Soup for Supper: An Easy Go-To on a Cold Day

Lovely weather we're having, huh? Just kidding, it's February, and as much as I have loved moving to Colorado and the almost 365 days a year sun I'm not really a cold-weather person. I can appreciate snow or ice on a rare hot chocolate drinking or romance movie watching day, but otherwise, I am a fair-weather friend all the way. However, I've got to tell you: there is truly nothing better than some warm and savory soup on a cold winter day, and I've got a lovely go-to recipe that I like to call the "Everything-but-the-Kitchen-Sink Soup."

Soup with peas, parsley, tomatoes, and toast on the side

There are a few things I love about this soup in particular:

1. This soup requires very little prep work and is a super simple recipe to follow.

2. It's absolutely delicious and super filling.

3. There are SO many modifications that you can make to this soup in order to make it fit your pantry!

Some of the recipes I find most useful in my kitchen are the ones that allow me to use up some of the random ingredients I have lying around from past grocery store runs that never made it into a specific dish. And this particular recipe can be utilized for exactly that!

I always have a bunch of fresh vegetables and herbs that I am looking to use before they go bad (hate to waste food, you know), and they almost always can be used to elevate this dish. Produce like Onions, Bell Peppers, Spinach, Garlic, Mushrooms, and Tomatoes are amazing in this soup but trust me, there's even more you can add if need be. Just remember that the harder the vegetable is the more cook time it probably requires. So hard vegetables like carrots and celery should most likely be added in with the garlic and herbs in the very beginning. While the tomatoes and spinach will enjoy a much shorter cook time.

Additionally, if you're anything like me, you probably also have a pantry stocked full of canned vegetables and beans because their shelf-life is so much more reliable than the fresh stuff. This recipe is GREAT for that too! I like to add peas, chickpeas, and/or black beans (on occasion), but you've got a lot of options in this department too.

As always, modify this recipe to your liking. I suggest adding more spices like oregano, garlic powder, and basil. AND, keep an eye on the grain you are choosing to use. When I make this soup, I use wild rice with an approximate cook time of 45 minutes, but some grains take less time or more time than others.

When serving, I love to add in a heaping dollop of ricotta cheese, which melts perfectly in the soup and gives it such a pretty pinkish color. I always enjoy soup with some dunk-able treats like toasted bread or crackers, but if you're an essentialist I can always respect that too.

Overall, this soup is an ideal first step towards strengthening your autonomy in the kitchen and doesn't require an extra grocery run to be delicious. My suggestion: establish a baseline of flavor you like for this soup, and then play around from there. And remember: it's hard to go wrong if you taste as you go.

Have fun, stay warm, and don't forget to wash your hands.

Sincerely,

Madison Rhe