AIBU to ask for your favourite vegetable soup recipes, to help me start to like soup?

[FollowYourOwnNorthStar]

Hi All,

I’m in the Southern Hemisphere, and it’s heading into Autumn. I am trying to lose weight, and get more vegetables in my diet. I typically start to eat more and put on weight in the colder months (hot chocolates!) and I would like to break the cycle this year. It occurred to me that a good thing to take for lunch in autumn/winter would be vegetable soup.

But I don’t like vegetable soup.

I was recently on holiday and had a delicious vegetable soup at a restaurant (which is what gave me this idea). I tried asking for their recipe, but no response. I have been thinking it over, and my solution is to make a resolution to make a new vegetable soup every week to try thought Autumn and Winter. Hopefully by the end I will have found a few I like.

But where to start???

Does anyone have any recipes (or links to recipes) for their favourites? If it helps, I seem to prefer thicker soups (eg with a roux or starchy vegetable blended to make it thick) and I’d like them to be all vege soups to ray and get me eating more vegetables (but I’m not adverse to receipts with meat in them.

Thank you in advance.

Oh...I came here to say Thai butternut squash soup - it's AMAZING. Google it, there are a few different recipes. I use one with huge amounts of coconut milk in it, which significantly contributes to the deliciousness but won't do you much good if you're trying to lose weight!

As you are ok eating meat, I'd recommend that whatever soup you make, you use a good chicken stock (home made or bought) as it will really help the flavour.

Also, watercress soup is incredible (again, good stock really helps) and celery soup is a revelation if you don't already know how wonderful cooked celery is.

White bean and rosemary. My favourite!

Best thing for weight loss, is soup.

I make loads of soups and always add lentils, split peas, chick peas for extra protein.

The key is a good stock, plenty of flavours going on and as your OP said the thicker the better.

My usual recipe is onion, garlic, red pepper, sweet potato, lentils, tinned tomatoes, coconut milk, then a splash of soy, chili. Or if I fancy an Italian style, as above but no coconut milk, add stock instead and basil, oregano etc. I blend it with a hand blender until its quite chunky.

I often add a handful of chopped spinach just before serving too.

I am fussy about soup. Pulses are a complete turn-off (can make it sludgy/grainy and cause no end of bother to my digestive system)

I love broths (eg scotch broth or MIL’s Jewish chicken soup) but if you prefer thicker soups then celeriac is delicious, especially with a little bit of bacon added

Sweet potato and chilli -yummm

www.taste.com.au/recipes/sweet-potato-chilli-soup/673e1eeb-7726-40b0-8ca4-9255644b1e21

Spiced cauliflower soup
www.nigella.com/recipes/members/jocelyns-spicy-cauliflower-soup

I also add smoked paprika.

Yes - the key is good stock.

I start with gently fried onions and garlic.

Use any herbs and spices you like.

Favourite recipes in my house:

Spiced carrot and butternut squash

Prep and roast squash
Fry onions and garlic near end of them being ready add coriander and cumin.
Add stock, chopped carrots bring to boil
Add squash and curry powder till simmering

Blend and serve - dd loves it

Carrot and coriander also popular here.

Tomato and basil - dd likes if there's small pasta added too and we call it Italian soup

I also do "clear out" soup when fridge and freezer being cleared out ahead of eg Xmas

Carrot and tomato base but basically chuck in any veg that needs using up, add any herbs and spices you like - taste as you go along. You'll be (pleasantly) surprised.

Spiced Sweet potato and tomato, easy-peasy. Sweat a chopped onion, garlic, tsp fennel seeds, tsp cumin seeds and a chili in a little olive oil, add a peeled and chopped sweet potato, about 3/4 pint of chicken stock and a 400 gram tin of tomatoes. Simmer 30 minutes then blend.
There is also a recipe on here for a pea, cucumber and spring onion soup which is great.

This is delicious and freezes really well
www.deliaonline.com/recipes/books/delias-complete-how-to-cook/pumpkin-soup-with-toasted-sweetcorn

I can't be bothered faffing around toasting sweetcorn so I just remove the kernels from 5 corn cobs and add them with the pumpkin.

