This chicken soup recipe clocks in at 36 grams of protein per bowl so it can be served for dinner or as a light appetizer with a side of kale salad. It’s balanced, healthy and basic yet totally satisfying. As you can see, I’ve finished mine with fresh lime and chiles, but I encourage you to make it your own and have loads of ideas for you to try.

Soup is something I like to rotate between meals just to break things up. My family really enjoys soup, and it’s just another way to serve chicken that keeps it interesting to eat.

About This Chicken Broth

I practically never buy soup and it’s really because homemade chicken broth is superior in flavor. It’s just so simple to make from scratch and I’m constantly playing around with whatever I happen to have on hand.

• Ginger. Fresh, anti-inflammatory, adds a spicy factor.
• Garlic and onions. Just the right amount of potency, anti-viral, anti-bacterial.
• Salty broth. Think great for hydrating post workout or when you have the flu.
• Generous amounts of lime juice and a pinch of zest.
• A pile of cilantro – or go with fresh mint, Thai basil, kaffir lime, parsley, or rosemary.
• Coconut milk for richness (think Tom Kha vibes). Absolutely feel free to swap in half and half if you prefer.

What never ceases to amaze me about this soup is how people react. People assume this is an involved recipe because it tastes so complex, but it’s actually really simple to make.

💭Top Tip

When using delicate herbs or greens, add them at the very end so the color and flavors really pop.

White Chicken Chili Variation

Consider fanning some avocado and minced red onion on top if you’d like a white chicken chili option. Have powdered ginger and garlic? Try swapping those if that’s what you’ve got. You can even add corn (fresh or frozen) and a handful of cheese, canned beans, etc.

Preparation

Make the entire recipe start to finish or prep and freeze for later.

🔪 Instructions

Cook the chicken until they reach 165°F then set aside.

Dice the vegetables (medium chop). Use a microplane to grate the peeled ginger. This is where you can double the garlic if you prefer to swap out the ginger.

Sauté or sweat the vegetables until tender. Don’t skip this step because it forms the base layer of your homemade broth.

Add 2 cups of water and shredded chicken to the pot. Let that come to a simmer.

Finish the soup with coconut milk (for dairy free–half and half works, too), lime juice and zest, and a big pinch of fresh herb magic on top.

Taste the soup and if it needs it, add more salt.

Freezer Options

This soup can be frozen for up to 1 month and I have two options for you.

The Cook-Later Option: See the recipe card notes for instructions on how to prep, freeze, then cook the soup.

The Reheat-It Option: If you would like to cook the soup first, then freeze, you will follow the recipe as written but omit the garnish. Allow soup to cool 20 minutes then portion and transfer to freezer bags or glass containers. Simply microwave to reheat. Garnish and serve.

Scaling

If scaling up or down, keep all ratios the same except the salt; add 1 teaspoon sea salt and then add more to taste. When scaling, bare in mind you will need a vessel that can hold roughly 4 cups for the original recipe (so 8 cups if doubling, 12 cups if tripling).

Leftovers

Leftovers? But how? You mean you didn’t stand dunking your spoon into the leftovers in the pot? Just me then, okay. You can store any soup leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 4 days. The garnish should be stored separately and added after you’ve rewarmed it.

Nutrition, big flavor, and healing whole food ingredients make this a cold-weather (and head-cold) essential. Garlic, ginger, and lime juice? This trio can make it all better.

Print

Creamy Chicken Soup

Creamy homemade chicken and vegetable broth with shredded chicken and finished with citrus and cilantro. Chiles or spices may be added if you like.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword cream soup

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Total Time 52 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 484kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil lard, tallow, avocado oil, or butter work, too
• 1 onion diced
• 3 stalks celery diced
• 4 garlic cloves chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced
• 1 14- ounce can full-fat coconut milk or substitute half-and-half
• 4 limes remove zest from 1 lime and then extract juice (about 1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs cilantro, mint, thai basil for garnish (chiffonade)

Instructions

Cook the chicken.

• Slow Cooker Method: Season chicken thighs with salt and place in slow cooker with the oil. Set to “Bake” mode for 400F for 45 minutes.

  Oven Method: Use an oven-safe pan or Dutch oven at 400F, spread oil and place seasoned chicken thighs in pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until an internal temperature registers 165℉.
• Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Chop the vegetables (onion, celery, and garlic) and transfer them to a large prep bowl as you work to give yourself plenty of room on the cutting board. If you own a microplane, mince the ginger directly over the bowl to capture as much ginger juice as possible (as opposed to just chopping it).
• Sweat vegetables and make broth. Use tongs to transfer the cooked chicken to a plate. Allow to rest for 10 minutes so you don't burn your hands and so the chicken can reabsorb surface juices. Combine the vegetables (onion, celery, garlic, and ginger) to the hot slow cooker or Dutch oven. Sauté on high heat for 7 minutes. Stir then add 2 cups of water. Return the shredded chicken (discarding the bones) to the pot.
• Finish the soup. Bring to a simmer then add coconut milk, lime zest, and lime juice. Allow the soup to warm then serve along with salt to taste. Top with fresh cilantro, mint, or Thai basil for Asian flavors or try adding avocado or red onion for Southwest.

Notes

Freezer Instructions:

FREEZE TOGETHER:

• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
• 1 onion diced
• 3 stalks celery diced
• 4 garlic cloves chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced
• 1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk (additive free)
• 4 limes (zest of 1 lime plus 1/4 juice)

INSTANT POT: From frozen, add 2 cups water then high pressure for 13 minutes + 10 minutes natural release.

SLOW COOKER: Thaw first, and then cook 6 hours on high.

FINAL STEP: Shred the meat and serve with cassava pasta, baked sweet potato, cauliflower or broccoli rice, zucchini noodles, etc.

If you regularly make batches of smoked chicken thighs, you can simply shred that for a smoky version of this soup.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 484kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 775mg | Potassium: 873mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 526IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 6mg

As always, if you try a variation to this recipe that you like, you can leave it in the comments so you have a record for when you come back to make it again.

Canned black beans, a trinity, and earthy spices form the layers of flavor in this spicy black bean soup. Garnished with fresh cilantro and citrus!

It’s soup season and with the holidays fast approaching, there’s nothing more welcoming than a pantry dinner that takes less than 30 minutes and tastes even better the next day.

