If you’re planning to make soup for dinner, forget chicken noodles and take it a notch higher in terms of texture, flavor and nutrition – here are 4 delicious soup recipes that use all-natural herbs and spices that you must try:
Creamy Herbed Zucchini Soup
What you need:
- 10 cups zucchini chunks
- 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 cup milk, soy milk or nut milk
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 4 tbsps. margarine
- 1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
- 1 tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp. dried savory
Melt the margarine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Turn the heat on high and add zucchini, potatoes and onion. Cover and cook for 2 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent the vegetables from sticking to the bottom. Lower the heat to medium low and add chicken broth. Cook for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Stir in milk, basil, tarragon, parsley and savory. Heat through then serve immediately.
Herbs and Spices Oat Soup
What you need:
- 5 large tomatoes, sliced
- 1 cup oats
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
- 3 tbsps. olive oil
- 3 tsps. chicken bouillon granules
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3 cups water, divided
Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oats and cook until toasted, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside. Mix together tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro and 1 cup water in a blender. Puree until smooth. Pour the tomato mixture over the pan of toasted oats and add remaining water. Bring to a boil then stir in bouillon granules and salt. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately.
Basil and Tomato Soup
What you need:
- 3 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 20 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
- 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups tomato-vegetable juice cocktail
- 1 cup heavy cream or coconut milk
- 1/4 cup butter
Mix together crushed tomatoes, chicken broth and vegetable juice in a large saucepan. Cook and bring to a boil, about 30 minutes. Pour the mixture into a blender and add basil leaves. Puree until smooth. Return the mixture to the pan then add heavy cream and butter. Cook over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Serve immediately.
Chilled Mint Peach Soup
What you need:
- 10 peaches, sliced
- 2 cups half-and-half cream or coconut milk
- 1 cup peach schnapps
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
In a medium bowl, combine cream, peach schnapps, sugar, white wine, mint leaves, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix until well-blended and sugar has dissolved. Add peach slices to the bowl and transfer the mixture to a medium saucepan. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until peaches are tender. Remove from heat and pour mixture into a blender. Puree until smooth. Allow to cool for a few minutes then refrigerate. Serve chilled.
Try these healthy herbs and spices soup recipes for a more appetizing dinner.
