Midweek Meals: warm up with these five comfy, cold-weather soups

Beat the chill with these cosy and time-tested recipes

Leek and Potato Soup is among our soup selections for the March chill

Easiest ever tomato soup

This easy soup can be cooked in ten minutes and is best served with toasted cheese sandwiches cut into triangles

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 2 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 12 mins

Course

 Starter

Cuisine

 American

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp butter

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 680ml bottle passata

• 1-litre chicken stock

• 1 bunch basil, chopped

• 1 heaped tbsp crème fraîche

Method

1. In a heavy-based saucepan heat the butter and oil over a low heat and stir in the garlic, cooking for a minute or two until fragrant. 

2. Stir in the passata, chicken stock and full bunch of basil and bring to a simmer. Cook for 8 minutes and season with salt and pepper. 

3. Stir in the crème fraîche before serving in cups or mugs. 

Leek & Potato Soup

An easy meal - with locally-sourceable ingredients.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Irish

Ingredients

• 50g butter

• 4 potatoes, peeled and chopped

• 2 onions, sliced

• 4 leeks, washed well and sliced

• 750ml vegetable stock

• 250ml milk

• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Melt the butter and stir in the vegetables. Turn the heat down to low, clamp on a lid and sweat for ten minutes until the vegetables have softened. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Bubble gently for fifteen minutes.

2. Stir in the milk and cook for five more minutes. Once cooled slightly blend with an immersion blender or in a jug blender until super smooth. To get ultra-silky soup, blend for at least five minutes - much longer than you may think. Season to taste, with salt and pepper.

Spicy sweet potato soup with maple almonds and pecans

This soup is hearty and healthy

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 25 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 45 mins

Course

 Starter

Ingredients

• For the topping

• 3 tbsp pecan nuts, roughly chopped

• 2 tbsp flaked almonds

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil

• ¼ tsp ground coriander

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• ¼ tsp red chilli flakes

•  For the soup

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, sliced

• ½ tsp red chilli flakes

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 150g peeled sliced carrots

• 2cm fresh ginger, grated

• 450g peeled and diced sweet potatoes

• Zest of 1 medium orange

• 1.5 litres vegetable stock

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Sunflower oil

• ½ tsp sea salt flakes

• 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds

• 2 tsp chopped flat leaf parsley

Method

1. To prepare the topping: Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4, and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

2. Mix everything for the topping together and spoon out onto the tray.

3. Bake for about 12 minutes, turning once. Keep an eye on them as flaked almonds burn quickly.

4. When golden, remove and sprinkle the sea salt flakes on top, mixing well.

5. Set aside until ready to use.

6. To prepare the soup: Add a little oil into a large saucepan, add the onion and sauté for 6-8 minutes before adding the garlic, ground coriander and red chilli flakes and cook for 1 minute.

7. Add carrots, fresh ginger, orange zest and diced sweet potatoes and sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring from time to time. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

8. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes – check that the carrots and sweet potatoes are cooked though.

9. Use a blender to puree the soup until smooth. Check the seasoning and add more salt and freshly ground black pepper.

10. To serve, ladle soup into bowl and sprinkle generously with the maple toasted nuts. Finish with the pomegranate seeds and parsley and serve.

Roasted squash and pepper soup

With no chopping to be done this is truly a fuss-free vegan soup. Skip the roasting step (exclude the oil) and simmer the ingredients in vegetable stock if you’d prefer a fat-free option.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 8 mins

Cooking Time

 40 mins

Total Time

 48 mins

Course

 Starter

Ingredients

• 100g frozen chopped onion

• 100g frozen chopped peppers

• 300g frozen chopped butternut squash

• 2 tsp chopped garlic (from jar or freezer is fine)

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil Salt and pepper

• 1 vegetable stock cube and hot water will be needed for finishing

Method

1. Put the onion, peppers, squash, garlic and vegetable oil onto a large baking tray. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Roast in the oven at 180°C degrees for 40 minutes.

3. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before blitzing with a little vegetable stock made with a stock cube until you get the consistency you like.

4. This soup will keep in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days and is perfect for freezing for reheating another day.

5. Recipe Suggestion: Add 2 teaspoons of garam masala to the roasting tray for a warmer spiced flavour soup.

Fridge raid soup

Swap the chorizo for bacon, add beans or lentils, use only veg – anything goes. If you roughly follow these ratios of veg, chicken stock and pasta, it will always taste delicious.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Irish

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 3 cooking chorizo sausages, sliced

• 1 large onion, diced

• 2 large carrots, diced

• 3 celery sticks, diced

• 2tbsp thyme leaves

• 1L chicken stock

• 400g tin chopped tomatoes

• 150g small pasta shapes or orzo

• 150g frozen peas

• 2 large handfuls of kale, roughly chopped

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• To finish:

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Finely grated Parmesan

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the chorizo slices, let them slowly render in the oil and cook for around five minutes or until they just begin to caramelise. Add the onion, carrots and celery and sauté for a further five minutes or until softened.

2. Add the thyme, chicken stock and tinned tomatoes and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for five minutes before adding the pasta.

3. Stir well and simmer for 12 minutes or until the pasta is almost cooked.

4. Toss in the frozen peas and kale, stir well and season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for a few minutes until the kale is tender.

5. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of Parmesan, then serve.