I love a spicy black bean soup but this one is especially bright, and I think citrus really works with the cumin and chili powder. You can skip immersion blending but I think it helps create a more flavorful broth and gives the texture a heartiness that allows those garnishes to float on top (rather than sink to the bottom).

Today, I’m sharing 5 ways to maximize the potential of this simple recipe, which happens to be vegan and gluten-free. It cooks in about 20-minutes in one pot so it’s a great one to add to your family weeknight rotation.

BLACK BEAN SOUP INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

You need 12 ingredients to make spicy black bean soup:

• onion: white or yellow onion forms the trinity of flavors that flavor the soup. I recommend a small or medium-dice.
• bell pepper: any color bell pepper, seeds removed. Cut them roughly equal size to the onion.
• celery: you can include the leaves if you want to
• olive oil: for sweating the vegetable trinity. Avocado oil, palm oil, or refined coconut oil may be substituted.

• garlic cloves: If using pre-minced garlic, use 2 to 3 tablespoons. In this soup, you want to avoid browning the garlic, which gives food a sweet flavor that you don’t necessarily want.
• cumin powder: If you can, it’s always best to buy whole cumin seeds and grind your own fresh powder; I like to toast my cumin seeds in a dry skillet then grind for maximum flavor. I use a coffee grinder specifically for spice grinding because it only takes a few seconds.
• chili powder: Chili adds a robust spicy element and should be very fresh for the best possible flavor (use chili within 6 months of buying). You could use “chili powder” but I recommend “chipotle chili powder” which is quite spicy and smoky.
• salt: adding sea salt or Kosher salt at the beginning of cooking causes vegetables to sweat more quickly and the sugars to caramelize more. This ensures more flavor. Also, black beans really taste best when salted properly.
• black beans: You can use two 15-ounce cans of black or white beans in this recipe (use the whole can, juice and all). If you want to use dried beans: soak 1 heaping cup of dried beans overnight. Plan on 45 minutes of cook time but taste them. I’ve had to cook black beans that were old for 2 hours. If they never soften, that’s because they are too old and should be tossed rather than consumed. Please note that if you use dried beans, you will have to double the amount of water in the recipe.
• orange: This may sound odd, but the orange zest and juice really accentuate the flavor of black beans. Use any orange variety for this recipe.
• limes: Limes and black beans are flavor mates. You can use the juice of 1 lime and then chop the other lime segments and use those as a garnish for the most amazing little bursts of bright flavor.
• fresh cilantro: Finishing the soup with the delicate, unique flavor of cilantro is so refreshing and aromatic.

Step-by-Step Spicy Black Bean Soup Recipe

1. Sauté the vegetables. Chop the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Warm the Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 7 minutes. Chop the garlic and add to the pot with cumin, chili powder, and salt. Stir to coat the vegetables and turn off the heat to avoid burning.
2. Simmer the beans. Drain and rinse the beans. Add the beans and water to the Dutch oven and scrape with a spatula to release any caramelization from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, about 8 minutes. Optional: If you own an immersion blender, I love to pulse it just a few times to partially blend this soup, leaving some beans whole and creating a thicker base for the garnishes to sit on.
3. Season and Serve. Season with orange zest, orange juice, and lime juice. Taste and add more salt if needed. Ladle and serve with chopped cilantro. Store leftover soup in the fridge for up to 2 days. Note: I like to garnish with segments of orange and lime so that there are little pops of flavor.

Tool Tip: Use a microplane or the fine holes of a grater to remove the zest from the orange (avoid the pith).

More Cozy Soup Recipes For You:

• Immunity-Boosting Turmeric Vegetable Soup
• Gardener’s Delight Celery Soup
• Southwest Roasted Pumpkin Stew
• Warming Lentil Soup with Garam Masala
• Lemony Good Chicken Orzo Soup
• Healthy Broccoli Cheese Soup
• You can browse all the soups and stews here

This recipe appears in Easy Dutch Oven Cooking (my cookbook). I’ve made a few modifications.

Print

Spicy Black Bean Soup

30-Minute, One Pot, Nut-Free, Gluten-Free, Dairy Free, Vegetarian, Vegan

This soup smells so appetizing, like cumin and citrus. It’s a super easy soup and the spices are spot on. I love to make it a main meal by serving with a side of cornbread.

Course Soup

Cuisine American, Columbian

Keyword black bean, gluten free, soup, stew, vegan

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 317kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 1 medium white or yellow onion chopped
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 2 stalks celery chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic chopped
• 2 teaspoons cumin powder or cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon chipotle powder or chili powder, preferably fresh
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cans black beans (30 oz total)
• 2 cups filtered water
• 1 orange
• 2 limes
• 1 oz Fresh cilantro chopped

Instructions

• Sauté the vegetables. Chop the onion, bell pepper, and celery (trinity). Warm a pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 7 minutes. Chop the garlic and add to the pot with the cumin, chipotle, and salt. Stir to coat the vegetables and turn off the heat to avoid burning.
• Simmer and blend the beans. Drain and rinse the beans. Add the beans and water to the pot and scrape with a spatula to release any caramelization from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, about 8 minutes. Use an immersion blender to blend the stew for about 30 seconds or transfer 2 cups to a blender and blend until smooth and add back to the pot.
• Season and serve with fresh citrus. Use a microplane or the fine holes of a grater to remove the zest from the orange. Season with orange zest, orange juice, and lime juice. Taste and add more salt if needed. Ladle and serve with chopped cilantro. Store leftover soup in the fridge for up to 2 days. Note: I especially like to garnish with a combination of juice and chopped bits of segmented citrus so that there are little pops of flavor.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 317kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 608mg | Potassium: 723mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1661IU | Vitamin C: 71mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 4mg

If you’re looking for a really delicious, simple celery soup, this is it. It’s light, yet flavorful, and best of all, puts all those winter vegetables to good use.

Best of all, it’s 100% from scratch and the flavors come through. There’s:

• a homemade turkey stock – just a turkey back, some water, peppercorns, and leek
• an entire bunch of fresh celery
• ghee to add richness – but, yes, you can use olive oil or butter to sweat the vegetables
• no cream – to keep the flavors clean and pure, but yes, you can make it your own with sour cream at the end

For the past week, I’ve been putting together your winter produce guide and realized: I don’t have a lot of recipes featuring celery. Odd, considering how much I love celery.

