Top winter soups
I often guide students to soups like these below and then suggest adding fish from markets, where it’s often cheapest, or packets of smoked mackerel, frozen haddock or a can of tuna. Grate in fresh carrot, some frozen peas for extra bite and serve with a chunk of sourdough bread.
A portion of noodles, rice, pasta, quinoa or couscous will stretch it even further.
Making our own soup is easy, starting with an onion, a few cloves of garlic, and if you like it hot, some grated ginger and a chopped chilli, cooked slowly in oil or butter for 5 minutes before adding grated carrot, peas or any other seasonal vegetable. Grating hastens cooking.
Add 1 litre vegetable stock and for extra substance if you like, a can of beans or chickpeas to thicken. A teaspoon of cumin is delicious when using chickpeas. Cook for 10 mins. Use a potato masher to crush before serving.
For this survey I enlisted the help of a single man who sourced whatever soups he was attracted to. He was tempted to quite a few flavours from the brands here. He looked for soups which at a push he didn’t have to anything to at all to or which would at least be satisfying.
This is the closest of all samples to make a main course in itself with 4.5% chicken pieces in a tomato base with plenty of chickpeas. There are some red peppers, lentils, and lots of flavour from coriander, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, chilli and more to make a satisfying soup free from nasty additives.
9
A lovely pepper hit blends with basil which marries easily with the tomato flavours. Nicely pulpy and loved by all tasters. Fair price. From Farm Gate Midleton restaurant and country store.
9
While this seems bland compared to the other samples, the potato, carrot, leek, onion and celery are added to a vegetable bouillon, with parsley and salt, so no nasty additives or odd flavours. This is a good one to add to some leftover Irish stew to stretch it, or add some bits of leftover bacon to make a main course. Salt is low at 0.45% so suitable for children.
7.75
Made with 4% pork, 4% cooked rice in a tomato base flavoured with quite a lot of smoked paprika (smokiness is the first flavour which hits), garlic, red pepper and herbs. It’s a pity that it has been thickened with cornflour instead of using pulpy tomatoes as it’s a bit gloopy as a result. The taste is gentle and meaty so a good one to add a few other bits such as a hard boiled egg for extra substance for supper.
6.75
A smooth and silky soup from cream and butter, with a mild spiciness from chillies it has a lovely natural sweetness from the butternut squash. 0.90% salt and 2.7% saturated fats is fine. The added cornstarch as thickener is not overdone. A seasonal, satisfying soup. Fair value.
8
We liked this difference in texture to other samples. Quite light and thin, the vegetables added a chunkiness that made it substantial and satisfying. The base is tomato and there are cannellini beans, along with some pasta. While protein at 1.4% is low, a little grated cheese added would make it an easy main course. No nasty additives and still a good flavour.
7.25
8
This rich soup is a meal in itself with lots of tomato flavours spiked with turmeric, smoked paprika, chilli and coriander. There is carrot, potato and red lentils to add substance. It was too rich for a few tasters, but dipped with chunky bread the heavy flavours were absorbed nicely. Low fat yoghurt adds to the creaminess. Fair value.
7
