Soup is easy and quick to make, a useful way to use up odds and ends of both fresh and dried ingredients, and with the right balance of textures it can be a complete meal in a bowl. It’s no wonder the New York Times has named soup its Dish of the Year in its 2024 culinary predictions. As well as being a creamy, comforting hug in a bowl, it can also be a great way to introduce an invigorating blast of spice, or chilli heat, or citrus sharpness, all very welcome at this dreary time of year. And it can be light on calories too, if that’s what you want.
Start by checking out what’s left in the fridge and the store cupboard after the Christmas feasting. If there’s a sad bit of broccoli and a knob of blue cheese, you’re on the comfort soup route. If you’ve got a bag of carrots and some clementines or oranges, you can go zingy. A ham bone from the freezer (or some turkey stock if you were being organised), with a couple of cans of cannellini beans, chickpeas, or the end of a bag of dried pasta, along with good quality tinned tomatoes and some shredded cabbage or leeks, or a handful of spinach, and you’re on the way to a filling and nutritious minestrone.
The one vegetable I think is essential for making soup is onion, or leek. Chop it, soften it gently in butter or oil, and you’ve got the first building block of a good soup. Add diced potato or carrot, or just about any root veg, for a soup with more substance. And remember that whatever you are sautéing, give it time in a partially covered pan over a very low heat and season it well.
Just the softened onions and a big handful of frozen peas, blitzed with stock (a good quality cube will be fine), a few mint leaves and a spoon of crème fraîche, if you have them, and you’ve got an almost instant tasty soup. Or just the onions and beef stock and it’s the start of a delicious French onion soup, cheesy crouton topping not optional.
Here are a few other ingredient partners you can add to your hard working onions for a tasty, simple soup: red lentils and ground coriander; butternut squash and coconut milk; chopped mushrooms and thyme with a spritz of lemon juice; a tin of good-quality crushed tomatoes and a big knob of butter; cauliflower and curry paste or powder; or sweetcorn (topped with a few bits of ham or crispy bacon before serving). In each case, once the onions have softened add the other ingredients and simmer gently in stock until tender enough to eat as is, or blitz in a blender or with a soup gun.
Sometimes, though, soup is worthy of a bit of recipe reading and planning, so here are some of the most popular ones from our archive, created by the experts.
Mark Moriarty’s hot and sour turkey (or chicken) noodle soup
Don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients here. It’s worth shopping in advance for this one; you will end up with a healthy, flavour-packed and substantial main course soup.
Lilly Higgins’s cabbage and cannellini bean soup
The cabbage adds texture, while the beans give a creaminess without adding dairy (except the sprinkle of Parmesan at the end). A filling bowl of goodness.
Gráinne O’Keefe’s French onion soup with Cáis na Tíre rarebit
You’ll need a good dollop of patience for a proper French onion soup, so while you’re waiting for the onions to caramelise, dip into this piece on the best ever French onion soup.
Paul Flynn’s chickpea and smoked tomato soup
Don’t worry, no trips outside to the barbecue (or smoke guns) required. For the required smokiness here Paul Flynn relies on one of his favourite ingredients, smoked paprika. Very few ingredients needed for this, and if you want to make it a bit fancier, do as Flynn suggests and add a spoonful of hummus to serve.
Lilly Higgins’s carrot and star anise soup
Star anise replaces the more usual ground coriander here, for an even more aromatic take on a classic. A good way to use up a bag of carrots that has been lingering in the fridge.
Jess Murphy’s Killeen cheese and Galway Hooker soup
Cheese, beer and bacon in a steaming hot bowl, with a surprising little spicy edge from the addition of jalapeños.
Paul Flynn’s curried sweetcorn and coconut soup
Sweet, creamy and comforting, but with a spicy edge that can be adapted to personal taste. Use tinned sweetcorn for a creamier consistency.
