Cold winters and hot soups have always been one of the best combinations one can ever come across.
The word soup comes from French word “Soupe” (soup, broth) which further comes from Latin word’ Suppa” (bread soaked in broth). The origin of soup dates back to about 6000 BC. First commercial soup was consumed in France in the 16th century.
Soups are a replenishing, aromatized and a complete meal. Soups play an important role in the menu and are often served as appetizer to stimulate the hunger for the rest of the course. There is no hard fast rule that every preparation has to be in a same way each time, what matters the most are the techniques, ingredients and of course the taste.
Soups can be divided into three basic categories namely Thick Soups, Thin Soups and Cold Soups.
In this post, I shall be sharing our family’s favorite winter soups and the recipes I have been following. These recipes are tasty, highly nutritious, easy to prepare and can also be consumed by children who have started solids, pregnant and new moms, elderly people and so on.
So, here's presenting 'Soup - A Perfect Bowl Of Happiness' directly from Amy's Kitchen!
Garlic – Mushroom Soup
This is a perfect winter soup bursting with earthy flavors of garlic and mushrooms. The creamy texture of the mushrooms along with the aroma of garlic makes this soup our top favorite. To prepare this soup, ensure you have the following ingredients:
Mushrooms : 200 gms thoroughly washed and chopped into chunks
Garlic cloves(big) : 7-8 finely sliced
Leek : 1 finely chopped
Potato(small) : 1 washed and chopped
Salt, Pepper : as per taste
Thyme Leaves : 1 sprig finely chopped or 2 tsp dried thyme powder
Cream : 1/4 -1/2 cup (optional)
Vegetable Stock or water : 3 cups
Olive Oil : as per need
After preparing the above ingredients, take a pan and add olive oil to saute the garlic and thyme. Once the garlic releases its aroma, add the chopped leeks and potatoes. Add some salt and mix well. Once the potatoes are cooked add the chopped mushrooms and saute it in medium flame. Add the pepper powder now. Wait till the water from the mushroom is completely absorbed. Switch off and blend once cooled.
Now in a deep pan, add the puree and vegetable stock. Give it a mix and wait for the right consistency as desired. Add some cream while serving along with some herbs of your choice.
Serve Hot and Enjoy Your Bowl of Happiness!
Garlic Mushroom Soup
Picture Courtesy: Canva App
Note:
You can use any mushrooms of your choice.
If you don’t have vegetable stock, you can add water too.
If you like it spicy, you can also add paprika powder to the soup or can increase the level of pepper powder.
Adding cheese enhances the taste but fills the tummy way too quickly!
Cream of Carrot and Bottle gourd
This is another soup that is high in nutrients and can be served to pregnant ladies, lactating moms and children alike. This soup is exotic and sumptuous and serves as an excellent appetizer or can be had as a wholesome meal when clubbed with sourdough or garlic breads. To make this recipe keep all the ingredients ready which are mentioned below:
Carrots : 2 washed & diced
Bottle Gourd : 1 small peeled & diced
Garlic Cloves : 4-5 sliced
Ginger – 1/2 inch finely chopped
Onion : 1 small finely chopped
Tomato : 1 scooped and sliced (optional)
Cloves : 2 nos.
Bay Leaf : 1-2 medium sized
Oregano, Salt, Pepper as per taste
Vegetable Stock/Water : 3 cups
Olive Oil/Ghee/Butter : 1-2 TBSP
Fresh Cream : 1-2 TBSP
Sugar/Jaggery : 1-2 TSP (if preferred)
Fresh Parsley or Coriander for seasoning
In a pressure cooker or kadai, add some butter/ghee/oil.
Once the oil is ready, add cloves, bay leaf, ginger and sliced garlic cloves. Sauté well and add chopped onion. If you plan to add tomato, add it right away. Then add the chopped carrots and bottle gourd pieces. Mix well. Now add the salt, pepper, oregano and sugar.
– If using a pressure cooker add vegetable stock or water and pressure cook it for 2 whistles. Switch off, let the pressure settle, remove the bay leaf and using a hand blender make it a nice puree. Mix well, add the cream and adjust the taste enhancers, spice level, etc.
– If using a kadai, add half the stock or water and let the veggies cook well. Once done, switch off the flame, remove the bay leaf and blend it using a hand blender. Add the remaining stock or water, give it a mix. Before serving, heat the soup again, add the cream and adjust the taste enhancers or spice level.
Garnish it with fresh parsley leaves or coriander leaves and serve hot!
The lip-smacking and healthy soup is ready!
Beetroot – Yogurt Soup(Cold)
This colorful soup is served chilled and is delicious, refreshing and super quick and easy to make.