As I was thinking about how to craft this soup recipe, it struck me to use leek instead of onion. I wanted to capitalize on the light green portion of the leek in the soup and use the dark green top for the stock. Root to frond cooking, how nice.

There’s a whole bunch of celery leaves, too, that don’t get cooked but just added to the blender, for nutrition and flavor. No waste. I even tried this new technique: you take a few celery leaves and blister them in a bit of hot ghee, about 20 seconds per side. They make for a unique garnish. Worth a try.

For those of you with gardens, I’m betting you have a bunch of fresh celery, leeks, and potatoes in storage. What better way to experience those flavors than together in a harmonious fresh-tasting winter soup?

How to Can and Store Celery Soup

If you have a pressure canner, you can multiply this recipe by however many heads of celery you’d like to use and proceed as follows:

After step 2, you will transfer the soup to glass jars and pressure cook them at 10 pounds pressure for 20 minutes.

To serve, you can blend and reheat each individual jar, adding fresh herbs or seeds (such as dill, parsley, nigella, or basil).

To store this recipe as-is (no canning), you can put it in the fridge for up to 1 week. Since it only makes about 6 portions, you may even want to double the recipe.

To freeze, vacuum seal the soup and use within 2 months. From frozen, you can defrost the soup overnight in the refrigerator or directly reheat from frozen in a Dutch oven or pot over medium heat, covered, until bubbly.

I hope you give this celery soup a go. It may sound strange to put celery in a soup, but it’s really good!

P.S. This cauliflower leek potage.

This recipe is adapted from Feasting at Home’s simple celery soup. Where Silvia gets a vibrant green color from incorporating fresh herbs, I’ve opted to leave those out for simplicity. I’ve also added an easy turkey stock from scratch to replace store-bought, using leek in place of the onion.

Print

Celery Soup

This simple, satisfying soup features a quick homemade turkey stock and an entire head of celery. There's nothing I would change about it.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword celery, gluten free, nut free, paleo, soup

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 bowls

Calories 155kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 7 cups water
• 1 turkey back* or 4 chicken wings
• 6 whole peppercorns
• 1 leek remove the green top portion for the stock, slice and reserve the light green/white portion for the soup
• 2 tablespoons ghee or substitute butter or extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 4 large garlic cloves roughly chopped
• 1 russet potato (about 12 1/2 ounces), peeled and chopped
• 1 large celery head (about 1 1/3 pound), sliced, leaves reserved for blending and garnish
• 1 bay leaf optional, remove before blending

Instructions

• Make the poultry stock. Fill a large pot halfway with water (about 7 cups reduces to 5 cups stock). Add the turkey back, peppercorns, and the green top portion of the leek. Bring to a boil over high heat then simmer for about 40 minutes.
  
• Sweat the aromatics. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven or medium pot, melt the ghee over medium heat. Add the sliced light green/white portion of the leek along with the sea salt. Stir occasionally, sweating until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and turn off the heat to avoid burning.
  
• Simmer the vegetables. To the leek and garlic mixture, add the potato, celery, bay leaf and 5 cups of the poultry stock (from step 1, above). Cover and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
  
• Blend and finish the soup. Use a ladle to transfer the vegetables to a blender. I like to do this in 2 batches to avoid any messes. Add 1 cup reserved celery leaves (save a few for frying, if desired)*. Blend on low then increase to high until the soup is completely smooth. Transfer to a pitcher for easy pouring. To serve, taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with celery leaves, sour cream, or fresh herbs.
  

Video

Notes

Celery and Celery Leaves: Favor organic celery for its color and flavor for this soup and select celery with a as many leaves as possible. You should get about 1 loose cup of leaves per head/bunch. If your celery is missing a lot of leaves, you may omit them or add 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, instead.

*Turkey Back: Turkey back has a lot of flavor and very little meat, making it perfect for homemade stock. If you can’t find it, you may substitute 4-6 whole chicken wings. You may also make the poultry stock using a very lean whole chicken/rooster. To save time, feel free to substitute 5 cups ready made chicken stock for the liquid in this recipe (replaces step 1 above).

Blending: While you can use an immersion blender, I think you should process this soup in a countertop blender to get the creamiest consistency. Fill your blender half-full and secure the lid. Start the blender on low and slowly increase the speed to avoid splatters.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 675mg | Potassium: 391mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 255IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg

I wanted to push this pumpkin stew to the front of the blog this month because it’s a really great recipe (one of my favorites) and perfect for a Halloween dinner.

Hominy, tomatillo, and chili pepper form the foundation for this flavorful, southwest stew, making for a nutritious, filling dinner (that’s also fun to eat).

Pumpkins are one of my absolute favorite ingredients to work with because of their creamy texture and pleasant squash flavor; they’re super high in vitamin A and C!

Plus, is there anything better than an edible bowl?

As an Arizona native, I love working with Southwest flavors; there’s savory, sour, and spicy here in this stew. I especially love adding a lot of cheddar since there’s no meat in this stew, and it gives it a lot of umami flavor.

In terms of sweet pumpkin recipes, there’s this really delicious pumpkin pie with gluten free crust, but I think everybody should have the opportunity to enjoy fresh pumpkin in a savory way.

Plus, it’s even fun sitting around carving out the lids for this recipe…something that the kids can do with a pumpkin carving kit.

What are the best pumpkins for cooking?

Cooking with pumpkin makes for an exciting presentation and tasty feast. Use any winter pumpkin, such as:

• red kuri (my number 1 choice and pictured here)
• sugar pie
• cheese pumpkin
• kabocha squash

Make Ahead Tip: You can even remove the seeds in advance and store in the fridge until you are ready to bake the dish.

How to Make Southwest Stew in a Roasted Pumpkin – Step by Step

Like most great stews, this one starts with sweating some onion with garlic, bell pepper, and olive oil until softened (photo 1). After the moisture is released, it’s time to toast the spices to extract flavor (photo 2).

After you begin to smell the aroma of spices in the air, you can add the moist tomatillos, hominy, and water. Bring everything to a simmer, then cover and cook to form the southwest stew (photos 3 & 4).

Assemble the pumpkin stew with an extra layer of cheddar cheese and place under the broiler until golden. Serve whole or cut in half and top with a spoonful of refreshing poblano salsa then serve!

Serving Suggestions

When cooking for myself and my husband, I like to serve an entire pumpkin for dinner and then store the leftovers for a light lunch. If serving to dinner guests, I like to cut the pumpkins in half, since nobody can eat an entire pumpkin in one sitting.

