My Soup Recipes

Introduction

Normally I dislike very healthy foods :p but I absolutely love a good broccoli soup. Very few things in the world are both delicious and healthy at the same time, this is surely one of them. I started loving this soup ever since it was served to me outside my Chachi’s farmhouse in Islamabad in a beautiful vintage ceramic bowl with bread sticks. I fell in love with the soup ever since and wanted to try it. So I googled the recipe and came up with my own concoction after gathering ideas from a few websites including BBC foods. Sharing that recipe with you later today.

Vegetable soup entered our weekly menu many many years ago. Since then, and over time, I realized soup doesn’t really need all the extra work and stronger taste (e.g. onion, garlic etc) as we already have those in all curry foods in our menu anyway. So I wanted to simplify the soup recipe to make it simpler and quicker. So first of all, let me share the quick recipe that I currently use to make any vegetable soup:

My Current Instant Pot Quick Vegetable Soup

Ever since I got my Instant pot, I make all soups in it as its so easy and convenient. Following is the basic recipe of a vegetable soup in Instant pot.

Ingredients:

• Any vegetable (e.g. Broccoli, cauliflower, butternut squash, avocado, lettuce, carrot or combinations including potato)
• Optional: Stock or broth (chicken/beef/veg) instead of water. Homemade (i.e. frozen) is best. Otherwise store-bought can work too. Chicken cube option isn’t healthy but tastes good too. 
• Spices: Salt, pepper, any other herbs like italian/garlic or lemon pepper if you prefer. 

Method:

• Roughly chop (big pieces are fine) the vegetable and dump it in the instant pot. 
• Add water (or broth) to cover all the vegetables plus 1 inch above them. 
• Add spices. 
• Put on soup (or Manual) setting for 10-17 mins. 17 for hard vegetables like broccoli, potatoes, cauliflower. 10 for softer veggies like tomatoes, baby potatoes, spinach etc.
• Once done, let it naturally release pressure for 10 mins or so. Then open it and insert a handblender in the pot and purree all vegetables.
• After its done, release pressure and on Saute mode, add about 1 cup of milk and let it boil once. 
• Then adjust the consistency. Saute more if you want it thicker. Otherwise its done. 

My Initial Broccoli Soup recipe in a Pan

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp butter
• 2 cloves of chopped garlic
• A few left-over chicken boneless pieces (boneless or with bones) or 1/2 chicken cube
• 3 Roughly chopped broccoli
• 2 Roughly chopped carrots
• 2 roughly chopped onions
• 3 peeled and roughly chopped potatoes
• 1 medium sized green chilly
• 1/2 – 1 cup milk
• 1-2 Table spoons of cream

• Spices (1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp white pepper)

Method:

• In a large pan on medium heat, put some butter (or oil) and add chopped garlic cloves.
• Add onions and let them fry for about 5 minutes till they’re soft.
• Add 3 cups of boiling water into the pan along with chicken pieces.
• Season with all spices.
• Add all vegetables and let them boil for about half an hour.
• Check with a fork if potatoes and carrots are soft. When they are, turn the stove off.
• Take out all chicken pieces. You can re-use them in sandwiches, pizza or even curry later.
• Put all the vegetables and stock in food processor/grinder. Blend until smooth.
• Place the liquidized soup back in the pan on medium heat. Or you can use a hand blender inside the pan for convenience. 
• Add milk and cream and stir well.
• Serve with croutons (pieces of toast) and garnishing (coriander/mint leaves, cream or spices).

My Earlier Instant Pot Soup Recipe

• Saute mode: Add Oil/butter, then onion
• Once onion is softer, add garlic gloves
• Add vegetables and mix for 5 minutes
• Add spices: Salt, 1/2 chicken cube, pepper & Italian spices (oregano, herbs etc)
• Add 3 cups of water
• Turn it off and put on soup setting for 10-15 mins. If your Instant pot doesn’t have Soup setting, then Manual for 10 minutes. 15 for hard vegetables like Broccoli, potatoes, cauliflower. 10 for softer veggies like tomatoes, baby potatoes, spinach etc.
• Once done, let it naturally release pressure for 10 mins or so. Then open it and insert a handblender in the pot and purree all vegetables.
• Once done, add a bit of milk, last boil and its ready.

Other vegetables soup

You can use a similar recipe for any vegetable. I’ve made countless variations of this soup with different vegetables. You may try out with the following:

• Cauliflower
• Spinach
• Carrots
• Tomatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Peas
• Celery
• Kidney beans
• Avocado
• Asparagus
• Mushroom

Note

• If chicken isn’t available, chicken cubes or chicken powder can be used to make stock instead (but remember it doesn’t actually have chicken in it so it isn’t healthy unfortunately).
• You can add any available vegetables in the soup too like peas, green onions, red beans, green beans, mushrooms etc.
• If you want to make a really healthy version of this soup, forget butter, cream and oil. Boil it all, grind and add milk in the end on the stove. It will still be tasty.

Highly recommended. I’ve been making this soup regularly for years. Its healthy and yummy and is great for your babies/kids too. You must try. I would love you to share your experience.

Soups are best served with croutons or garlic bread.