Although, this soup is an appetizer for summers, we prefer to have it as per the hot weather in Mumbai. This East European Cuisine is excellent to be served to young and adults alike. This soup is to be prepared atleast 4 hours in advance to your serving time. To make this yummy soup, gather up the below ingredients:
Beetroot : 4 small/medium sized cooked and peeled
Cucumber : 1/2 peeled & grated
Avocado : 1 small
Garlic Cloves : 2-3 sliced finely
Dill Leaves : 1 small cup finely chopped
Lemon Juice from 1 large lemon
Curd / Yogurt : 2 cups (can adjust as per preference)
Salt and pepper as per taste.
Steam cook the beetroot and remove the peel. Refrigerate for minimum 4 hours. Meanwhile, grate the cucumber and scoop the avocado out.
Now in a blender, add the beetroots, grated cucumber, garlic cloves, 3/4th of dill leaves, lemon juice, salt, pepper and yogurt. Blend well. Add vegetable stock or water if needed.
Garnish with remaining dill leaves before serving. The best accompaniment is boiled eggs.
Sit back with your cold bowl of soup and switch your chill mode on!
This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla, and happily SPONSORED BY RRE Studios and SHOWCASE Events.
Delicious recipe
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Thanks for liking it. Please do try and let me know if you like it. have followed you too
We love soups, specially in winters. Your recipes are unique. I am going to try beetroot and yogurt for sure.
Soups are my favorite comfort good during winters. Loved the color of Carrot-Bottle Gourd soup. I have made carrot tomato soup but haven’t tried bottle gourd. Will try it soon.
Soups are my favorite too. Thanks for liking the recipes. I do make carrot tomato too and we like it too. Do try them and let me know if you and all at home like it
Wow loved the post Amrita. indeed during winter soup is best option to add colorful veggies in our diet. all three recipes sounds amazing. but I like beetroot one most, will try it for sure and let you know how my family like it.
Thanks for liking the post Surbhi. Soups are indeed comforting. We also make the beetroot soup with coconut milk and that gives an interesting twist too. Do try them and let me know if your girls like it.
Thanks for sharing these coup recipes. We love having hot soup on cold winter evenings and shall try these out for sure.
In winter’s a hot bowl of soup is a heaven for everyone at home except me. But cooking is my love so I would love to try all three recipes for sure.
Great Amritha! Best idea to keep yourself filled with healthy soup options ,Loving your all three amazing soup idea for cold and hot weather both. Bottle gourd and carrot soup is definitely going to get a try by me.
Since it is winter these recipes will help me. Thanks for sharing.
I love soups though we do not have any winter here. i switch on the AC and have 🙂 I am going to try out the mushroom garlic and the carrot gourd soup. Both look really delicious. Thank you for sharing such wonderful recipes .
Soups are our comfort foods during monsoons and chilly winters. Our entire family members love different soups.
Cream n mushroom soup is my go too throughout winter. A bowl for supper is enough to keep me warm
Soups in winters are always perfect.I have tried Tomato soup, veg soup, carrot soup,. So I have found some new variants. Loved the beetroot one. Thanks for sharing this.
I actually love soup, any type of soup… All these recipes sound wonderful… I am bookmarking them!
Loved all of the recipes. Easy to make and the ingredients are not difficult to obtain. Especially loved the beetroot one – will definitely try it as I have not tried a cold soup at all!
Soups are my favorite, loved the beetroot- yogurt soup, the image is so tempting that I would want to give it a try soon 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
Delicious soup recipes. I love beef- barley soup. Thick and chunky. Though beef is used abroad, I am not sure if we can replace beef with chicken or not.
Hey, i am a vegetarian. And this is beetroot curd soup
I was simply commenting on what soup I like. No intention to offend your sensibility.
A hot bowl of soup is the perfect comfort food in winters. The carrot-bottle gourd soup is a favourite at our place. Your recipes are healthy and easy, will try them for sure. I must compliment you on the beautiful pics you’ve taken too.
I am a big fan of soup. All soup recipes are delicious and easy to make. Good thing about soup is it’s healthy and loved by everyone including kids as well.
I just love soups. Clear soups are my favorite. As much as I love bottle gourd in all its forms (including ice cream), I haven’t had it in soup form. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I am definitely going to try it out.
I will choose a hearty bowl of soup anyday over main food and especially during winters. Since the season is flying away soon, I’m enjoying them every evening. Will try your recipes too Amritha.
Soups are such soulful meals.
I can have it all year round. The recipes look delicious 😋 will definitely take tips.
Soups are definitely my go to soup food and Iake them frequently t home. These recipes look drool worthy and I’d try them too
Soups are our all time favourite. We all love it and these are some healthy and amazing soups added by you in the post. Would surely love to made this for my family. Thanks for posting.
piping hot soup in chilly winters is always a favorite at dinner. We have bottle gourd and carrot soup on a regular basis but the beetroot yogurt got my attention. It sounds exciting.. almost like a smoothie.. will give it a try once the weather at Delhi allows it. 🙂
Hot bowl of soup in winters is just the right sort of thing I need. I loved your recipes and I am definitely trying on these specially the garlic and mushroom soup though I would substitute the mushroom with some other vege as we do not eat mushroom.