I once made this dish as a casserole for Thanksgiving, and it was a huge hit.

Top Tips Baking Soup inside of a Pumpkin

• Prep the pumpkins in advance by making the recipe and storing in the fridge. Reheat when ready to eat.
• Prepare the poblano-avocado-cucumber salsa up to 3 hours in advance and store in the fridge to accompany the pumpkin stew.
• To make the lid, use a pairing knife or pumpkin carving knife to cut around the stem; go around a second time to loosen the lid and pry it away with a spoon.
• Scrape away the seeds and flesh with a spoon.
• Rub the inside of the pumpkin with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Pumpkin always tastes better with salt.
• You do not need to serve the stew inside of the pumpkin. You could layer the stew in a casserole dish and top with cubed pumpkin rubbed with olive oil instead.

More Delicious Fall Recipes You Might Like

• Maple and Peanut Butter Baked Apples with Silky Cashew Cream – an easy, healthy dessert
• Chicken Squash Stew with Cranberries
• Immunity-Boosting Turmeric Vegetable Soup – this would also be an amazing recipe to roast inside of a pumpkin!
• Healthy and Moist Zucchini-Carrot-Parsnip Bread

*If you’ve tried this southwest stewed pumpkin or any other recipe on the blog, please let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

Print

Southwest Roasted Pumpkin Stew

A quick and flavorful southwest stew roasts luxuriously in a pumpkin, which becomes part of the dish and makes for a memorable meal. Top with a poblano-avocado-cucumber salsa for a fresh and spicy kick. Recipe is gluten free and vegetarian (vegan optional).

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, southwest

Keyword baked, gluten free, pumpkin, roasted, soup, stew, vegan, vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 220.98kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

Southwest Stew

• 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 pound tomatillos remove husks, rinse, and chop
• 1 25-oz can hominy or substitute canned beans or corn
• 1/2 cup filtered water

Pumpkin

• 2 2-3 pound pumpkins red kuri, sugar pie, cheese, or kabocha
• 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 oz cheddar cheese (1 cup packed) preferably sharp, grated on large holes

Instructions

Make the Southwest Stew

• Warm the olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add a trio of onion, garlic, and bell pepper, cook for 8 minutes until soft. Season with chili powder, cumin, salt, and oregano; stir and cook 3 minutes longer.
• Stir in the tomatillos, hominy, and water. Cover and simmer for 12 minutes.

Roasting the Pumpkin

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and make room on the middle rack for the tall pumpkins.
• Cut around the stem of each pumpkin until you can pry away the lid. Use a spoon to scrape away the flesh and seeds. Drizzle the olive oil into each pumpkin and swirl around. Season with salt.
• Set the pumpkins on a baking sheet. Add half the cheese and fill with stew. With the lid on top, roast the pumpkins 1 1/2 hours. Top with the remaining cheese and broil for 3 minutes until golden.
• Serve in the pumpkin or scoop out into bowls and top with poblano-avocado-cucumber salsa if you wish.

Video

Notes

Canned hominy can be purchased online or in the canned food aisle. Do not use dry hominy, as it needs to be soaked and cooked prior to using in this recipe.

Cheese adds a really flavorful tangy, richness to this dish. If you are vegan, feel free to substitute your favorite vegan cheese.

Recipe adapted from Myra Kornfeld, a cookbook author and chef who I worked with for years at the Natural Gourmet Institute.

Nutrition

Calories: 220.98kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.24g | Protein: 8.48g | Fat: 17.29g | Saturated Fat: 7.07g | Cholesterol: 29.77mg | Sodium: 1353.58mg | Potassium: 301.35mg | Fiber: 2.45g | Sugar: 4.88g | Vitamin A: 1470.99IU | Vitamin C: 47.13mg | Calcium: 226.06mg | Iron: 1.24mg

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which may pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you!

It’s always good to be a little saucy;)

This tender pork enveloped in red wine and tomato broth does not disappoint!

From the moment you begin searing marbled chunks of pork shoulder, you will be enticed by the savory aroma.

So, ragu. What is it? It’s basically a one-pot stew where the acidic flavors of red wine and tomatoes meld beautifully with the sweet, savory flavors of pork and vegetables.

Pork shoulder is a nice cut because it’s rich and breaks down slowly leaving mouth-watering juices in its wake. This dish needs little seasoning besides the usual suspects: fresh herbs, salt, pepper, and maybe some hard cheese.

Wet and juicy, it simply begs to be enjoyed over some starchy mashed potatoes or wide, slick egg-noodles.

In fact, I’m going to show you how to make my favorite egg noodles from scratch. They’re charmingly uneven in shape and are so easy, they practically make themselves. You just need 1 egg, some all-purpose flour, and salt.

You can roll out the noodles while the pork cooks, so let’s get that going first…

How to Braise Pork Shoulder for Ragu in the Dutch Oven

The name of the game with braising is salting and seasoning throughout; you don’t want to dump all your ingredients in at once.

Rather, you want to heat each ingredient, seasoning generously with salt, pepper, and herbs to encourage more complex flavors at each stage (see caramelized pork below).

A Dutch oven will help you achieve a saucy, flavorful ragu by distributing heat evenly and retaining moisture (this is key).

After you sweat the vegetables (pictured above), the acid from the tomatoes and red wine will help to release any fond stuck to the bottom of the pot. Speaking of acid, I especially like cooking acidic dishes, like this one, in an enameled Dutch oven (as opposed to a cast iron one).

I usually eyeball this next part: You want to simmer the wine until half of its volume is reduced to ensure that the alcohol cooks out. At this point, you can just transfer the whole pot into the oven for about 2 hours.

Best Dry Red Wines:

I gravitate towards Malbec for braising, but you could use any dry, red table wine for cooking, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Pinot Noir.

Easy Peasy Pappardelle (My Go-To Egg Noodles)

Pappardelle are very wide, flat pasta noodles, and they’re perfect for serving underneath this hearty ragu. Plus, it’s possible to make basic egg noodles with no equipment.

1. Start by placing 1 cup all-purpose flour on a clean counter-top. Use your fingers to make a well in the center.
2. Drop an egg in the flour and a large pinch of salt. Use your fingers to slowly swirl the flour into the egg to form a dough. It’s ok if you don’t use all the flour. Pinch off a piece to roll and keep the remaining dough covered to prevent it from drying out.