I also use low-fat milk and veggie or chicken stock from a carton. And I zap it all in the pan with a stick blender.

Thanks everyone!

I’ve counted and that’s 18 different soups. I’m going to make 2 every weekend over the next 9 weeks as my lunches for work....hopefully by the end I’ll have found some I love and will be happy to keep making for the rest of autumn/winter.

Thank you again! Especially to those who posted the recipes or links

Pea and mint soup is delicious...

www.google.co.uk/amp/www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-3767374/amp/Mary-Berry-Family-Sunday-Lunches-Pea-mint-soup.html

I didn’t like soup once upon a time but I do now. We’ve tried and tested the following and would recommend...

Roasted squash soup

Spiced carrot & red lentil

Carrot & coriander

Broccoli & turnip Although this one works best with a tonne of Parmesan so might not be the best for diets. You can use regular broccoli with this if you can’t find the Roman stuff.

Lentil & coconut Nice quick one but surprisingly tasty.

Harissa spiced root veg

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 leek
1/4 swede
1/4 celeriac or 2 sticks celery
1 medium sweet potato
2 carrots
1/2 medium butternut squash
2 tbsp harissa paste ( or to taste)
1 litre Veg or chicken stock
1 large handful fresh coriander leaf

Melt oil in pan
Add peeled and chopped veg and cook for a few minutes until softened slightly
Add harissa paste and cook for a couple of minutes
Add veg stock
Simmer for 20 minutes
Add coriander
Whizz with blender

Can add a tin of drained chickpeas to boost protein if wanted

Thanks for the suggestions CrazyOldBagLady and Vole3 they look full of flavour. I will definitely add them to the trial list. I’m really hoping I can find 5-6 I like enough to have on a regular basis to take for lunch.

My fave is sweet potato and butternut squash. Chop up both put in pan with garlic and water and a chicken stock cube, salt and pepper, simmer till soft then blitz till smooth, amazing!

I make a simple spicy red pepper and tomato soup which is great on cold days and very simple to make.

Chop an onion and soften in a little oil, add a chopped red pepper and a finely chopped, de-seeded red chilli. Cook through until softened. Add a can of chopped tomatoes and half a pint of veg stock. Season to taste and simmer for 20 mins or so. Whizz with a blender. Also good without the chilli if not to your taste.

Good stock makes the world of difference. I keep veg trimmings in the freezer and stick them in the slow cooker with the bones every time I roast a chicken, but if I don't have homemade stock Marigold vegetable bouillon is delicious.

www.deliaonline.com/ask-lindsey/tomato-apple-and-celery-cream-soup is very nice.

1 bag of chopped casserole veg or stew pack, half a cup of red lentils, half a tin of chopped tomatoes, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, half a teaspoon of garlic granules, water to cover. Simmer until lentils are soft, add 2 vegetable stock cubes dissolved in water, 1 teaspoon of mixed dried herbs, half a tin of baked beans (optional),simmer for a few more minutes until all vegetables are soft. You can serve this with the veg left whole as a stew, or liquidised as a soup.

I know people who don’t like soup but like leek and potato soup.

I make soup a lot and you don’t even need vegetable stock really. Just add plenty of seasoning (and herbs if you like)

Look on bbcgoodfood under soup and look at the best rated ones.

In general broth type soups will have fewer calories than thick creamy soups.

I am not a fan of blended type soups. In some parts of the UK there seems to be a goal of "velvety" type soups, mushed and blended like baby food. I find that very dull to eat.

I prefer lumpy soups, like Scotch broth, Tom Yam or Minestrone.
These lumpy soups will have fewer calories than a blended sweet potato soup.

TBH the idea of eating a bowl of blended sweet potato soup leaves me numb. I may as well eat a jar of baby food. And these creamy soups need bread to stop you dying of boredom.

Give me a huge bowl of red hot Tom Yam. spiced, full of prawns, or chicken, mushrooms, coriander,, every spoonful is different. Probably only 150 calories but feels like a banquet. And you don't eat it with bread.

If you like leek and potato then cock a leekie is superb,.

A lumpy Scottish recipe with a good chicken stock.

place mark