Brimming with winter squash, ribbons of hardy kale, tender chickpeas, and sturdy whole grains, this winter minestrone is the kind of soup that'll carry you through the darkest, coldest days of the season.

This is one of those recipes that's endlessly adaptable. It's more of an idea tossed together in a pot than a proper recipe. A riff on what's available in your pantry an at the farmers market. Some homemade bone broth. A can of tomatoes. Beans and grains. The last of the winter veg tucked away in your crisper drawer - it all works here.

Cannellini beans can stand in for the chickpeas. Whole wheat orzo or another small, tiny pasta can substitute for emmer. Swiss chard or even spinach can find a place instead of kale. And, any which way, it seems to turn out just right.

It comes together without a fuss and is mercifully light on your budget. Warming, wholesome, packed with fiber, it's a soup that we return to again and again.

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

Aromatic vegetables include onion, garlic, celery and carrots. They give the soup a richness, and you'll find them as the base in most minestrone recipes.

Dried herbs include thyme, basil, oregano and crushed red pepper. You can swap in fresh herbs if you have them, but add less since dried herbs are more concentrated.

Butternut squash forms the bulk of the veg in the soup. If you don't have butternut squash, you can swap in another winter squash option - kabocha, red kuri, and pie pumpkins will work, too.

Kale added right at the very end adds color, flavor and a good dose of fiber. You can also substitute most other hardy winter greens (mustard greens, spinach, chard).

Emmer is an ancient grain related to einkorn and spelt. It tastes deliciously nutty with a chewy texture. You can swap in small whole-wheat pasta, such as orzo or ditalini.

Chickpeas add bulk and give the soup plenty of fiber and a protein. Other options include cannellini beans, cranberry beans, or even kidney beans.

Chicken broth and diced tomatoes pull the soup together. Just about any broth recipe will work here,

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Where to Find Emmer

Grand Teton Ancient Grains is our favorite source for organic and regeneratively grown grains.

Their emmer has a beautiful texture, sweet nutty flavor and you can mill it into flour for baking or use it in salads like this one.

Check it out

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Winter Minestrone Recipe

Overflowing with winter vegetables and brimming chickpeas and emmer wheat, this winter minestrone makes for a nourishing, nutrient-dense supper during the darkest days of the year.

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Keyword ancient grains, herbs, pulses, vegetables

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Author Jenny

Ingredients

Preparing the Minestrone

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves (chopped)
• 3 medium carrots (chopped)
• 3 ribs celery (chopped)
• 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt (plus additional to taste)
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 ½ cups cubed butternut squash
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 (13.5 ounce can) diced tomatoes
• 1 ½ cups chickpeas (cooked)
• 1 ½ cups emmer berries (cooked)
• 1 bunch kale (stemmed and sliced thin)
• grated parmesan cheese (to serve)

Instructions

• Warm the olive oil in a stock pot or Dutch oven placed over medium heat. Stir in the onion, garlic, carrots and celery. Sprinkle with sea salt and cook until fragrant, about 6 minutes. Stir in the basil, oregano, thyme and crushed red pepper, and continue to cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.
• Stir the butternut squash into the pot, and then continue to cook a further 3 to 4 minutes, or until it begins to soften around the edges. Pour in the chicken broth and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then turn down the heat to medium-low and continue cooking until the squash is tender and cooked through.
• Stir in the chickpeas and emmer, and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the kale and let it wilt in the residual heat of the pot, about 5 minutes further. Serve hot. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

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Hearty and comforting, this Green Chicken Chili layers navy beans, chicken, and rich bone broth with poblano and jalapeño chiles. A spoonful of salsa verde at the finish keeps the flavors fresh and lively.

I love serving this simple green chicken chili in the colder months, when hearty beans and broth feel especially grounding. It's an affordable meal that stretches easily, yet feels vibrant thanks to the warmth of poblanos and jalapeños.

A swirl of fermented salsa verde at the end adds both brightness and probiotics, while smoked chicken makes a cozy variation with deeper flavor. Simple enough for weeknights, yet satisfying enough to share. It's the kind of dish that anchors the season.

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

Navy beans' mild flavor and creamy texture make them perfect for chili. Cannellini or great northern beans are good alternatives. If you're short on time, use canned beans. Just remember to drain and rinse them well.