Kitchen Aid Pasta Attachment: If you have a pasta attachment for your kitchen aid, just be sure to start on the widest setting. Run the dough through each setting 2x (folding in half in between). I usually take my pasta noodles down to a setting of 5.

For those of you rolling the noodles with a rolling pin (or wine bottle), just dust the surface of the dough with a bit of flour and roll as thin as you can get it. Use a pizza cutter to cut into wide strips, about 1/4-inch wide.

Cooking with Fresh Pasta

Unlike dried, packaged pasta, fresh noodles only need a few minutes to cook through. Bring a pot of water to boil and salt like the sea (usually several large pinches of salt).

Drop the fresh pasta in and swirl a bit to prevent sticking. Remove within 4 minutes and toss with a bit of olive oil until ready to serve. Preferably, use the noodles as soon as the pork ragu is cooked so you can just directly sauce them with the ragu.

Storing Leftovers in the Dutch Oven

My instructions for storing anything hot in the Dutch oven are as follows:

• Allow a screaming hot Dutch oven to cool for at least 20 minutes (lid off) before transferring the whole pot into the refrigerator.
• When reheating, remove the portion from the pot and reheat individually. I don’t recommend reheating the Dutch oven and re-refrigerating, so only reheat in the Dutch oven if you plan on finishing everything.
• Ragu will keep very well for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

If you like all my Dutch oven tidbits, then stick around because I have plenty of Dutch oven recipes. You might also like my new cookbook: Easy Dutch Oven Cooking.

More Dutch Oven Recipes

• Dutch Oven Meatballs
• Traditional Irish Soda Bread
• Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

Print

Tomato Braised Pork Ragu with Egg Noodles

This pork ragu tastes even better when allowed to sit overnight.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword braised pork, dairy free, egg noodles, gluten free, pappardelle, pasta, pork, pork shoulder

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 587kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 2 ½ tablespoons olive oil divided
• 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder fat trimmed
• Salt for seasoning
• Pepper for seasoning
• ½ medium yellow onion diced
• 2 carrots peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks trimmed and diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon minced thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons minced sage leaves
• 1 teaspoon minced rosemary
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
• 16 ounces dry pappardelle egg noodles*
• Parmesan or Pecorino Romano (optional) for serving

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325˚F. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Cut the pork shoulder into four equal pieces and season all over with salt and pepper. Use tongs to lower the pork into the hot oil; sear until brown all over, about 3 minutes per side. Remove pork and set aside in a bowl, reserving any juices.
• Add remaining 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add onion, carrot and celery and sauté until the onions begin to sweat and become slightly translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and season with salt and pepper. Stir together.
• Add herbs and continue to sauté for 1 minute until herby and aromatic.
• Add tomato paste and stir together. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
• Deglaze with wine, making sure to scrape with a wooden spoon along the bottom to release any browned bits. Simmer until ½ of the wine has evaporated, then add the whole tomatoes, including juices, and stir together.
• Once mixture is simmering again, return the pork and the juices back into the pot and bring to a boil. Cover pot and transfer to the oven to braise until fork tender, about 2 hours.
• Remove pot from the oven and finely shred the pork with two forks. Adjust seasonings if needed. Cover until ready to use.
• Fill a large pot with water and place over high heat to bring to a boil. Season generously with a handful of salt. Add the pasta, stirring occasionally, and cook until al dente. Drain.
• Divide pasta into individual bowls and top with a large ladle of ragu. Top with freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano and serve.

Notes

Gluten Free: This ragu contains no gluten if you leave out the egg noodles. Feel free to substitute your favorite gluten-free pasta or serve with mashed potatoes.

Egg Noodles: I encourage you to see the instructions in this post about making fresh egg noodles. They are divine. That said, you can find dried egg noodles in the pasta aisle.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl ragu with noodles | Calories: 587kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 154mg | Sodium: 156mg | Potassium: 896mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3581IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 3mg

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which may pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you!

Ah, the way homemade chicken broth melds with freshly squeezed lemon. And, oh, how it’s got me tilting my bowl in the privacy of my office for one last slurp.

This is not your average chicken noodle soup. No-sirree. It’s more… uplifting. Perhaps because it’s loaded with whole wheat orzo and baby spinach?

Or maybe it’s just the simple pleasure of a good soup finished with citrus.

If you’re new to orzo, I encourage you to seek it out next time you’re in the pasta aisle. It’s cute and rice-shaped and fits on a soup spoon. You can also find it online.

Homemade Chicken Stock is Better

I probably grew up on boxed chicken stock and was none the wiser. Until I met Myra. Cookbook author, Myra Kornfeld, convinced me years ago that no self-respecting chef opts for boxed stock.

I acknowledge, boxed stock is a time-saver. But, let’s face it. It doesn’t hold a flame to freshly simmered chicken and vegetables seasoned generously with salt.

This is exactly why, when a soup relies solely on its broth, it’s worth it to simmer some raw chicken with celery, carrot, and onion rather than save time on boxed stock and a rotisseries bird.

Chicken Thighs Strike Again

If you’re a regular reader, you know that I have a soft spot for chicken thighs. Bony chicken wings are great for stock-making, but with a recipe like this, we need something meatier.

You want to buy bone-in thighs to score those extra flavor points.

How to Make Chicken Orzo Soup with Lemon – Step by Step

Start by making the stock. I like to fill a pot 3/4 full with water and add thyme, chicken thighs, onion, and some of the celery and carrot. After about 50 minutes, let the chicken thighs cool and strain the vegetables.

A spider strainer is great for this because you don’t even have to lift the pot.

Technique Tip: Remove any skin from the chicken thighs before simmering so you don’t have to skim excess fat from the broth later.

At this point, all the vegetable flavor went into the water, so I just discard them. You can boil the orzo in the chicken stock now and layer back in the shredded chicken and fresh carrot and celery.

Within a few minutes, the vegetables will be tender and that’s when it’s best to add the greens (parsley and spinach) and season to taste with lemon juice.

If your soup tastes bland at this point, you need to add more salt. Taste again, and if it’s still too bland, consider adding fresh thyme or a dash of cayenne.

Serving Suggestions

I think a light soup like this is great for lunch with some warm and crusty garlic bread on the side. I might also serve it with a side of finely chopped kale with Parmesan and the essential lemon sauce.

