3 Healthy Winter Soups

Hearty soups are an inevitable item for a winter dinning table – nothing comforts you more than a steaming hot soup bowl that is loaded with exquisite flavors. Keeping that in mind, today I bring three classic soup recipes from across the globe for you to try at home. All these recipes are tried, tested and adapted to suit majority of Pakistani households and taste buds. Make them a part of your dinner table or serve them as a healthy evening time snack, they will go brilliantly either way.

Tomato and Garlic Soup

Ingredients

Canned crushed tomatoes – 28 oz

Garlic (smashed) – 15+3 cloves

Medium red onions (sliced) – 2

Medium carrots (peeled & quartered lengthwise)

Chicken broth – 28 oz

Bay leaf – 1

Oregano – 1 tsp

Fresh basil (chopped) – 2tbsp

Salt – to taste

Freshly ground pepper – to taste

Olive oil – as required

Procedure

• Heat some olive oil in a pan and fry 3 cloves of smashed garlic. When it changes colour slightly, add canned crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, oregano, some salt and pepper and freshly chopped basil. Cook for few minutes and set aside.
• Take a large bowl and toss the onion, carrots, remaining garlic, a little olive oil and some salt together. Spread these veggies on a baking sheet and bake them for about 6-8 minutes just to turn them slightly golden.
• Allow the baked veggies to cool down a bit and chop them in a food processor.
• Mix chicken broth, tomato mixture and processed veggies together in a pan and bring it to a quick boil on medium heat.
• Season tomato garlic soup with salt and pepper according to your taste and let it simmer till it acquires your desired consistency.
• Serve hot with croutons.

Classic Chicken & Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

Chicken broth – 5 cups

Boneless chicken (boiled & shredded) – 2 cups

Celery stalks (cut in ¼ inch rounds) – 3 medium

Carrots (cut into half inch pieces) – 2 medium

Potatoes (cut into half inch pieces) – 2 medium

Salt – to taste

Ground black pepper – to taste

Procedure

• Bring chicken broth to a quick boil over medium heat.
• Add vegetables and cook till they become tender.
• Stir in chicken and let it simmer for few minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve immediately with french garlic bread.

 Classic Creamy Potato Soup

Ingredients

Chicken broth – 8 cups

Milk – 1 cup

Heavy cream – ½ cup

Russet potatoes (peeled & diced) – 8 small

Carrots (peeled & diced) – 2 medium

Onion (finely chopped) – 1 small

Fresh parsley (minced) – as required

Salt – to taste

Freshly ground black pepper – to taste

Cheese of your choice (grated) – 1 cup

Boneless chicken breasts (cut in stripes and baked) – 250 gm

Flour (for thickening) – 3 tbsp

Procedure

• Combine all diced veggies in a large pan except parsley. Fill the pan with enough water to soak the veggies completely and bring to a quick boil.
• Add chicken broth and cook until potatoes become tender. Allow the mixture to cool and blend everything together until smooth with a food processor.
• Keep the heat medium and bring soup to a gentle boil. Combine flour and milk together in a separate pan and pour into the soup over medium heat while whisking gently. Let it simmer on slow heat for 10 minutes or so.
• Season with salt and pepper according to the taste.
• Stir in heavy cream and fresh parsley. Turn off the heat.
• Laddle soup in serving bowls and add grated cheese, (I like cheddar, you can add whatever you like) and baked chicken strips on top. Serve hot.