Recipe Tag: Vegetarian Soups

Lentil Chili

Place the olive oil in a large saucepan, over medium heat.

Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions have softened.

Add the crushed tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano, chipotle (if used), salt, and pepper, and stir well.

Add the water and the lentils, and stir well.

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until lentils are cooked through but not mushy, approximately 45 minutes to an hour.

Serve with 1 1/2 tablespoon sour cream and 1/2 ounce Monterey jack cheese per serving.

Lentil and Chickpea Soup

Place the water, lentils, and chickpeas in a large bowl and let stand for at least 10 hours.

Drain and rinse. Set aside.

Place the olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium high heat.

Add the celery and cook for about 4 minutes until slightly translucent. Stir frequently.

Add the carrots and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir frequently.

Add the vegetable stock, water, bay leaves, and the chickpeas and lentils.

Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 45 minutes.

Add the salt and pepper and simmer for another 15 minutes.

Serve.

Indian Chickpea Stew

Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat.

Add the olive oil, and when hot, add the ginger and garlic.

Cook for about 1 minute. Stir frequently.

Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir frequently.

Add the celery and green pepper and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir frequently.

Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt, honey, and water.

Stir, then simmer the stew for about 30 minutes, uncovered, until thick. Stir occasionally.

Serve.

Iced Cucumber Soup

Melt the butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the cucumber and sauté about ten minutes. The cucumber should be lightly browned.

Add the chicken broth and increase heat to medium-high. Bring the soup to a boil, stirring occasionally, and add the white wine.

Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about ten minutes stirring frequently. Add dill, salt and pepper.

Reduce heat to medium low and simmer two minutes.

Blend until smooth using a stick blender. (Or place 1/2 of the soup in a blender jar and blend on liquefy until smooth. Remove to a storage container. Repeat with the other half of the soup and allow it to cool.)

After the soup is cooled add 1/2 cup of the sour cream and the yogurt to the soup. Whisk until smooth and then cover and chill until very cold.

To serve, ladle into individual bowls, top each with a dollop of the remaining sour cream. Garnish with cucumber slices and fresh dill.

Ginger Carrot Soup with Spiced Yogurt

Place a large sauce pan over medium high heat.

Add the ginger and cook for about 1 minute. Stir continuously.

Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Stir frequently.

Add the carrots, vegetable stock, water, salt and cayenne pepper.

Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes.

While the soup is simmering, place the yogurt, nutmeg, coriander, paprika, and green onion in a small bowl.

Gently fold together and then chill.

When the carrots are soft, puree using a stick blender or a blender.

After the soup has been pureed, add the coconut milk and goat cheese.

Simmer gently until the goat cheese has melted.

Serve topped with the spiced yogurt.

Ginger Broccoli Soup

Cut the flowerets from the broccoli and set aside.

Peel the stems, using a vegetable peeler, and cut into 1/2 inch dice.

Place 2 cups of the water in a saucepan fitted with a steamer basket over high heat.

When the water comes to a boil, add the flowerets and steam for 15 minutes.

When the broccoli is done, run the flowerets under cold water and set aside to cool.

Place the sesame oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.

Add the ginger and garlic and cook for about 2 minutes.  Stir frequently.

Add the onion and the diced broccoli stems and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the water, coconut milk, salt and honey.

Bring to a simmer.

Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, then let cool for 5 minutes.

Using an immersion blender or stand blender, puree the broccoli stem mixture, slowly adding the steamed broccoli flowerets.

Puree until smooth.

Chill, then serve.

Fresh Tomato Soup with Basil and Oregano

Place the water in a stock pot and bring to a boil.

Add the tomatoes and boil for about 15-20 minutes, then remove the tomatoes to a plate lined with a paper towel to cool.

When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, peel away the skin from the tomatoes and discard the skin.

Cut the cores from the tomatoes and discard the cores.

Set the tomatoes aside.

Place the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and reduce the heat to medium-low.

Cook the onions and garlic for about 10 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Stir frequently.

Add the tomatoes to the onion/garlic mixture.

Lightly mash the tomatoes with a fork or spatula and add the vegetable stock and salt.

Cover and allow to simmer gently for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

After 30 minutes place the tomato and onion mixture in a blender with the pepper, maple syrup, goat cheese, and tomato paste.

Puree until smooth.

Add the oregano and basil and puree for about 30 seconds.

Serve.

Eggplant & Garlic Soup

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Add 2 teaspoons of the olive oil to a large skillet.

Place the eggplant in the skillet, cut side down, and place the pan in the oven.

Place the bulb of garlic in a small sauce pan or garlic roaster, cut side down. Add the remaining teaspoon olive oil to the dish and cover.

Place the garlic in the oven.

Roast the eggplant and the garlic for about 40 minutes.

Remove and let cool for about 10 minutes.

Scoop the meat of the eggplant out of the skin and place in a blender, discarding the skin.

Remove the garlic from the bulb and place the garlic in the blender with the eggplant.

Add the salt, white beans, and goat cheese.

Puree until smooth.

Serve.

Curried Lentil Soup

Place the olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium high heat.

Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes.

Add the carrots and celery and cook, stirring frequently, for another 3 minutes.

Add the cumin and curry powder and cook for about one minute.

Add the water, lentils, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the lentils are just cooked. Stir occasionally.

Serve.

Curried Corn Soup

Place the 5 cups water in a saucepan over high heat.

When the water boils add the rice, stir, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Partially cover and simmer for 40 minutes.

Do not boil away all of the liquid and do not stir the rice.

When a very small amount of liquid remains, remove the pan from the burner and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, place the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir frequently.

Add the corn and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Add the coconut milk, water, curry powder, garam masala, marjoram, honey, and salt.

Stir, cover, and reduce the heat to low.

Simmer for 25 minutes while the rice is cooking. Stir occasionally.

When the rice is done, place it in a large mixing bowl. Add the sesame oil, cranberries, and basil. Toss until well blended.

Divide the rice evenly between four large soup bowls.

Ladle 1 1/2 cups of soup into each bowl.

Serve.