More Soups and Stews

• Chicken Barley Soup
• Chicken Squash Stew with Cranberries
• Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

So, tell me. Are you new to orzo or homemade chicken stock? What do you think?

Print

Lemony Good Chicken Orzo Soup

Fresh lemon adds a bright fresh flavor to this chicken noodle soup made with orzo.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken, healthy, lemon, noodle, orzo, soup

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 6 bowls

Calories 293kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds bone-in chicken thighs skin removed
• 1 medium white onion quartered
• 4 medium carrots peeled and chopped, divided
• 4 large celery ribs chopped, divided
• 8 whole peppercorns
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 8 ounces whole wheat orzo
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• Pepper
• 1 lemon juiced
• 3 cups baby spinach
• ¼ cup parsley finely chopped

Instructions

• Stock: Fill a Dutch oven or large pot ¾ full with water. Place the pot over medium heat. Drop the thighs into the water with the onion, 1 handful of the carrot and 2 handfuls of the celery. Add the peppercorns and thyme sprigs and bring to a low simmer for 50-minutes. Note: Once bubbling, lower the heat to medium-low.
• Shred: Use a pair of tongs to pluck the chicken out of the pot. Allow to cool on a cutting board then shred or cut into small pieces. Use a strainer or skimmer to remove the vegetables, thyme, and peppercorns. Discard these and return the chicken to the stock.
• Cook Orzo: Raise the heat to high and when the stock is boiling, add the orzo and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Add the remaining carrot and celery and season with salt and pepper. When the vegetables are tender, turn off the heat and layer in the lemon juice, to taste, with the spinach and parsley. Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty bread.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 895mg | Potassium: 500mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 8530IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which may pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you!

This garam masala seasoned lentil soup has a hearty mix of vegetables and is full of lively, aromatic flavors. It’s a totally practical weeknight dinner, that takes about 30 minutes to make. Plus, you can easily find all of the ingredients to make this soup perfectly.

To really capture what makes this soup warming, we have to talk about garam masala, which means a heating spice blend in the popular Ayurvedic sense where spices are used to elevate body temperature.

What is garam masala made of?

Garam masala is sold as a fine powder made up of ground toasted whole spices, such as cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, Bay leaves, peppercorns, fennel, mace and dried chilies. With regional influences from India to South Africa, no two garam masalas will taste the same because there are endless combinations and quantity variations.

My Basic Garam Masala Replacement Blend:

If you want to avoid a trip to the store, you can capture the essence of garam masala with about 4 spices:

• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 1 pinch cinnamon powder

Best Lentils for Middle Eastern Lentil Soup

With endless shapes, colors, and sizes — which lentils should you buy? For the fastest cooking lentil soup, I recommend a small variety such as the orange colored lentils (pictured above) because they only take about 15 to 20 minutes to cook. Plus, I like the way the lentils split and become a part of the soup’s broth.

Note: If you want to use a different type of lentil, I suggest following the package instructions because they may need to simmer much longer.

Do you rinse or soak lentils?

No. Unlike beans, there’s no need to rinse or soak lentils, which are pulses by the way. If you soak lentils, they have a tendency to glom onto each other and there’s just no need for it.

How to Make Curried Lentil Soup – Step by Step

To make this vegetarian soup flavorful, we start the way that we often do with soup: a mirepoix, which is where we sweat onion, carrot, and celery until tender. Next, add the spices but really stir them around in the heat for a bit before adding the water; this simple step helps the spices get into the vegetables for a flavorful layer.

After sauteing the vegetables; add water and lentils. Stir everything well and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes or until all the lentils are soft and mushy.

Ingredient Tip: Sometimes when lentils sit in the pantry for a while, they harden and take longer to cook. Be sure to try the lentils before serving in case they need more time.

Serving Suggestions and 1-Minute Tahini Sauce

Aleppo chile flakes make the most exceptional tangy and mildly spicy garnish for this soup; unfortunately, I ran out and had to substitute smoked paprika. My suggestion for serving the soup as a complete meal is to include either pita chips or warmed pita bread with something bright to contrast the earthy, savoriness of the soup: lemon tahini sauce works, a salted lemon soda works, or a few strips of preserved lemon rind for a really floral bite.

Print

Warming Lentil Soup with Garam Masala

Packed with warming spices, this nourishing lentil soup recipe is hearty and quite the aromatic experience. Made in just 1-Pot in less than 30-Minutes with lemony tahini sauce as a garnish. For dramatic effect (and flavor), I love to serve this soup with pita chips dusted with Aleppo pepper.

Course Soup

Cuisine african, Indian, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern

Keyword dairy free, gluten free, lentil, one pot, soup, vegan

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 212kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

Lentil Soup

• 1 medium red, white, or yellow onion chopped
• 2 carrots chopped
• 2 stalks celery chopped
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 6 cups filtered water
• 2 cups orange lentils

Tahini Sauce

• ¼ cup Tahini paste
• 1 lemon juiced
• 1 tsp salt

Serving

• Aleppo chile flakes optional
• 1 tbsp minced fresh parsley or cilantro
• pita chips optional

Instructions

Make the Soup

• In a large pot, sweat the onion, carrots, and celery over medium heat for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Add the cumin, curry powder, garam masala, salt and pepper and cook until aromatic, 2 minutes. Pour the water over the vegetables and add the lentils. Stir well then cover and simmer, stirring occasionally until the lentils are tender and cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Make the Tahini Sauce

• In a small bowl, combine the tahini paste with fresh lemon juice and microwave on high for 30 seconds to soften the tahini paste. Stir to break up any clumps (thin with water if necessary). Season with salt to taste (about 1 tsp).

Serve the Soup

• Serve the soup hot with tahini sauce drizzled on top. Dust with Aleppo chile flakes and sprinkle with parsley or cilantro. Serve with pita chips, if desired. Store leftover soup for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Notes

Tahini Separated 

Tahini butter has a tendency to separate, where the sesame seed oil sits on top; I recommend stirring well before measuring. The reason I suggest warming the tahini butter for the sauce is to help you achieve a stirrable, smooth consistency.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 1202mg | Potassium: 286mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3803IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2mg

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which may pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you!

Chicken tikka masala (marry me!) is one of the most celebrated Indian fusion dishes and a personal favorite of mine. Everybody (and I mean everybody) loves this dish. Soooo not surprised that Scotland, India, and England are all laying claim to it, and what better dish to scream in food language “I love you!” than perfectly spicy, creamy chicken in SAUCE.

