How to make good soup: 10 of our most popular soup recipes ever

Warm, comforting and delicious: soup season is officially here

Ready in under an hour, a pot of soup is always welcome when the weather turns cooler. Photo: Bríd O'Donovan.

Love your veg soup

recipe by:Erica Drum

This soup uses any leftover vegetables you have and transforms it into a delicious soup

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 45 mins

Total Time

 50 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1kg mixed vegetables – carrots, courgette, parsnips, potatoes, bruised tomatoes, peppers, leeks, squash, pumpkin, peas

• 1 large white onion

• 4 garlic cloves

• Leftover fried breakfast bits – bacon, sausage or pudding (optional)

• 1l vegetable stock

• Slices stale bread

• Olive oil

• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Chop up your raw vegetables into even size pieces. Toss with two tablespoons of olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper. Place on a baking tray and cook for 20 minutes at 180°C.

2. In the meantime, dice your onions. Pour one tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepot over a medium heat and begin to fry your onions. Leave these to sauté for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Finely chop your garlic and add this to the onions.

3. If you have leftover bacon or breakfast bits, chop them up nice and fine. Add the breakfast bits to the onions and garlic and stir on a low heat for a minute.

4. Place the cooked veg from the oven into your saucepot and pour over the stock. Bring this to the boil and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.

5. While this is simmering, cube up your stale bread, drizzle with olive oil season with salt and pepper and toast in the oven for a few minutes on each side.

6. Place the soup mixture in a food processor or blitz with a soup gun. Add more water and seasoning where needed to reach your desired texture and taste. Serve with some homemade croutons and a drizzle of olive oil.
   
   Picture: Yvonne Keane

French onion soup with Gruyére toasts

recipe by:Darina Allen

This delicate and enduring classic soup is bursting with flavour and delicious served with crusty slices of fresh baguette

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 20 mins

Cooking Time

 60 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 20 mins

Course

 Side

Cuisine

 French

Ingredients

• 1.35kg onions

• 50g butter

• 1.7 l stock

• salt

• pepper

• 6 slices of baguette, 1cm thick toasted

• 75g grated Gruyére cheese

Method

1. Peel the onions and slice thinly. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and cook on a low heat for about 40-60 minutes with the lid off, stirring frequently – the onions should be dark and well caramelised but not burnt.

2. Add the stock, season with salt and pepper, bring to the boil and cook for a further 10 minutes. Taste and correct seasoning.

3. Ladle into deep soup bowls, put a piece of toasted baguette covered with grated cheese on top of each one.  Pop under the grill until the cheese melts and turns golden.

4. Serve immediately but beware – it will be very hot.

5. Note: Hold your nerve, the onions must be very well caramelised otherwise the soup will be too weak and sweet.