The Mail-Order Catalog for Healthy Eating

Soulful Soups

You’ll find these and dozens of other soulful soups in Vegetarian Soups for All Seasons

Potato, Cheese, and Green Chili Soup
Sweet Potato Soup
Italian Pasta and Bean Soup
Greek Flavored Spinach and Orzo Soup

Have you ever noticed how often the phrase "soul-satisfying" accompanies the word "soup"? I happen to agree that a good soup does as much for the spirit as it does for the stomach. I can think of no other food that gives as much comfort.

Generally, the process of making soup is nearly as satisfying as the enjoyment of the result. Soup-making, of all forms of cookery, is to my mind, the best exercise in mindfulness. And its usually a simple process, too. Even if there are a number of ingredients, generally, little more needs to be done with them than to cut them and throw them into the pot.

POTATO, CHEESE, AND GREEN CHILI SOUP
6 to 8 servings

This flavorful soup is a contemporary classic from the American Southwest.

5 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
5 cups vegetable stock or water
1 tablespoon light olive or olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup chopped fresh, ripe tomatoes (substitute canned if good, ripe tomatoes are unavailable)
1 cup cooked fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
4-ounce can chopped mild green chilies
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2 cups grated organic Monterey Jack cheese or jack-style non-dairy cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Place the potato dice in a soup pot and cover with the stock or water. Bring to a simmer, then simmer gently, covered, until the potatoes are just tender, about 15 minutes.

In the meantime, heat the oil in a small skillet. Sauté the onion over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and green pepper and sauté until the mixture begins to brown lightly.

Remove half of the potatoes from their cooking liquid with a slotted spoon and place them in a shallow bowl. Mash them well, then stir back into the soup pot, followed by the onion-bell pepper mixture. Add the tomatoes, corn, green chilies, and chili powder. Add additional water if the soup is too dense. Stir together, return to a simmer, then simmer gently for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle in the grated cheese, a little at a time, stirring it until it is fairly well melted each time (soy cheese may not melt as completely). Season with salt and pepper and simmer over very low heat, stirring frequently, for another 5 minutes.

Serve at once, or let stand for an hour or so before serving. Heat through as needed and adjust the consistency with more water if the soup becomes too thick.

SWEET POTATO SOUP
6 servings

A warming soup with an appealing golden color. The natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes gives this soup a surprising flavor twist.

2 tablespoons light olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 large celery stalk, diced
Handful of celery leaves
6 cups peeled, diced (about 1/2 inch) sweet potatoes
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup low-fat milk, rice milk, or soymilk, or as needed
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté over low heat until the onions are golden. Add the celery leaves and sweet potato dice. Add just enough water to cover all but about an inch of the vegetables. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the bay leaves and seasonings. Simmer gently, covered, until the sweet potatoes and vegetables are quite tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.

With a slotted spoon, remove about half of the solid ingredients and transfer to a food processor along with about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Process until smoothly pureed, then stir back into the soup pot. Add the milk or soymilk as needed to achieve a slightly thick consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer over very low heat for another 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve at once, or let stand off the heat for an hour or two before serving, then heat through as needed.

ITALIAN PASTA AND BEAN SOUP
8 or more servings

This Italian standard, served with fresh bread and a salad, is a meal in itself.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 large celery stalk, cut into 1/4-inch dice
Two 16-ounce cans cannellini (large white beans), drained and rinsed
7 cups water
2 cups diced zucchini
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian herb seasoning mix
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 1/2 cups ditalini (tiny tubular pasta)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery, and sauté over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is golden. Add the beans, cooking liquid or water, zucchini, bay leaves, herb mix, and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer, then simmer gently, covered, until the zucchini is just tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the soup to stand for an hour or so to develop flavor.

In a separate saucepan, cook the pasta al dente. Rinse briefly under cool water until it stops steaming. Add the parsley to the soup and heat it through. When the soup is hot, add the cooked pasta and season with salt and pepper. Serve at once.

GREEK-FLAVORED SPINACH AND ORZO SOUP
6 to 8 servings

A lively, lemony soup that comes together quickly.

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion or sliced leek
1 large red bell pepper, diced
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
1 vegetable bouillon cube
16-ounce can diced tomatoes
5 to 6 ounces fresh spinach, rinsed, stemmed, and chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or dill,
or a combination, or more to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion or leek and sauté over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper and garlic and sauté the vegetables for another 5 to 8 minutes, or until the onion or leek turns golden and the red pepper softens.

In the meantime, cook the orzo in a separate saucepan until al dente. When done, drain.

Add the 5 cups water, the bouillon cubes, and tomatoes to the soup pot. Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Add the cooked orzo to the soup along with the spinach and herbs. Stir in the lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper. Serve at once.

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