops (about 1 1/4 lb.)
  • slices bacon, chopped
  • onion, finely chopped
  • cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped canned chipotle chilies in adobo plus 1 Tbsp. adobo sauce
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • Combine 6 cups water, beans, pork chops, bacon, onion, garlic, chilies, adobo, cumin and salt in slow cooker. Cook on low until beans are tender and pork chops are falling apart, 4 to 6 hours.
  • Remove and discard bacon. Cut pork away from bones. Discard bones and shred meat. Add meat back to slow cooker with beans. Season with additional salt and serve.


Smoky Pea Soup

  • ham hocks (about 1 1/2 pounds)*
  • 1 pound green split peas
  • large carrots, coarsely chopped (2 cups)
  • large celery stalks, chopped (2 cups)
  • large onion, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
  • garlic cloves, chopped
  • 32-ounce cans chicken broth
  • bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Rinse the ham hocks. Place them in a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, along with the peas, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, broth, bay leaf, and thyme. Cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours. Using tongs, remove the ham hocks. When they're cool enough to handle, pick off the meat and discard the skin and bones. Chop the meat into small pieces, return it to the soup, and stir.
*A ham bone from a roast or 1/2 pound of cooked smoky bacon can be substituted; however, the soup will then require up to 1 tablespoon of salt. Add it 1/2 teaspoon at a time, tasting after each addition.


Classic Chicken Soup

  • 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken
  • carrots, peeled
  • celery stalks
  • large yellow onion, quartered
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat it dry with paper towels. Place the chicken in a large pot.

Cut 3 of the carrots and 2 of the celery stalks into 1-inch pieces. Quarter the onion. Add the cut vegetables to the pot with the salt, peppercorns, and enough cold water to cover (about 8 cups). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, skimming any foam that rises to the top, until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and let cool.

Strain the broth, discarding the vegetables. Return the broth to the pot.

Thinly slice the remaining carrots and celery. Add them to the broth and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes.
When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat and add it to the soup. Ladle into individual bowls.


Tortilla Soup


  • 6 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 8 6- inch corn tortillas, halved and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
  • onion, chopped
  • large cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 1/2 quarts canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
  • 3 cups canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (one 28-ounce can)
  • bay leaves
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 cup lightly-packed cilantro leaves plus 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)
  • 1 3/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
  • avocado, cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 1/4 pound cheddar, grated
  • Lime wedges, for serving

  • 1. In a large heavy pot, heat the oil over moderately high heat. Add half the tortilla strips and cook, stirring, until pale golden, about 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining tortilla strips.
  • 2. Reduce the heat to moderately low. Add the onion, garlic, and spices; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes, bay leaves, salt, cilantro leaves, if using, and one-third of the tortilla strips. Bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes; remove the bay leaves.
  • 3. In a blender, puree the soup in batches; pour it back into the pot. Add the chicken, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook until just done, about 1 minute. Stir in the avocado.
  • 4. To serve, put the remaining tortilla strips in bowls, top with the cheese, and pour in the soup. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro, if using, and serve with the lime wedges.

Creamy Tomato Soup


  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • onion, chopped
  • clove garlic, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes, with juice
  • 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed
  • Salt and pepper
  • Warm oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until slightly softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in flour to blend, about 1 minute.
  • Add tomatoes with juice and broth to saucepan, increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Stir or whisk constantly until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
  • Working in batches, carefully transfer soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Pour into a bowl until all soup is pureed. Return soup to saucepan, stir in cream and cook over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until heated through. Do not boil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot in warmed cups
**** NOTE : sometimes I like to add fresh mint as well



Slow-Cooker Tomato Soup


  • onion, peeled
  • Two 14-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • One 14-ounce can evaporated milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1. Puree onion in a blender or food processor along with enough tomatoes to yield about 4 cups of tomato puree.
  • 2. Pour puree into a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker along with broth, brown sugar, basil, Worcestershire, and cocoa powder. Cover and cook on Low 6 to 8 hours.
  • 3. Ten minutes before serving, stir in evaporated milk and butter; season with salt and pepper. Heat an additional 10 minutes, and serve.