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Guide to Classic Comfort Soup

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There’s something about a warm bowl of comfort soup that is universally comforting. A comfort soup can make us feel warm from the inside, bring back dear memories, and of course, boost our well-being.

It is more than just a meal; it is a culinary hug and a source of nourishment for both body and soul. Whether it is the rich broth of chicken noodle soup when you are feeling under the weather or a creamy tomato bisque on a chilly evening, these dishes hold a special place in our hearts and kitchens. 
This guide explores the world of classic and comfort soups. We will delve into their history, uncover the secrets to making the perfect bowl at home, and share timeless recipes. You will learn about the health benefits packed into these simple meals and discover how to adapt your favorite soup recipes for any season.

It’s not just food, it’s a culinary embrace and balm to body and soul.

Whether it is in the rich flavor of chicken noodle soup when you are sick, or a creamy tomato bisque on a cold winter night, these soups keep us warm when we need it most. This guide takes you through the world of classic and comfort soups. We will explore their history, reveal the secrets to making a perfect bowl at home and offer timeless recipes. But the health benefits packed into these simple meals, and how to adapt your favorite soup recipes for any season.

A Comfort Soup for the Ages

In the long history of cooking, soup is nearly as old as fire. Once we realized that things could be put in a pot with water mixed ingredients and transform it into a form where our bodies can easily assimilate the nutrients: comfort soup was born. The first broths were crude and created by boiling grains, vegetables and whatever meats were available.

In different cultures, soup developed along thelines of local ingredients and traditions. A black broth consisting of pork, salt, vinegar and blood was a common dish among Spartan soldiers in ancient Greece. Minestrone had a modest beginning in Italy as well, where farmers made the soup with whatever vegetables they could get that day to fashion a substantial and nourishing one-pot meal. Asian cultures created their own rich traditions, like the millions of layered, complex flavors in Japanese ramen or the aromatic Vietnamese pho.

The concept of comfort soup as food is deeply embedded in our culture. For generations, broths and simple soups have been prescribed when the infected are ill, providing them with hydration and needed nutrients in an appetizing form. This connection to healing and nurturing has codified many a dish — chicken noodle soup, of course, the pinnacle comfort food. Every culture has its own: a go-to recipe that comforts and reminds of home.

Most Popular Types of Classic Comfort Soups

Though the options for comfort soups are truly endless, several classic recipes have become enshrined in the food hall of fame. These are the soups we return to again and again for their familiar flavors and comforting qualities.

The Classic: Chicken Noodle Soup

Known sometimes as the “penicillin of the kitchen,” chicken noodle soup is the classic comfort food, perfect for when you’re under the weather.⁵ A hearty chicken broth, juicy chunks of chicken, tender egg noodles and a whole heap of veggies – I’m talking carrots, celery, onion. Its healing abilities for colds and flu are pretty much all thanks to it being a good source of hydration from liquid (water with honey) and nutrients to nourish the body back to strength.

Creamy Tomato Bisque

Who doesn’t love tomato soup as a kid (even now), preferably with that grilled cheese on the side to dip. But a bisque kicks up this dish with something luxurious and silky in texture, like cream or puréed ingredients. This Creamy Tomato Basil Soup is without a doubt one of my most favourite soups, and I’d argue maybe even the best tomato comfort soup there is.Whether using fresh, sun-ripened tomatoes during the summer season or building it up with rich flavoured 1st class canned ones throughout the year, its thick and creamy texture makes for an incredibly comforting meal.

Hearty Minestrone

This Italian classic is all about the vegetables.⁶ Minestrone has no set recipe; it is usually made out of whatever vegetables are in season.⁷ Typical ingredients in minestrone include beans, onions, celery, carrots, stock, and tomatoes.⁸ This chunky, thick comfort soup is like a meal in itself and packed with nutrients and fiber. It’s a clear demonstration of how the best, freshest ingredients produce such soul food.

Rich French Onion Soup

Elegant and deeply soothing, rich French onion comfort soup is a masterpiece of flavor. It is brimming with caramelized onions in a delicious, savory beef broth and topped with a slice of crusty bread and a thick layer of melted Gruyère cheese.⁹ Sweet onions and salty, savory broth combine to form a taste that you will never forget.

