4 Ideas for Simple Soups

Warm up with a meal in a bowl, perfect for a cold winter’s evening.

recipes CASSIE BEST | photograph EMMA BOYNS

Cauliflower Cheese Soup with Crispy Sage & Hazelnuts

SERVES 4-6 | PREP 10 mins | COOK 30 mins | EASY | V | ❄ without toppings

Heat 2 tbsp rapeseed oil in a large pan and cook 1 chopped onion until starting to caramelise. Add 1 vegetable stock cube, 1 large chopped head of cauliflower and a drained 400g can butter beans. Stir, then pour in 400ml milk and 800ml water. Season and add a grating fresh nutmeg. Cover and simmer for 20 mins. Blend the soup with a hand blender until smooth, adding more liquid if necessary. Add 2 tsp Dijon mustard, 50g extra mature cheddar and 100ml double cream. In another pan, sizzle a handful sage leaves in 50ml oil until crisp. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with the sage, oil and some chopped toasted hazelnuts.

GOOD TO KNOW fibre • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 370 kcals • fat 30g • saturates 11g • carbs 13g • sugars 7g • fibre 4g • protein 10g • salt 0.9g

Top: Cauliflower cheese soup with crispy sage & hazelnuts Bottom: Curried sweetcorn soup

Curried Sweetcorn Soup

SERVES 4 | PREP 15 mins | COOK 40 mins | EASY | V | ❄ without toppings

Heat 2 tbsp rapeseed oil in a large pan. Add 1 large finely chopped onion and cook for 8-10 mins until soft. Add 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 chopped red green chilli, 1 peeled, finely chopped carrot and 1 finely chopped celery stick. Cook for 2 mins, then add 1 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric, 1 1 /2 tbsp mild or medium curry paste, 1 chicken or vegetable stock cube and 50g red lentils. After 30 secs, pour in 400ml coconut milk and 800ml boiling water. Cover and simmer for 15 mins. Add 250g frozen sweetcorn, cover and cook for 3 mins. Leave the soup chunky or part-blend. Season to taste. Top with a halved soft-boiled egg, coriander leaves and green chilli slices.

GOOD TO KNOW 2 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 393 kcals • fat 28g • saturates 16g • carbs 22g • sugars 9g • fibre 5g • protein 11g • salt 1g

Red Pepper, Squash & Harissa Soup

SERVES 6 | PREP 15 mins | COOK 1 hr | EASY V ❄

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Peel 1 small butternut squash (about 600-700g) and chop into chunks. Roughly chop 2 red peppers and 2 red onions. Put all the veg on a large baking tray and toss together with 3 tbsp rapeseed oil, 3 garlic cloves in their skins, 1 tbsp ground coriander, 2 tsp ground cumin and some seasoning. Roast for 45 mins, moving the veg around in the tray after 30 mins, until soft and starting to caramelise. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins. Tip everything into a large pan. Add 1.2 litres chicken or vegetable stock, 2 tbsp harissa paste and 50ml double cream. Bring to a simmer and bubble for a few mins. Blitz the soup in a blender, check the seasoning and add more liquid if you need to. Serve swirled with extra cream and harissa.

GOOD TO KNOW healthy • low cal • fibre • vit c • 2 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 205 kcals • fat 11g • saturates 4g • carbs 15g • sugars 10g • fibre 6g • protein 9g • salt 0.5g

Top: Red pepper, squash & harissa soup Bottom: Green minestrone with tortellini

Green Minestrone with Tortellini

SERVES 4 | PREP 5 mins | COOK 25 mins | EASY | V

Heat 2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil in a large pan. Add 1 chopped onion, 1 small chopped leek and 1 chopped celery stick. Cook for 8-10 mins until softened, then stir in 3 crushed garlic cloves and 2 bay leaves. Pour in 1 litre good-quality chicken or vegetable stock, then cover and simmer for 10 mins. Add 100g shredded spring veg or cabbage, 50g frozen peas, zest of 1 lemon and 250g tortellini (spinach tortellini works well). Cover and cook for another 3 mins, season well and ladle into bowls.

GOOD TO KNOW healthy • low fat • low cal • fibre • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 231 kcals • fat 8g • saturates 2g • carbs 21g • sugars 6g • fibre 7g • protein 14g • salt 0.9g