Soup Season: Part One
A Paleo, Multi-Soup Base You Won’t Want To Miss!
Falling temperatures. Vibrantly colored trees. Pumpkin spice EVERYTHING. These are the things that many people look forward to every autumn. While these are things that also give me warm and cozy vibes, one very important thing is missing…SOUP!
There’s nothing better on a brisk, autumn evening than a bowl of piping hot soup. “Creamy soup, cheesy soup, broth soup, beef soup, ham soup…” (anyone else read that in Bubba’s voice from Forest Gump?). Well, much like Benjamin Buford, aka Bubba, loves shrimp…my family loves any soup put in front of them (minus a couple fails…but that’s a story for later!).
So, it’s no surprise that finding a paleo soup was high on my priority list. Luckily for me, I was about to discover more than just a paleo soup. I was about to discover the “little black dress” of the paleo soup world…every woman should have it AND it goes with everything.
The Hunt
During my initial soup hunt, the only successful recipes I found were simple chicken or beef broths. Make the broth. Add the meat and veggies. Season to your liking. After a while, that formula got BORING!
I started to miss creamier soups like cheddar broccoli, chowders, and cheeseburger. After all, those are some of my favorite varieties! So, my soup search staggered on until the day I tried this Zuppa Toscana recipe from Paleo Running Momma. My soup world changed forever…
The Discovery
The broth in the Zuppa recipe was both brothy and creamy, the flavors were spot on, and my family DEVOURED it. Now, there were only two problems left. Number one, this recipe didn’t make enough for my soup-guzzling crew. Number two, even though canned coconut milk is what makes this soup magical, it does leave a sweet, coconut flavor…something which I don’t think belongs in soup. Fortunately, both problems are an easy fix!
To fix problem one, simply increase ingredients. To fix problem two, add extra chicken bouillon and some lime juice. The bouillon helps dull the coconut flavor while the lime juice counteracts the sweetness.
Broth Recipe
- 2 tbsp dairy free butter
- 3-5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 can full fat coconut milk
- 6 cups of water
- 8 chicken bouillon cubes
- lime juice to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
Melt butter in a large saucepan. Sautee onion and garlic until fragrant. Pour in coconut milk, water, and bouillon. Bring to a boil and simmer until all bouillon cube are melted and mixed in. Add lime juice a little at a time until desired sweetness level had been removed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. MWAH! Broth perfection.
My Top 3 “Expansion Packs”
Now that you have my magical broth base recipe, you can make any soup you can imagine. To get you started, here are my top three favorite variations this fall.
Zuppa
Sometimes you can’t forget about the original!…with a few added tweaks that is.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp dairy free butter
- 3-5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 can full fat coconut milk
- 6 cups of water
- 8 chicken bouillon cubes
- lime juice to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 package of bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1lb Italian sausage, cooked
- 4 cups potatoes, diced
- large handful of kale, chopped
- red pepper flakes to taste, optional
Make the broth recipe above using the first 8 ingredients. Add in the sausage, half of the bacon, and potatoes. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are fork tender. Toss in the kale and cook for another couple of minutes. Season with additional salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.
“Cheesy” Ham and Potato
This one is my son’s favorite!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp dairy free butter
- 3-5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 can full fat coconut milk
- 6 cups of water
- 8 chicken bouillon cubes
- lime juice to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- 16oz ham, diced
- 3 cups potatoes, diced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- nutritional yeast flakes
- dairy free cheese, optional
Make the broth recipe above using the first 8 ingredients. Add in the ham, potatoes, and peas. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are fork tender. Remove from heat and add in nutritional yeast to taste (I usually add between 2 tbsp and 1/4 cup). Top with additional salt, pepper, and dairy free cheese.
Cabbage Kielbasa
This is my cheap, quick, and easy option for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp dairy free butter
- 3-5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 can full fat coconut milk
- 6 cups of water
- 8 chicken bouillon cubes
- lime juice to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- 28oz kielbasa, sliced
- 3 cups cabbage, sliced
- large handful kale, chopped
Make the broth recipe above using the first 8 ingredients. Add in the kielbasa and cabbage. Reduce heat and simmer until cabbage is tender. Add in kale and continue to cook for a couple minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
…And Many More
Did any of these recipes trip your trigger? If not, that’s totally ok! You can take the broth recipe and alter it however you would like! I’ve made seafood chowders, “cheesy” chicken vegetable, “cheese”burger, broccoli cauliflower…the list goes on and on.
You can do the same! Make the broth, choose your favorite meats, and add in your vegetables. Want a “cheesy” soup? Use nutritional yeast. Want to sneak in extra nutrients? Add chopped leafy greens like kale, spinach, or cabbage. You can even use your leftovers from last night! Have fun with it…you might just find your new favorite.
Conclusion
Whether you choose to serve it as an appetizer, something to dip your sandwich in, or a full blown soup buffet, it’s sure to be a healthy success with this amazing base!
In my world of wild imagination, recipes are only suggestions. They are meant to serve as guides. To be adjusted and adapted to each person’s personal preferences. Soup is one of the most forgiving recipes to experiment with. So, embrace your inner mad scientist and get creating!
Stay tuned for MORE soup season recipes next week!
Before you go…
Don’t forget to check out the MMB Paleo Cookbook page!
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