Variants include poaching or roasting the chicken; I’ve tested both and prefer the latter.

While there are many claims to the origin of chicken tikka masala, my favorite is one of authentic discovery. As the story goes, an Indian chef working in Britain accidentally combined leftover tandoori chicken with tomato and cream sauce. Little did he know, this is precisely the best way to cook the dish that has become an icon. Somebody sound the trumpets!

Best Chicken Tikka Masala Advice:

Rather than adding raw, marinated chicken to be poached (a technique that takes a while and results in less flavor), I recommend roasting the marinated chicken separately in order to achieve tandoori-esque results. Note that the oven will save you a bit of time in the end…

Now, you can do this 1 of 2 ways:

Either, you can roast the chicken on a baking sheet or you can use your dutch oven lid for a 1-pot kind of deal.

The gist is that the lid is oven safe and can, therefore, be inverted and set directly over the pot (as-in upside down). Yesiree bub, you put the entire pot in the oven just like that.

After a short while, you will use pot-holders to flip the now-cooked chicken into the hot tomato sauce below. Simple.

How to Make Chicken Tikka Masala in a Dutch Oven – Step by Step

As with any curry, this dish is about developing flavors and textures at each phase of the cooking process, which is why I’ve included step by step photos. In the spirit of my favorite origin story, I’ve gone with roasting the yogurt-marinated chicken to simulate what tandoori might have added to the curry using a hefty dutch oven (since most of you don’t own a tagine oven).

Step 1: Marinade and Roast the Chicken

Apply tandoori spices and plain yogurt to the diced chicken overnight or 30 minutes prior to cooking. Be sure to use yogurt without any sugar or added flavors. You can even use plain coconut yogurt to keep the recipe dairy free.

Step 2: Aromatics

Sweat the onion until soft, then layer in spices to release the aroma. This is an important step in Indian curries.

Step 3: Deglaze, Roast, Simmer

Use tomato sauce to deglaze the pot. At this point, I am recommending you put the inverted lid with the chicken over the tomato sauce and put the whole dutch oven in the oven.

Once the chicken is fully cooked, combine it with the tomato sauce along with coconut milk (dairy cream works too).

You’ll notice in the video that I poached the chicken in the sauce. While you can do it this way, please note that you need to simmer the chicken about 15 minutes or longer *until cooked through. Again, I strongly recommend you try roasting the chicken separately for a really stunning experience.

Serving Suggestions:

Love and spices are in the air tonight, and you can’t go wrong with a starchy side of rice, potatoes, or garlic naan. I’ve also seen this dish with frozen peas layered in right at the end so feel free to load the pot with vegetables galore.

Is Tikka Masala Adaptable for Vegetarian or Vegan Diets?

Yes. You can use tofu or chickpeas in place of the chicken in this recipe and use dairy free ingredients. I’ve made suggestions in the recipe for ingredient substitutions.

What is ghee, and why is it in this recipe?

Ghee is lactose free butter that’s extremely important in traditional Indian cuisine. It has a higher smoke point than butter, and can be found online or where other fats are sold.

How do I peel and grate fresh ginger?

Use a spoon to remove the thin peel, then grate (carefully) with a microplane. If you don’t own a grater, you can mince instead but will end up with more texture to the sauce. Some people blend the sauce (I think it’s a bit of a pain and unnecessary).

More Meal Prep Friendly Recipes:

• Curried Chicken Collard Green Wraps
• Dutch Oven Goulash
• Sweet Potato Shepard’s Pie

Print

Chicken Tikka Masala

This popular Indian curry is so flavorful with tender yogurt-marinated chicken with plenty of rich tomato cream sauce. This recipe is an excellent way to make use of a dutch oven lid, for a 1-pot dinner that tastes just as good on day 2, 3, or 4. Recipe is gluten free, paleo, & dairy free adaptable.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Indian

Keyword chicken, curry, dairy free, gluten free, paleo, tikka masala

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Marinade Chicken (30 minutes – overnight) 1 day day

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 354kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Equipment

• dutch oven

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade:

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup plain full-fat coconut yogurt or dairy yogurt
• 1 teaspoons turmeric
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice about half a lemon
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried ginger

Masala Curry:

• 1/4 cup ghee or refined coconut oil
• 1 medium onion
• 5 garlic cloves
• 2- inch piece fresh ginger
• 3 teaspoons garam masala
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• ¼ tsp cayenne
• 1 15- ounce can tomato sauce
• 2 cans full fat coconut milk

Instructions

• Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Combine all marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.
• Chop the onion, mince the garlic, and peel and grate the ginger (keep separate).
• Preheat oven to 400℉. In a dutch oven, heat the ghee over medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes stirring occasionally with a wood spoon. Add garlic, ginger, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes until fond (caramelized bits) appear on the bottom of the pot. Add garam masala, paprika, and cayenne and stir well. Cook spices until fragrant, 1 minute.
• Stir in the tomato sauce and season with 2 tsp salt. Invert the dutch oven lid and set over the tomato sauce. Spread the marinated chicken out in the lid. Transfer the pot (lid included) to the oven. Roast for 8 minutes, until the chicken begins to brown.
• Using pot holders, turn the lid to combine the chicken with the hot tomato sauce. Swirl in the coconut milk. Serve with plenty of chopped cilantro. There will be plenty of sauce for topping rice or dunking pita bread. Leftovers may be stored in the dutch oven directly (refrigerated) for up to 4 days.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 491mg | Potassium: 948mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 731IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 2mg

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which may pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you!

Broccoli cheese soup is such a classic, but this preparation is especially easy…on the eyes. While it may look fancy, there’s nothing fussy about it. Just think of it as the more uplifting version of the classic. It’s new. It’s fresh. It’s light, not to mention totally makeshift for your preferences.

And that vibrant chartreuse color? Totally intentional.

You could add the broccoli in the beginning, but you lose so much of the nutrients and that verdant green, so I recommend adding the broccoli at the last minute for more oo-la-la and less blah.

Even if you’ve never made soup, you will breeze through this recipe, all in 1-pot! So, if you have an especially hectic schedule…this one will help you work some vegetables into life. I’m talking onion, carrot, celery, and (of course) broccoli.

