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What to add to a bowl of soup to make it an interesting evening meal?

20 replies

Breadcat24 · 03/01/2025 15:13

Please can you help- I have been using up veg making soups and am looking for ideas to add a side dish to them to make an interesting complete evening meal.
I am not talking stew type soups here (like chicken and veg) where you can also add lentils or barley etc to increase interest and nutrition. I mean smooth veg soups like spicy pumpkin, parsnip, celery, mushroom, leek and potato.
Of course crusty bread -but a side dish makes it seem more complete if you know what I mean?
So far things I have done in the past are
Rosti with poached egg on top
Quiche
Roasted veg tart- usually onion
Small pastry parcel with something like brie
Pizza slice like topped thing

Any ideas please ideally not bread!!

OP posts:
Godfreydahling · 03/01/2025 15:14

Cheese scones and toasted pumpkin seeds

WifeOfMacbeth · 03/01/2025 15:14

Cold meat and salad.
A cheeseboard and crackers.

Godfreydahling · 03/01/2025 15:15

Toasties
Quesodillas

littlemissprosseco · 03/01/2025 15:16

Steak sandwich

KnickerlessParsons · 03/01/2025 15:18

Do you mean to eat with the soup, or as a separate course?

OP posts:
Breadcat24 · 03/01/2025 15:19

@KnickerlessParsons
Love the username - I was thinking of serving at the same time- does not need to be eaten together though

OP posts:
Bjorkdidit · 03/01/2025 15:23

Cheese on toast, would go especially well with tomato soup
If you're making a spiced soup, something like onion bhajis and/or naan bread
Cheese and crackers
Cheesy garlic bread
Sausage roll

Basically any substantial savoury snack

Doingthework · 03/01/2025 15:24

littlemissprosseco · 03/01/2025 15:16

Steak sandwich

I had a Francesinha in Porto a steak sandwich in tomato soup delicious!

ZenNudist · 03/01/2025 15:24

Toasted pumpkin seeds are a must. Add some paprika or piri piri salt when toasting them to increase the yum.

I blend feta with Greek yoghurt and add to Roasted red pepper soup with the pumpkin seeds. It's a revelation.

Spray oil on drained chickpeas( I dry with a clean tea towel) and then roast in the oven or air fryer. These are good on salads or in cous cous,could be added to soups, as could the non-fried version.

Roasted Broccoli possibly in garlic or chilli oil.

Stilton and sour cream blended to a tasty dip drops nicely into Broccoli soup.

If not avoiding bread then toasted or baked/ crisp rounds of French stick with cheese put on them and toasted.

Croutons which I buy for caesar salad get used up in soups.

I also add toasted seed mixes and make my own dukkah to add to soups.

You could stir-fry cabbage and add (but I really love greens)

Or cook up some spinach and squeeze water out to add

Roasted asparagus is nice too. Doesn't take long to roast and you can bring the flavour out with a squeeze of lemon.

Roasted cherry tomatoes also good.

I just like adding texture to soups. I prefer a smooth soup with added something in the middle than a deliberately chunky soup.

boulevardofbrokendreamss · 03/01/2025 15:26

Seems a bit complicated. If we're having soup as a meal it's either pho or something bulked out eg chorizo and beans, PE and ham. Possibly some garlic bread.

I wouldn't be fading around with rostis. Pastry tarts etc

Breadcat24 · 03/01/2025 15:27

@ZenNudist All great suggestions but I am after a side rather than an addition.
i might add croutons, cream or chilli oil or herbs to add interest but I want the family to feel they have had a complete meal not been fobbed off with soup!

OP posts:
SANDRAAAA · 03/01/2025 15:28

Egg tortilla, scrambled eggs on toast fried egg sandwich, club sandwich and crisps

Breadcat24 · 03/01/2025 15:28

@boulevardofbrokendreamss
Rostis were more using stuff up- making them out of left over roast potatoes

OP posts:
Alikelypath777 · 03/01/2025 15:30

Cheese and crackers
Celery sticks filled with cream cheese or blue cheese
Cheese scones
Minî gougères

Godfreydahling · 03/01/2025 15:31

You could do mini nachos (tortilla chips, melted cheese, salsa, guacamole etc) with any tomato/pepper type soup.

Onlyvisiting · 03/01/2025 15:31

With the soup-
Any kind of sandwich, toasted if you feel fancy! Cheese and ham are best
Cheese and crackers
Ryveta with butter. .

As a separate course- anything you fancy! I wouldn't have a salad or pasta dish on the side but they would be OK as a separate thing.

But also- you can add some more substance to a smooth soup, ie adding tiny pasta, or diced cooked meat like chicken breast.
Chicken and veg isn't a stew in my book, i like the meat and veg chopped really tiny, like it would be in tinned soup.
Broccoli and Stilton soup is nice made fairly thick and with crumbled bacon and Stilton scattered on top

Leek and potato is good with ham.

Breadcat24 · 03/01/2025 15:34

@Onlyvisiting
Great for me- except never understood the crackers with soup thing (not American).
But husbands face if all he gets is a bowl of soup and bread- even if it has go bacon on it!

OP posts:
Onlyvisiting · 03/01/2025 15:34

Breadcat24 · 03/01/2025 15:27

@ZenNudist All great suggestions but I am after a side rather than an addition.
i might add croutons, cream or chilli oil or herbs to add interest but I want the family to feel they have had a complete meal not been fobbed off with soup!

I think maybe serve the soup with something fairly light (if yoy are against bread?) Like crackers ir breadsticks, then move on to something else as a 2nd course then.
But tbh that sounds like you are cooking 2 meals in one, I'd rather just have soup and a sturdy sandwich on the side/to dunk.

CoastalCalm · 03/01/2025 15:36

Corn bread or fried polenta slices

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