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If you are looking for some helpful hints to make better soups, you are in the right place!
Do you look forward to winter so you can indulge in your favorite soup? What if I told you that I eat soup year round? Yes, I like to eat soup year round! What is great about soup is that it’s such a simple concept but has tons of body and flavor that can make it a full meal! And you can change it up with one simple ingredient. Here, I’ve compiled a list of my greatest 15 Tips for Making the Best Soups Ever that I think you will enjoy!
Here at MOMables, we strive to provide you with as many ideas as possible to help supplement your kid’s lunch boxes or even your dinners at home. Need more ideas? Come join us!
We, as moms ourselves, know that being a short-order cook can be quite taxing, so we do what we can to make your life just a bit easier. These tips are a good place to start!
We have compiled a few great tips that will help you make the best soups ever!
Related: Top 5 Thermos Containers We’ve Tested
1. Making your own chicken stock is easy to do and will be better than anything you can buy at the store, health- and taste-wise! Over time, you can stockpile chicken bones in your freezer or simply use what’s left over from a rotisserie chicken! Toss the bones in a pot with about an inch of water, and let it simmer for several hours. Add in any vegetables or spices that you like, to taste, and that’s all it takes!
2. Do you ever need ways to make soup creamier? Why not just add cream? I know it seems like an obvious answer, but just adding a few tablespoons can make a world of difference! Any kind of plain yogurt will also work just like cream. Add as much or as little as you like to taste.
3. Freeze your soup to make it last and provide a quick last-minute meal. Simply double whatever recipe you are following. Cook all parts of the soup that need it, let it cool to room temperature, and then freeze!
4. If you need a cream-of substitute, then you have to try this. Even the “healthier” versions of cream-of soups have high levels of sodium and other ingredients you probably can’t pronounce. Fortunately, our version is healthier and more nutritious than anything out there, and it tastes great!
5. Add noodles! Adding your kids favorite noodles, spaghetti, ramen, elbow or even some bowtie pasta, is a great way to make a simple stock soup and some veggies into a full-blown meal. The noodles help add some heartiness and body to something simple. Plus kids always love slurping noodles!
6. What if you have the perfect soup, but no container to put it in? Many people forget that you need a thermos in order for your kids to take your five-star soup to school! Having the right gear is just as important as having the right foods for your kids. Make sure you are covered!
7. If you are trying to portion out your soup into separate servings, don’t put them into separate food-storage containers, it just takes up way too much important real estate in your freezer! So, use a muffin tin instead! Freeze your soup in a muffin tin, and pop them out when they are solid. You now have the perfect serving size that can be thawed easily!
8. When you are freezing soup, don’t freeze the pasta along with it. Pasta turns all mushy after being frozen, so it is best to cook fresh pasta when you thaw out your soup! Pasta is easy to cook and quick.
9. When you are cooking your soup with the expectation of freezing it for a later date, slightly undercook the veggies. When you go to reheat the frozen soup, it will cook the veggies the rest of the way through. The same goes for potatoes!
10. Do you have tons of soup left over and just don’t know what to do with it anymore? You had the leftovers for lunch multiple days in a row, and you just know that you can’t take anymore! So make it into a dip! Extra veggies, meats and beans are perfect for adding body to a soup, giving it the perfect consistency for dip to load up crackers or bread!
11. Cook items such as onions, leeks, garlic, carrots, and celery on low-medium heat for a few minutes before adding any liquids. This will help blend the flavor, giving you a better taste overall!
12. Adding garnishes will do more than you think. Additions of herbs such as basil or cilantro will give a great contrast to the deep and rich flavors of your soup; it really helps freshen it up!
13. Soups that are thick and heavy, such as tomato, can really benefit from a dash of dairy. Add some milk, cream, or yogurt to lighten up the flavors while maintaining its heartiness.
14. Cheese! Many people just simply enjoy the taste of cheese in their soups. Adding a sharp cheddar can enhance the taste and give it an extra kick!
15. And for us adults, add some wine! The acidity gives some body and extra depth to your soup!
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Greta James
Thank you so much for your tip that cream is one of the greatest ways to make the soup creamier! I am hoping to make dinner for my boyfriend’s parents in 3 days. However, I want to make something different: I am thinking something of Russian influence. I will have to see what recipes I can find!
Helen Nicolelis
I have passed this on to my stepdaughter since my granddaughter is not a good eater.
Cyndi R
Muffin tin! Brilliant! I’ve frozen foods in ice cube trays before to have portions and space, but never thought of a muffin tin for larger portions. I will be trying this later.