Healthy Broccoli Soup That’s Allergy Friendly and Adaptable for Cheese Lovers

You can swirl in as little or as much cheese fix-ins at the end, so it’s incredibly adaptable for families with allergies or preferences. I’ve made this soup vegan, gluten free, paleo, aip (no potatoes) with vegetable or chicken stock. It’s plenty good with or without cheese, making it significantly healthier than your standard broccoli cheddar soup from Panera.

More Recipes

What’s the best cheese for broccoli cheese soup?

I like freshly grated sharp cheddar or straight Parmesan best, but you could also try Gruyere or cream cheese. You could even swirl in nutritional yeast for a dairy free cheese-like flavor. I know some people like a little heavy cream too, but I like how buttermilk gives a slightly acidic flavor to lighten things up a bit, making for a pretty swirl (pictured below).

Serving Suggestions

For an elegant dinner, a soup course is really nice. As a side or appetizer, just serve in small bowls. For a main course, I love to load up a big bowl with all the fix-ins and plenty of crusty bread for dipping like this Irish soda bread. It would also pair nicely with a simple savory main like these roasted chicken thighs.

Broccoli Cream Soup With or Without Texture

By adding a little starchy potato, you can achieve a thick and creamy blended consistency without all the heaviness associated with cream soup. Before blending the broccoli, I like to reserve a handful of the florets for a little textural contrast (pictured below). Then, I just layer a small amount of dairy right at the end for more impact.

Ready to cozy up with a bowl of soup on the couch? To get started, you’ll need either a large soup pot or dutch oven plus either a handheld immersion blender or high speed blender.

And, while I haven’t tested this yet with frozen broccoli florets, they should work equally well (so let me know if you try it).

Print

Healthy Broccoli Cheese Soup

This lightened-up broccoli soup is a quick and easy 1-pot dinner that takes less than 30 minutes to make in a dutch oven. Unlike the classic cream of broccoli soup, this healthy version has a vibrant color with the option to swirl in cheese at the end, making this adaptable for vegan, gluten free, dairy free, paleo, aip, whole30 diets.

Course Main Course, Side Dish, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword aip, broccoli, cream soup, dairy free, gluten free, paleo, soup, vegan

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 191kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 1 head broccoli 4-5 cups florets
• 1/2 an onion
• 2 stalks celery
• 2 carrots
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 ½ tsp salt
• 1 small potato
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• ½ cup cheddar cheese optional
• buttermilk optional

Instructions

• Remove the broccoli stem and roughly chop the flower into small florets. Set aside. Chop the onion, celery, and carrots to form a mirepoix. Warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mirepoix and salt. Saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent browning.
• Peel and chop the potato and garlic and stir into the mirepoix. Saute until softened, stirring occasionally, 6 minutes.
• Add vegetable/chicken broth and simmer 10 minutes then turn off heat. Scoop the simmered vegetables with a slotted spoon along with two cups of broth into a blender. Add 3 cups of broccoli florets (reserving 1 cup for texture) and blend until smooth and creamy.
• Return the blended soup to the pot along with remaining 1 cup florets. Bring to a simmer and turn off heat to preserve the green color. Ladle into bowls and grate in cheese. Top with a spoonful of buttermilk and create a swirl for a gourmet presentation. Store and refrigerate leftovers in the dutch oven for easy reheating for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 191kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 1707mg | Potassium: 541mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4456IU | Vitamin C: 96mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 2mg

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which may pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you!

What occurred to me while simmering this Tom Kha Gai soup is how amazing it smells! Those kaffir lime leaves are like pot pourri for your house – such a fresh lime aroma!

If you like Tom Yum soup, then you’ve got to try this coconut chicken version. It’s such an easy recipe, and it only takes 20 minutes to make. You can’t help but feel replenished from the hot and sour broth. So rich, yet so light! You don’t have to make your own chicken stock, but if you do, it’s all the more delicious.

What is Tom Kha Gai Soup?

Tom kha gai or tom kha kai is a Thai coconut soup that accentuates galangal. It’s a spicy and sour soup with a rich component from canned coconut milk. Traditionally, this hot soup is made with kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, cilantro, mushrooms, chicken, fish sauce, and lime juice.

What makes this a Traditional Thai Soup?

This Tom Kha Gai incorporates all of the traditional ingredients. Galangal is available in Asian grocery stores. The pale root is sold in packages frozen here in the US. If you can’t get the galangal, you may substitute ginger, which is far easier to find; unfortunately, ginger is very different in flavor so it won’t be 100% Tom Kha Gai since it is named after the root.

Curry Paste Variation

Another substitution would be to use Thai kitchen red curry paste (which contains lemongrass and galangal). To do this, stir in 4 Tablespoons.

Working with Lemongrass

Since many of you may not have lemongrass growing in your backyard, you can likely find it in the produce section. It’s easy to work with, and you can cut into it using a sharp chef’s knife after removing the tough outer layer.

More Thai Recipes You Might Like:

• Massaman Curry Pot Roast
• Thai Lettuce Wraps
• Thai Sea Bass

To serve this soup, I highly recommend garnishing with chili oil (my favorite) and anything fresh, such as cilantro or green onion.

Print

Tom Kha Gai Soup (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)

This chicken coconut soup is rich and flavorful with Thai aromatics like kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, and galangal. If you can't source Thai ingredients, you can still make the soup using Thai curry paste. This rich hot-and-sour soup is gluten free, paleo, aip, and whole30.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Thai

Keyword aip, chicken, coconut, dairy free, gluten free, paleo, soup, tom kha gai

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 265kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 4 stalks lemongrass
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 1-inch piece fresh or frozen galangal thinly sliced
• 2 large shallots thinly sliced
• 10 black peppercorns
• 20 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into large chunks
• 1/2 pound white mushrooms cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 14-oz cans coconut milk
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 fresh Thai bird chiles thinly sliced
• 1 scallion thinly sliced

Instructions

• Peel the outer layer away from the lemongrass. Cut to reserve the bottom 3-inches where the tender white stock is. Slice into small pieces and add to a medium pot.
• Bring the lemongrass, chicken stock, galangal, shallots, peppercorns, and kaffir leaves up to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the soup into a clean pot.
• Return the soup to a simmer and swirl in the chicken, mushrooms, and coconut milk. Simmer just until the chicken is cooked, 5 minutes.
• Finish the soup with lime juice and fish sauce. Taste and add a sprinkle of salt if needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves, chiles, and scallions.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 1541mg | Potassium: 1059mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 64IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 3mg

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which may pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you!