You can live on home-made soup and toast
Nigel Slater – Appetite
I totally agree with Nigel, a bowl of homemade soup can be full of flavour and packed full of nutrients. However, right after that he added: “A diet of home-made soup and toast gets boring after awhile”. I have to disagree with Nigel here. With a few basic cooking skills you can create a huge variety of satisfying meals with these easy plant-based soups for beginners.
Smooth, creamy or packed full of vege – all three ways are covered here. These recipes will become your base for creating your own new recipes. Edit, add and refine them to suit the season or just use up what’s in the fridge.
While not essential, a pressure cooker or instant pot will speed up cooking time. If time is not an issue, a crockpot or slow cooker is ideal, but also not essential. The ingredients simmer and infuse and keep the soup warm until serving.
No matter which recipe you choose, for flavour many soups will start with a mirepoix.
I’d love to see what you make – remember to tag us! @call.me.ishbel
Creamy Leek and Potato Soup
This soup is very quick and easy. Sweet leeks and potatoes are blended to create a creamy texture, making this soup warm and comforting on a cold day.
The subtle flavour invites garnishing, a drizzle of yoghurt or sour cream. Or simply add a squeeze of lemon and season with of freshly cracked black pepper or a sprinkle of freshly chopped chives.
Lettuce & Pea Soup with Soy Sour Cream and Shoots
This soup is an easy way to eat your greens. It may sound unusual or exotic, but it’s simply delicious. A drizzle of soy sour cream – or your favourite plant-based yoghurt. Adding a garnish of pea shoots perfectly compliments the soup. Toasted pine nuts are optional, but bring a nutty crunch, they definitely add to the dish.
Kale and Potato Scotch Broth
The foundation of a hearty soup begins with a mirepoix. To this, add a plant-based stock, whole grains, pulses and diced vegetables.
This Winter Garden Soup doesn’t need a lot of any single vegetable. After creating your mirepoix, feel free to clean out the fridge or garden. It’s hard to go wrong.
Butterkin Focaccia and Red Pepper Soup
This soup absolutely lends itself to adaptation. Thicken with red lentils, add a tin of chopped tomatoes. Create your own flavour with herbs, spices or a curry paste.
Pumpkin and pepper soup is served with a rustic soda bread. Soda bread is a brilliant yeast free recipe you can tussle up in a flash and serve warm with any meal.
Allergens and substitutes All these easy plant-based soup recipes are free-from all animal products, and easily adapted to be allergy friendly. To ensure a recipe is gluten free, consider your choice of stock powder and in the Scotch broth, use buckwheat instead of barley. A slice of this gluten-free focaccia style bread will complete your meal. The soup recipes are nut and soy free apart from some garnishes, which can easily be substituted or omitted.