Yummy and creamy treat. Perfect soup recipe. 😊
I personally love tomato and corn soup but beetroot and yogurt soup really make me feel like I should tey this anyhow asap. Haha
I love carrot and lauki soup. its my all time favorite. I have always loved vegetable soups. my husband loves Mushroom. I am more interested in the cold soup. never heard of them but they look quite easy to prepare and very colorful with beet. do share more insights .
This is a great blog post for someone like me ; a soup enthusiast. But when it comes to making one i find myself running out of much options. Saving the post for my experiments. Thankyou
This is an awesome list. Need to make sure, I try all before summer sets in. The beetroot one intrigued me, cold soup, hell yes, as long as it is good for you.
👍
My husband always asks me why I don’t try different soups. But all I can think of are hot and sour and sweet corn soup. Now I can flaunt my soup making skills. Thanks to you. Bookmarking this page❤
Your title is indeed apt. Soup can change your mood. You have shared several different varieties of soups. These are rare. Some of the ideas are quite unique and unheard of. They are rich in nutrients and it makes them perfect. Can’t wait to make it
Thank you so much for the post. I am on a diet and was looking for healthy recipes with less calories. The soups you have mentioned are apt for this. Thanks lot. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for this post.
I love soups in any form. Hot or cold. Will surely try one of them and see how I like them. Thanks for the recipes.
Wow, wnty of soup recipes and options to.try. I am all set to try the garlic mushroom soup for tonight’s dinner
These are some unique and delicious reciepes for soups. I am not a soup fan at all but these look delectable and now i am tempted to try these.
Indeed! Cold winters and hot soups have always been one of the best combinations one can ever come across. These are some amazing soup recipes. Thanks for sharing. I will try few of them
Yeah totally! For the last month or so we have been having soup almost daily! Tomato soup and almond soup are our staples but we love other recipes too. Loved making the minestrone and broccoli soups as well and tomorrow is lemon coriander! Will be sharing your recipes with the family too!
Wow, my mouth is literally watering. I just love soups especially in this cold weather but I can only make tomato soup and mix veg soup. Garlic mushroom is my favorite but I can’t get it right so never try it. I am now gonna try the other two you have shared, look absolutely delicious.
Absolutely, soup has a magic of it own and when you are relishing the soup the flavors tingle the taste buds to longer time. Shall try beetroot soup the color of it is so appealing.
The soups look so delicious by the pics you have shared. Mushroom is my fav but never tried its soup. Will do now
Soups are always kick to the mood at dinner and must tell wonderful recipe definitely would love to try this out thank you for sharing these recipe…
Soups are our inhouse fav too. From broccoli to tomato and carrot we make it all…. I loved the mushroom soup recipe a lot as mushroom is also my favorite and I am gonna try making that.
I am a fussy eater but I love soups. Loved the Carrot and bottle gourd and I am going to make it right now..will share the pic with you 🙂 Thanks for sharing such a delightful recipe.
Wonderful recipes dear. They are so easy to follow
I have been a huge fan of hot soups, especially in winters. But through your post, I have now learned the recipes of not only hot but cold soups as well. Thanks a ton for sharing these recipes.
We love homemade soups in winters and I have been trying out different recipes but have not come across these ones that you have suggested. will definitely try these out !they are easy to make and so healthy definitely going to add them to our menu
Giving the history of soups was a good idea. I love soups and experiment a lot. Now I have two more recipes to try out. And the beetroor is my favourite vegetable.
I am trying out new recipes and the soup recipes you shared look so tempting. I am glad I bumped into this post. I shall definitely be trying out the recipes.
I just love hot soups, will love to try this carrot and bottleground soup, this looks very tempting and healthy. Thanks for all these recipes!!
Thanks for sharing these soup recipes I fall short in making different kinds of soups so these recipes will be of great help.
Wow all the three soups sound amazing especially the beetroot one. Even though I am not extremely fond of soups but I do like to have them sometimes esp during winters.
Oh. This is so great.. we too love making soups during winters and I am surely going to try these recipes
Though I’m not so much fond of souos, I make and have in winters to feel the warmth. Those are some easy and simple recipes. Will try for sure 😄.
Wow !!!! Soup are definitely a must have in winters. We regularly take different varieties of soup on day to day basis. Never tried those you have mentioned. I would seriously love to give it a try 🙂
– Representative of TCT
Soups are real comfort food. More so during chilly weather or when you are under the weather. These are nice recipes, really loved the beetroot one.
Soups are very nutritious and healthy. I enjoy to sip but I am not confident to try. These recipes look simple will surely give it a try.
These are some really unsusual soups, had never heard of but would definitely give them a try, saving the page
I am a soup freak too and I make soup and each and every day especially in winter. You have mentioned quite a good option. Vl try soon.
Cream of carrot and bottle gourd soup I have never heard of. But it looks extremely delicious and nutritious.
Delicious soup