Soup Season: 4 Must-Make Bowls
Satisfy your soul, and stomach, with this quartet of simple soup recipes. From hearty classics to innovative creations, each simmering, slurp-worthy bowl promises to warm your taste buds.
Minestrone
Submitted by Vaiano Trattoria
7160 Douglas Boulevard, Granite Bay, 916-780-0888, vaianotrattoria.com
7160 Douglas Boulevard, Granite Bay, 916-780-0888, vaianotrattoria.com
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3-4 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• ½ head green cabbage, cut into ½” pieces
• 2 zucchini, chopped
• 1 can cannellini beans (or other bean of choice)
• 3-4 potatoes, chopped small
• 1-2 bunches leafy greens (green chard); or 4-6 cups pre-chopped spinach, chard, or kale mix
• 3-4 cups vegetable stock
• Salt & pepper, to taste
In a medium-large stockpot, sauté onions, celery, and carrots with olive oil. Once simmering, add cabbage, zucchini, beans, potatoes, and leafy greens. Add vegetable stock, followed by salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Adjust seasoning.
CHEF’S NOTE: This vegan minestrone is one of the easiest, most forgiving soups to make (you can use any veggies you have on hand); the hardest, most time-consuming part is cutting the vegetables!
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3-4 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• ½ head green cabbage, cut into ½” pieces
• 2 zucchini, chopped
• 1 can cannellini beans (or other bean of choice)
• 3-4 potatoes, chopped small
• 1-2 bunches leafy greens (green chard); or 4-6 cups pre-chopped spinach, chard, or kale mix
• 3-4 cups vegetable stock
• Salt & pepper, to taste
In a medium-large stockpot, sauté onions, celery, and carrots with olive oil. Once simmering, add cabbage, zucchini, beans, potatoes, and leafy greens. Add vegetable stock, followed by salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Adjust seasoning.
CHEF’S NOTE: This vegan minestrone is one of the easiest, most forgiving soups to make (you can use any veggies you have on hand); the hardest, most time-consuming part is cutting the vegetables!
Hop 'N' Barley Soup
Submitted by Placerville Public House
305 Main Street, Placerville, 530-303-3792, placervillepublichouse.com
305 Main Street, Placerville, 530-303-3792, placervillepublichouse.com
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1-2 yellow onions, small dice
• 4-6 stalks celery, small dice
• 3-4 carrots, peeled and small dice
• 6-8 beer brats, sliced
• 2 tbsp. garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. dried Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp. fresh thyme
• 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 12 oz. beer (hoppy not bitter)
• 1-2 lbs. mushrooms, sliced or rough chop
• 4 quarts beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 ½ cups pearl barley
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 1-2 yellow onions, small dice
• 4-6 stalks celery, small dice
• 3-4 carrots, peeled and small dice
• 6-8 beer brats, sliced
• 2 tbsp. garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. dried Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp. fresh thyme
• 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 12 oz. beer (hoppy not bitter)
• 1-2 lbs. mushrooms, sliced or rough chop
• 4 quarts beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 ½ cups pearl barley
• Salt & pepper, to taste
Sauté onions, celery, and carrots in oil until soft and translucent. Add brats, garlic, and herbs and sauté for 2-4 minutes. Add flour to absorb the oil and beer to deglaze the pan; simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook 2-4 minutes, followed by stock and bay leaves. Bring to a boil then add barley. Cook until barley is soft (about 30-45 minutes) and remove bay leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste.
CHEF’S NOTE: This soup can be made into a vegetarian Hop ’N‘ Mushroom soup by omitting the brats, adding more mushrooms, and using vegetable stock.
CHEF’S NOTE: This soup can be made into a vegetarian Hop ’N‘ Mushroom soup by omitting the brats, adding more mushrooms, and using vegetable stock.
Tom Kha Gai
Submitted by My Thai Kitchen
1465 Eureka Road, Suite 140, Roseville, 916-781-7811, eatatmythaikitchen.com
1465 Eureka Road, Suite 140, Roseville, 916-781-7811, eatatmythaikitchen.com
• 1 can (about 2 cups) coconut milk (we recommend the brand Mae Ploy)
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup tamarind paste
• 3 tbsp. lime juice (about 2 limes)
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 ½ tbsp. salt
• ½ cup fresh galangal, sliced thin
• ½ cup lemongrass, sliced into 1” pieces
• 6-7 kaffir lime leaves, torn in half or 2-3 pieces
• 1 medium-sized chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 5 oz. white mushrooms, cut in half
• 1 small yellow onion, sliced thin
• 2 green onions, sliced thin, to garnish
• Fresh torn cilantro, to garnish
In a medium pot, heat coconut milk, water, tamarind paste, lime juice, sugar, salt, galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves; once boiling, add chicken, mushrooms, and onions. Cook for 6-7 minutes, or until chicken is done. Garnish with green onions and cilantro.
CHEF’S NOTE: In Thai, “tom” is boil, “kha” is galangal, and “gai” is chicken, so tom kha gai literally translates to “boiled galangal chicken”; to make the soup vegetarian, substitute the chicken with tofu or add more veggies.