Earthy Lentil Soup

There is lentil comfort soup and then there is the queen of all lentil comfort soups. It’s humble and wonderfully puffing with nutrition and flavor. Made with lentils, spike of carrots and spinach — and often seasoned with spices like cumin and coriander — the soup is hearty, but healthy. Taste and health wow in this vegetarian comfort soup.

The Health Benefits of Comfort Soup

Comfort soup isn’t just good for the soul; it’s also strong medicine. Launching the year with comfort soups is a healthy, beneficial treat. Here are some specific health benefits:

• Hydration: Soups are full of water, so they help keep you hydrated. And this is particularly crucial when you are ill and may be dehydrating.
• Packed with Nutrition: Since comfort soups are usually choc-full of veggies, lean meats and whole grains, they provide a variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Also simmering ingredients in broth, helps retain more nutrients than most other methods of cooking.
• Easy to digest: Cooking tenderizes vegetables and grains so that your body can better break them down, and as a result, absorb them. That’s why soup is the perfect food when your digestive needs a break.
• Aids in Weight Control: Many brothy soups are low in calories but high in bulk, leaving you feeling full and satiated. A good way to start off the second half of your meal is with a bowl of soup.
• Immune System Booster: A lot of comfort soups like chicken soup or vegetable soup consist of immune boosting ingredients. Garlic, onions and certain herbs and spices are anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial.

A robust comfort soup recipe can be the foundation of a healthy diet, offering a simple and tasty way to get the nutrients you need.

Image prompt – An info graphic picture that shows how soup is good for health. Use icons for hydration (water drop), vitamins (an apple), easy digestion (a happy stomach) and immunity (a shield).

From Good to Great: Essential Soup Techniques

This is the time of year when the weather starts to cool and germs spread; so it’s no surprise that sickness has arrived at many homes, husband and me included. And with a few essential techniques you can take the homemade comfort soupfrom good to great.

Begin with a Good Broth

A good broth is the basis for any good comfort soup. As easy as those store-bought products are, making your own stock (whether it’s chicken, beef, or veggie) will give a depth of flavor that just can’t be replicated. Just simmer bones, vegetable scraps and aromatics for a few hours.

Layer Flavor

Don’t dump everything in the pot at once. So begin with your aromatics — onions, garlic, carrots or celery for example — and sauté them a bit in some oil or butter so they soften. This process, called making a mirepoix, builds sweet and savory foundations.¹⁵

Go Fresh on the Herbs

A touch of fresh herbs provides the brightness that dried can’t. Throw stronger, woody herbs such as rosemary and thyme in at the beginning of cooking and save delicate dill, parsley and basil for the end so they hold their mojo.

And Don’t Forget Acid

A little splash of acid can help balance and brighten the flavors in your comfort soup. A squeeze of lemon juice, a dash of vinegar, or even a spoonful of yogurt or sour cream can make all the difference just before serving.

Simmer, Don’t Boil

After you’ve added your liquid, bring the comfort soup to a simmer — not a full on boil. Its also best because all those flavors will be mingling together slowly and not overcooking the vegetables.

Garnish Generously

A proper garnish provides texture, flavor and visual interest.¹⁷ Think crunchy croutons, a swirl of olive oil, freshly grated cheese, a dollop of pesto and a sprinkle of toasted nuts or seeds.

For the rich, flavorful and deeply satisfying comfort soup, follow these tips.

Image An image prompt: A step-by-step visual how-to for soup. Show four panels: 1) Fresh vegetables being chopped on a cutting board; 2) Onions and carrots being sautéed in a large pot; 3) Broth being poured into the big pot; A final shot of someone garnishing a finished bowl of soup.

Seasonal Variations: A Comfort Soup for Every Season

Although we tend to think of comfort soup when the days are brisk as in winter, there’s a right comfort soup for every season. When you’re cooking meals based on what’s in-season, your meals taste as fresh as possible and become more sustainable.

Winter Comfort Soups

In winter, you want those soul-soothing soups that stick to your ribs. Think of thick stews, creamy bisques and broths simmered for hours. The main ingredients are root vegetables like potatoes, parsnips and squash as well as hearty greens like kale. Comfort soups in winter are favorite classics like Butternut Soup, Beef Barley Soup, and Split Pea!

Spring Comfort Soups

As the weather begins to warm, so should your soups. In the spring, we should be cooking with fresh and green ingredients. Here, the spotlight is on asparagus (in two forms!), peas, leeks and fresh herbs. Here a light Cream of Asparagus Soup or a colorful Spring Pea and Mint Soup captures the essence of the season.

