The winter weather has us yearning for comforting, wholesome and hearty dishes and a perfect option that ticks all these boxes is a flavourful soup.
While pre-packaged soups are available in stores, they don’t compare to fresh soup made from scratch. Many of us are feeling the pinch with general cost of living, but soups are a filling and affordable family meal.
Prepared soups can be frozen and reheated – so large batches can be made in advance, cutting down time spent in the kitchen and also reducing overall grocery expenses.
These nine easy-to-prepare vegetarian soup recipes call for no meat but are just as hearty and delicious.
1. Spiced carrot soup
The old wives’ tale is that carrots help you see better in the dark and while we cannot promise that you will have night-vision overnight, we can promise that the whole family will love this spicy carrot soup. The added ginger, garam masala and cumin add a depth of flavour to this dish.
2. Leek and pea soup with crème fraîche
Two words to describe this leek and pea soup with crème fraîche would be “green goodness”. Packed with several verdant vegetables including baby spinach, leek, pea and broccoli, it’s a must-try! The creme fraiche adds to the harmonious balance of the vegetables giving it a creamy and rich finish.
3. Bulgur wheat and vegetable soup
A basic vegetable soup recipe is elevated with bulgur wheat, adding to its heartiness and making it even more filling. This soup has the perfect kick as chillies, smoked paprika and ginger are used to create the flavour base.
4. Button mushroom and thyme soup
If you want to prepare dinner in just 15 minutes, this is the recipe for you. Prepared with button mushrooms, this soup has a naturally creamy texture and the thyme adds to an aromatic and earthy dish everyone will love.
5. Leek and potato soup
Touted as the “quickest leek and potato soup” on our website, this recipe is so easy it will have you wondering why you didn’t prepare it sooner. For this recipe, opt to use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock to make it fully vegetarian.
6. Broccoli cheese soup
If there is one recipe that may convince non-soup lovers to change their minds, we guarantee it is this velvety broccoli-cheddar cheese soup topped with crunchy breadcrumbs. If you prefer a chunkier soup, purée half of the soup and combine it with the un-puréed half of the mixture.
7. Cauliflower and curry cream soup
The mild flavours of one of the most versatile veggies, cauliflower, pair perfectly with cottage cheese, Parmesan and coconut. The addition of curry powder adds a spicy kick to this hearty soup.
8. Roasted tomato and basil soup
If you are looking for a soup to satisfy all your taste buds, look no further. The tangy and rich flavours of this roasted tomato soup pair perfectly with fresh olive bread.
9. Butternut soup with honeyed chickpeas
Soups with a depth of flavour tantalise our taste buds, and the added garam masala and fresh ginger in this butternut soup with honeyed chickpeas is a true delight. The icing on the cake or rather the topping on this soup is that you can create this dish in a mere 30 minutes.