Just Easy Recipes » Soup Recipes

Creamy Broccoli Soup

Louise — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:12:10 +0000

This is one of my absolute favourite soup recipes and can be whipped up in 30 minutes flat. The recipe makes use of spinach leaves in addition to broccoli as well as a hint of lemon which all combine extremely well together. Although the recipe calls for baby spinach leaves, the larger leaves can be used – they just have a slightly stronger taste.

Ingredients:

3 Leeks, chopped (white part only)
4 spring onions, chopped (white part only)
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
2 heads broccoli (+/- 450g), chopped
200g baby spinach leaves
3/4 cup fresh cream
1.5 litres vegetable stock
50ml lemon juice
3 rounds of feta
1 tbsp butter

Method:

In a large pot, fry the leeks, spring onions and garlic cloves in butter until soft.
Add the broccoli, spinach and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and cook until broccoli is tender +- 10 minutes.
Blend with a stick or hand blender until smooth and then add the lemon juice and cream. Season with salt and pepper.
Place half a round of feta in each soup when serving.

Lentil, Feta and Red Pepper Soup

Louise — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:49:19 +0000

Perfect as a lunch time snack or light dinner, this wholesome, lentil, feta and red-pepper soup is quick and easy to prepare. The recipe makes use of Truss tomatoes which are vine-ripened and are often sold with the vine still intact. They are bright red and full of flavour. If you can’t find them at the supermarket you can just use tinned tomatoes instead.

Ingredients:

2 red peppers
1 can of lentils
1 onion, chopped
12 truss tomatoes (or 2 cans of whole tomatoes)
3 sticks celery, chopped
1 cube of vegetable stock dissolved in 2 cups hot water
2 tbsp olive oil
4 rounds of feta
Parsley, chopped for garnishing
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Salt and pepper

Method:

Preheat the oven to 230°C, cut the truss tomatoes in half, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and roast for 20 minutes
In the meantime, fry the onion, celery, peppers and garlic in the other tbsp olive oil.
Now add the lentils, roasted tomatoes as well as the vegetable stock and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Remove from heat and blend with a stick blender – you can blend until smooth or you can leave it slightly chunky.
Add a round of feta to each bowl before serving and garnish with parsley.

Minestrone Soup

Louise — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:42:49 +0000

Minestrone is a classic Italian soup and perfect for a cold winter’s day. It may sound like a lot of work when you read the list of ingredients, but it’s really just all about chopping and combining everything together.

Ingredients:

2 onions, finely chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 sticks celery, chopped
2 large potatoes, chopped into squares
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup green beans, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 ½ litres water
1 cube beef stock
1 cube vegetable stock
2 tins peeled, chopped tomatoes
1 tin cannellini beans
100g spaghetti
salt and pepper, to taste
parmesan cheese, grated for garnish

Method:

Heat the oil and butter in a large pot, add onions and cook till soft and golden brown.
Add the carrots, celery, potatoes, garlic, green beans and tomatoes. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the water and stock cubes.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer semi-covered for 1-1 ½ hours. The soup should be fairly thick at this point. If it is not, leave the lid off and simmer for a further 15 minutes.
Add the beans and spaghetti, season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil for approximately 15 minutes.
Serve with garlic bread and a little grated parmesan.

Butternut Soup

Louise — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 09:59:38 +0000

A bowl of steaming hot butternut soup served with fresh bread is irresistible to most – especially on a cold winter’s day. This quick and easy recipe will allow you to whip up a typical South African starter in no time at all.

Ingredients:

1 large butternut
1 ½ cans of light coconut milk
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 large onion
2 tbsp butter
salt to taste
ginger to taste

Method:

Cut the butternut in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Rub the butternut with about one tablespoon of melted butter and sprinkle with salt. Roast the butternut with the cut-side up on a baking tray for about an hour at 190°C. You will know that it is ready when a butter knife goes into it with ease.
While the butternut is roasting, sauté sliced onion in a tablespoon of butter and when it is soft, add the brown sugar and cook for about three minutes. Remove from heat.
When the butternut is roasted, scoop the flesh out with a spoon and put it into a blender. Add the onion and brown sugar mixture. Add the coconut milk. Add a dash of ginger to taste. Blend until smooth.
Heat and serve.