There are two types of people in this world. Soup people and non-soup people. Soup people will share their favourite recipes, ideas, and tips. Non-soup people will give you their portion. Either way, soup people win.
I am a soup person. My husband is not. This just might be the secret of our marriage. I make the soup. He lets me eat it all. I get a little territorial about the accompanying scones, but there are always enough to share.
I’ve made this recipe for Tomatoes and Roasted Red Pepper Soup in cooking class many times. Even though most people make soup at home, they religiously follow the recipe and are hesitant to improvise. If you understand the basic principles, soup is easy to make, endlessly versatile, and perfect for sharing with other soup people.
Soup basics
Most soups taste better the next day, so if possible, make a double batch and freeze the leftovers. Regardless of how much soup you plan to make, start with a large saucepan. Go big. A wide pan will simmer more quickly, while the larger surface area allows some of the stock to evaporate, concentrating flavours.
Create a Base: In oil, or oil and butter, sauté your aromatics. These include onions, garlic, shallots, carrots, and celery. If you’re cooking meat for the soup, brown the meat first, remove it, then cook the aromatics in the residual fat.
Bring on the Broth: Most soups use chicken, beef, or vegetable stock or broth, but don’t limit yourself. Include the juice of tinned tomatoes, a bottle of beer, or even plain old water. Wine or juice add brightness, but use sparingly or they will overwhelm the other flavours.
Slowly Simmer: Once your liquid of choice is added, bring the soup just to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered. Add uncooked items like dried beans, or raw or frozen vegetables at this stage. Don’t dump them in all at once. If your ingredients cook at different rates, you’ll need to add them in stages. For example, potatoes will simmer for 20 minutes or so, while broccoli florets might need only 5 minutes.
Adjust the Seasoning: Most soups can benefit from a bit of salt or acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice. For added flavour try soy sauce, fish sauce, miso, or Worcestershire sauce.
Add the Latecomers: To avoid overcooking, add precooked meat, tender vegetables, such as spinach, and fresh herbs at the very end, cooking only long enough to heat through. Dairy should be added at the last minute for chowders, or after puréeing for smooth soups. If your soup has a clear base, add pre-cooked noodles at the end, otherwise the starch can make the soup cloudy.
Finish with Garnish: This can be as simple as a grinding of black pepper or as elaborate as gremolata. Pick a garnish that suits the flavour of the soup. Go beyond croutons. Try bacon, cheese, fresh herbs, guacamole, sour cream, plain yogurt, pesto, toasted nuts, or spiced pumpkin seeds.
Soup Fixes
If the soup is too thin, simmer longer to reduce the stock. This will also concentrate flavours. Alternatively, add some soaked dried beans, uncooked noodles, rice, or raw potato pieces to absorb some of the excess liquid.
If the soup is too thick, thin it with any liquid that will suit the soup — cream, milk, or evaporated milk for cream soups, and stock or water for clear soups.
To Freeze or Not to Freeze
This is the $64,000 question I get all the time. Most soups freeze beautifully. However, dairy- and potato-based soups, as well as those thickened with cornstarch or eggs should not be frozen. Their textures can change, or the soup can separate when reheated.
For best results, don’t add pasta or fresh herbs before freezing. The pasta will be mushy, and the herbs will not retain their bright flavour. Instead, freeze the basic soup and add them when reheating.
For fast defrosting and reheating, freeze soup in single-serving portions, about 1 1/2 to 2 cups per person.
So, that’s it for today. Go see what lurks in the pantry, raid the crisper, and get cooking.
This easy-to-make soup is versatile. It can be made vegetarian with a simple switch of stocked, served either hot or chilled, and can be puréed to be velvety smooth or slightly chunky.
Scale
Ingredients
Soup 1 tablespoon (15 mL) olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped ¼ teaspoon (1.5 mL) red chilli flakes (more if you like it hot) 1 28-ounce (796 ml) can tomatoes 1 ½ cups (375 mL) roughly chopped roasted red peppers (about 4 large) * 2 cups (500 mL) chicken or vegetable stock ¼ cup (60 mL) chopped fresh basil
salt & pepper to taste
Optional Garnish
Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
Fresh basil
Instructions
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and sauté onions until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and chili flakes, and sauté another 2 minutes.
Break the tomatoes apart with your hands and it to the onions, along with the juice and the roasted red peppers. Simmer 10 minutes. Add the stock and basil, heating to a simmer. Taste, adjusting salt and pepper as needed.
Purée the soup directly in the pot using an immersion blender or in batches in a stand blender. The blender will produce a smoother soup. Serve immediately with preferred garnish.
For cold soup, cool to room temperature before chilling in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. The soup will stay cold longer if served in chilled bowls.
Notes
If you don’t have roasted red peppers on hand, you can make your own (see below) or just add a 14 oz (398 ml) tin of tomatoes to the mix and call it Tomato Soup.
Roasted Red Peppers: Jarred roasted peppers save a lot of time. Just drain and use. However, you can roast peppers easily yourself. Place whole peppers on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast them under the broiler, turning every 5 minutes, until the skin is charred all over. Remove from oven and place a bowl over the peppers for 10 to 15 minutes to steam the skins. Using a paring knife, peel off the charred outer skin, slice open the pepper and removed the seeds. If possible, roast a full pan of peppers and freeze the leftovers for later.
