Easily, family-friendly soups to beat the lockdown blues
These nourishing, flavourful and easy-to-make soups are perfect for taking the whole family into the cooler weather while keeping to your kitchen budget.
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OK, put down the chocolate — at least, just for a moment while you read this.
The weather’s turning and with a looming return to post-Easter normality (sort of), comforting bowls of goodness are what we all need right now.
These recipes from Pantry Heroes don’t cost a lot to make and, best of all, there will be plenty of leftovers.
You can freeze soup; just be sure to put it in an airtight container, and leave a 3cm gap at the top so the liquid can expand as it freezes.
Family Budget Chicken Soup
Easy
0:30 Prep
2:05 Cook
8 Servings
“A budget winter meal, which has been a family favourite of ours for many years,” says Pantry Heroes contributor Sal. “The ingredients of this soup are based on saving money at the supermarket without compromising on flavour, as well as being a healthy, low-fat meal. I like to buy the small twin-pack chickens which are very economical. I freeze one for the next soup and save half the packet of pasta for next time also. I easily get two meals out of one soup, have leftovers, or feed a crowd for next to nothing.”
INGREDIENTS
1 whole chicken skin on small uncooked
3 1/2L water
3 tbs. chicken stock powder
5 bay leaves
1 onion peeled
1 carrot broken into chunks
1 celery stick thickly sliced
2 tsp mixed dried herbs
1/2 tsp salt and pepper *to taste
250g pasta small uncooked
420g canned corn kernels drained
420g cream-style canned corn
2 carrots diced peeled *extra
2 celery sticks diced *extra
2 cups mixed vegetables diced
METHOD
Place first 9 ingredients into a large 5L soup pot, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to a rapid simmer for approximately one hour.
Meanwhile, cook pasta as per packet instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Remove the chicken and stock vegetables from the broth. Discard stock vegetables.
Debone chicken, roughly chop meat and return to pot.
Add corn kernels, creamed corn, carrots, celery and 2 cups of vegetables of choice.
Simmer for a further 45 minutes, check seasoning, add salt and pepper and additional chicken stock powder if necessary.
Add cooked pasta and extra water to balance the liquid ratio, depending on size of chicken and amount of vegetables. Simmer for an extra five minutes.
Serve with crusty bread for a complete family meal.
Thai Pumpkin Soup
Easy
0:15 Prep
0:18 Cook
6 Servings
“Even if you’re not a massive pumpkin soup fan this recipe may convert you. The perfect amount of spice that really takes this soup to another level.” Pantry Heroes.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 butternut pumpkin chopped
1 sweet potato chopped peeled
2 carrot chopped peeled
1 onion sliced
2 potato chopped peeled
3 tsp ginger
1 tbs. lemon juice
3 tsp red Thai curry paste
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp coriander
400 ml coconut cream
2 cups Chicken Style Liquid Stock
2 tsp pepper
1 tsp butter
METHOD
Peel and chop vegetables into large pieces and set aside.
In a pressure cooker saute onion and garlic with a teaspoon of butter, then pop in curry paste give it a stir
Add all the Vegetables, coconut cream, stock, lemon juice and spices. Give it a mix and pressure cook for 18 minutes.
Blend and serve with crusty bread
TIP: Alternatively place all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours
Bacon Hock and Vegetable Soup
Easy
0:15 Prep
8:00 Cook
6 Servings
“A tasty winter soup meal for the whole family.” Pantry Heroes.
INGREDIENTS
50g instant soup mix (recommended cup of soup mixes are chicken and corn, beef or vegetable but not ‘cream of’ varieties)
1L Beef Style Liquid Stock
1 cup mixed vegetables chopped raw
2 ham hock
1/3 cup soup mix
METHOD
Add all ingredients to slow cooker.
Cook on low to medium for 8 hours, then remove bacon hocks.
Remove meat from the bone and add back into slow cooker.
Serve with hot crusty bread.
Creamy Potato and Leek Soup
Easy
0:10 Prep
0:30 Cook
4 Servings
INGREDIENTS
4 shortcut bacon rashers
1 brown onion diced
1 leek thinly sliced
1 tsp garlic crushed
1 tbs. butter
1 tbs. olive oil
4 sebago potato brushed peeled cut into chunks
1 cup Vegetable Liquid Stock
1 cup Pauls lactose-free Zymil milk
1 pinch salt *to taste
1 pinch pepper *to taste
1 sourdough bread
1 packet chives fresh thinly sliced *to serve
METHOD
Heat butter and oil in a large saucepan. When the butter begins to froth, add in the leek, bacon, onion and garlic and stir well. Cook for a few minutes until the leek begins to soften.
Add in the potatoes and stir well. Add the stock and milk and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and fall apart.
Once the potatoes are soft using a stick blender, pulse until creamy. You can leave chunks of potato if you like for a more rustic soup or completely blend.
To make the croutons, toast the sourdough bread lightly then tear up small squares. Ladle the soup into your serving bowl, top with croutons, sprinkle over chives and enjoy.
Roasted Broccoli and Almond Soup
Easy
0:15 Prep
0:35 Cook
4 Servings
INGREDIENTS
4 garlic cloves peeled whole
2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp chilli dried
6 pieces soy and linseed bread
2 cups broccoli roasted
1/2 cup almonds roasted
250 g cannellini beans drained rinsed
2 tbs. lemon juice
1 1/2 L chicken stock (liquid) good quality
1 handful parsley fresh *to garnish
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180C – 200C and on an oven tray place the broccoli, garlic, olive oil and chilli, then cook for 10 – 15 minutes. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes.
In a food processor, add all of the ingredients including the broccoli tray ingredients, except for the stock, and blend until smooth.
Place the mixture into a saucepan with the stock and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes.
Serve with crusty soy and linseed bread and fresh parsley.
Originally published as Easily, family-friendly soups to beat the lockdown blues