Summer Comfort Soups

Hot summer days, cool summer food. Cold soups, such as Spanish Gazpacho or Cucumber-Avocado Soup also don’t require cooking and are bursting with the flavors of seasonal, juicy produce. Even hot comfort soups can be summerfied — with lighter broths and quick-cooking vegetables like zucchini and corn.

Fall Comfort Soups

Fall is a time for earthy, hearty flavors. Fall comfort soup – pumpkin, sweet potatoes, mushrooms and apples are all stars in this kind of recipe. A creamy Pumpkin Soup, a hearty Wild Mushroom Soup or even an Apple and Cheddar creation is just the thing on a cool autumn day.¹⁹

Image prompt: A four part image depiciting the four seasons side by side (panoramic). Each quadrant contains a seasonal soup: a warming winter stew, a green pea soup in spring, chilled gazpacho in summer and pumpkin for the autumn.

Your Comfort Soup Questions, Answered (FAQ)

LAST UPDATED ON APRIL 3, 2020. This post may contain affiliate links.

What exactly is a “comfort soup”?

A comfort soup is all about a feeling when you eat it. It’s usually warm, comforting, and even tied to good memories (a favorite childhood meal or a bowl of something that makes you feel taken care of when you’re sluggish with cold). Flavors tend to be familiar and satisfying more than complex or challenging.

Can comfort soups be healthy?

Absolutely. A lot of recipes for comfort soups are overflowing with veggies, lean proteins and fiber.²⁰ By regulating the sodium and high-fat components such as cream and cheese, you can prepare a relatively healthy meal. Soups with a broth base are usually healthier than cream soup.²¹

How to store soup, how to reheat and store soup?

Cool the soup completely and place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. To reheat, cook on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through, stirring occasionally. There’s no need to boil, which can change its texture.

Can I freeze comfort soup?

That’s all there is to it.” Most broth-based and puréed comfort soups freeze well. Allow soup to cool before transferring it to freezer-safe containers or bags with room for expansion. They can be chilled for up to three months.

What sort of comfort soups do not freeze well?

“Most creamy or dairy, as well as any broth containing potatoes, is not ideal because the texture tends to become grainy after thawing”. For soups with pasta or rice: It’s usually best to freeze the base and add fresh pasta or rice once you’ve thawed and reheated.

Discover More Soup Recipes

If this guide got you cooking, we’ve got more recipes and ideas to try out. If you want to keep exploring cooking inspiration, check out these related links:

• 20-Minute Weeknight Soup Recipes
• How to Make Homemade Bone Broth
• The Best Vegetarian and Vegan Soup Ideas
• A Guide to Global Soups: From Ramen to Pho

Tips for Taking Your Soups Up a Notch

No matter your skill level in the kitchen, there are always more tricks up your sleeve when it comes to making delicious comfort soup. Here are some ideas to elevate your soups:

• Layer Flavors — Begin by sautéing flavorful aromatics such as onions, garlic and celery in order to form a solid foundation of flavor. Flavorful spices and ingredients like herbs also bloom at this stage.
• Season Thoughtfully: Season in increments, tasting and adjusting along the way to reach a balanced finish.
• Homemade Broth: Whenever you can, substitute homemade broth or stock. They give a depth of flavor that commercially made ones often lack.
• Add Acidity: A squeeze of lemon juice, a splash of vinegar or a dollop of yogurt can bring comfort soups to life and add complexity.²²
• Top with Fresh Accents: A few fresh herbs, some grated cheese, or a little drizzle of good olive oil right before serving can make your bowl extra special.

Try these methods out and don’t be afraid to get creative in the kitchen– there’s no limit when it comes to creating a good bowl of comfort soup! And don’t forget to pay attention the texture of your soupy masterpieces. Toppings, like crunchy croutons, crispy bacon bits or even a spoonful of sour cream offer a pleasing contrast to the smooth texture of the comfort soup.

If you like a denser comfort soup, purée some of the mixture while leaving some vegetables or beans whole for a more rustic texture. You can also stir in cooked grains such as rice, quinoa or barley; these not only add texture but also make the soup more substantial and filling.

Use these ideas and you’ll change an “average” comfort soup into a remarkable and filling dinner.