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup tamarind paste
• 3 tbsp. lime juice (about 2 limes)
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 ½ tbsp. salt
• ½ cup fresh galangal, sliced thin
• ½ cup lemongrass, sliced into 1” pieces
• 6-7 kaffir lime leaves, torn in half or 2-3 pieces
• 1 medium-sized chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 5 oz. white mushrooms, cut in half
• 1 small yellow onion, sliced thin
• 2 green onions, sliced thin, to garnish
• Fresh torn cilantro, to garnish
In a medium pot, heat coconut milk, water, tamarind paste, lime juice, sugar, salt, galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves; once boiling, add chicken, mushrooms, and onions. Cook for 6-7 minutes, or until chicken is done. Garnish with green onions and cilantro.
CHEF’S NOTE: In Thai, “tom” is boil, “kha” is galangal, and “gai” is chicken, so tom kha gai literally translates to “boiled galangal chicken”; to make the soup vegetarian, substitute the chicken with tofu or add more veggies.
Chicken-Sausage Cajun Gumbo
Recipe from Rocker Oysterfeller’s
564 Main Street, Placerville, 530-295-9408, rockeroysterfellers.com
564 Main Street, Placerville, 530-295-9408, rockeroysterfellers.com
• ½ cup chicken fat or neutral oil + 2 tbsp. neutral oil
• 1 cup all-purpose (or gluten-free) flour
• 3 stalks celery, small dice
• 1 yellow onion, small dice
• 6 green bell peppers, small dice
• 1 ½ tbsp. garlic, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. sweet paprika
• ½ tsp. celery seed
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 ½ tsp. dried oregano
• ¼ tsp. cayenne
• ¼ tsp. ground cloves
• ¼ cup white wine
• 2 quarts chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ bunch fresh thyme
• 2 lbs. boneless/skinless chicken thighs
• 2 Andouille sausage, cut into 8-10 pieces (per sausage)
• 2 cups okra, cut into ¼” rounds
• 2 tbsp. Louisiana-style hot sauce
• 1 ½ tbsp. kosher salt
Melt the fat/oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add flour and stir constantly, allowing the flour to toast until it’s dark brown but not burnt. Immediately add celery, onions, and bell peppers; stir frequently for 4-5 minutes, making sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. Add garlic and spices; stir for another minute. Add white wine, followed by the chicken stock (1 cup at a time to avoid clumps of flour). Bundle the fresh thyme and bay leaf tightly together with kitchen twine and add to the pot. Bring mixture to a simmer and then reduce heat to low, maintaining a slow simmer and not a fast boil. Immerse chicken thighs into the liquid and simmer for 30 minutes.
Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons oil, and cook sausage until caramelized on all sides. Remove sausage from pan using a slotted spoon, allowing the oil to drain off.
Break up the chicken thighs with the back of a spoon (or remove from the gumbo, shred, and return to pot). Add the cooked sausage, okra, hot sauce, and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning; serve over steamed long-grain rice.
CHEF’S NOTE: Gumbo is best eaten a day later, after the flavors have melded together.
• 1 cup all-purpose (or gluten-free) flour
• 3 stalks celery, small dice
• 1 yellow onion, small dice
• 6 green bell peppers, small dice
• 1 ½ tbsp. garlic, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. sweet paprika
• ½ tsp. celery seed
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 ½ tsp. dried oregano
• ¼ tsp. cayenne
• ¼ tsp. ground cloves
• ¼ cup white wine
• 2 quarts chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ bunch fresh thyme
• 2 lbs. boneless/skinless chicken thighs
• 2 Andouille sausage, cut into 8-10 pieces (per sausage)
• 2 cups okra, cut into ¼” rounds
• 2 tbsp. Louisiana-style hot sauce
• 1 ½ tbsp. kosher salt
Melt the fat/oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add flour and stir constantly, allowing the flour to toast until it’s dark brown but not burnt. Immediately add celery, onions, and bell peppers; stir frequently for 4-5 minutes, making sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. Add garlic and spices; stir for another minute. Add white wine, followed by the chicken stock (1 cup at a time to avoid clumps of flour). Bundle the fresh thyme and bay leaf tightly together with kitchen twine and add to the pot. Bring mixture to a simmer and then reduce heat to low, maintaining a slow simmer and not a fast boil. Immerse chicken thighs into the liquid and simmer for 30 minutes.
Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons oil, and cook sausage until caramelized on all sides. Remove sausage from pan using a slotted spoon, allowing the oil to drain off.
Break up the chicken thighs with the back of a spoon (or remove from the gumbo, shred, and return to pot). Add the cooked sausage, okra, hot sauce, and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning; serve over steamed long-grain rice.
CHEF’S NOTE: Gumbo is best eaten a day later, after the flavors have melded together.
by MEGAN WISKUS
photos by TAYLOR ALLRED
photos by TAYLOR ALLRED
Photos by Taylor Allred © and wholly owned by
Style Media Group—please don’t steal our copyrighted photos. For
more information about our editorial photos, please click here to
contact us https://www.stylemg.com/pages/contact-us