Chicken gives the chili its body. Opt for pre-cooked or leftover chicken for a speedier meal. I favor smoked chicken thighs, but the leftover meat from our favorite slow roasted chicken or even a store-bought rotisserie chicken works just as well.

Chicken bone broth builds both flavor and nourishment, adding a delicious silky texture and boost of protein. Vegetable broth or a lighter store-bought stock can be swapped in for homemade.

Salsa verde lends brightness and depth. I love using our fermented salsa verde in this dish, but a roasted tomatillo salsa or mild green enchilada sauce makes a fine substitute.

Green chiles lend a bit of heat to the chili. Poblano peppers offer a mild, earthy flavor that anchors the chili, while jalapeños contribute gentle heat. You can adjust the amounts (and type of chile) depending on the amount of heat you tolerate.

Cumin and oregano give the broth a deeper and more resonant flavor.

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Green Chicken Chili

On long, chilly nights, I crave meals that are simple, nourishing, and deeply comforting. Built on humble ingredients (beans, leftover chicken, green chiles and onions) fits the bill. It's also mercifully kind to the budget.

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Jenny

Ingredients

For the Chili

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
• 2 cloves garlic (chopped fine)
• 3 medium poblano peppers (seeded and chopped fine)
• 2 medium jalapeños (seeded and chopped fine)
• 6 cups bone broth
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (plus additional to taste)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 4 ½ cups cooked navy beans (see note)
• 4 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 cup salsa verde

To Serve

• chopped fresh cilantro
• lime (quartered)
• hot sauce

Instructions

• Warm the oil in heavy stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When you can feel the heat radiating from the pan, toss in the onion, garlic, poblano and jalapeño peppers.
• Sprinkle with salt, cumin and oregano. Then, allow the vegetables to sweat until the onions turn translucent and the peppers soften and release their fragrance-6 to 8 minutes.
• Stir in the bone broth, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Then turn the heat down to medium, and continue simmering until vegetables are soft and cooked through, about 8 to 12 minutes.
• Stir in the cooked beans and shredded cooked chicken, and continue cooking until the beans and chickened are warmed through and the broth turns creamy, about 20 minutes.
• Stir in the salsa verde, turn off the heat and adjust seasoning with salt. Serve with chopped cilantro, fresh lime, and additional hot sauce or salsa verde if desired.

Recipe Questions

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With an aromatic base of peppers and onions simmered together in a savory, spiced broth, Sopa de Lima (Lime Soup) has an extraordinary flavor. It tastes richly savory with sharp acidic notes. It's one of the most delicious dishes of the Yucatán peninsula in Mexico. And even better? It's easy to make, too.

What is Sopa de Lima?

Akin to tortilla soup, Sopa de Lima (Lime Soup) is a culinary specialty of Yucatán. It features a slow-simmered broth typically made from turkey or chicken and a vibrant sofrito made with sweet peppers and onion. Fresh lime brings a pleasant touch of acidity to the soup, which you dress at the table with thin strips of fried corn tortillas, plenty of fresh cilantro, chopped chilies, and, occasionally, ripe avocado.

Ingredient Notes

• Broth is the foundation of the recipe. In Yucatàn, it's often made from turkey or chicken carcasses. This homemade chicken broth recipe is a good start. Vegetable broth also works, but lacks the depth of flavor you'd find in real broth.
• Sweet peppers, onions and tomatoes make the sofrito, or the base that gives the broth its flavor and depth. We use orange and red bell peppers for their sweeter flavor, but Hungarian wax peppers or mild green chiles make a good substitute.
• Onions give the sofrito depth. I prefer white onion for its pleasant bite, but you can easily substitute yellow or red onion if that's what you have on hand.
• Tomatoes give the soup a little body and loads of flavor. Opt for meaty plum or Roma tomatoes if you can find them, as they tend to hold up well to soup-making and are less watery.
• Shredded chicken breasts are added to the broth along with the sofrito. It gives it a good boost of protein and makes it a little more filling.
• Spices for the broth include cinnamon, allspice, black peppercorns, whole cloves, and bay leaves. Cinnamon is a popular spice in Mexican cooking, and allspice is indigenous to Yucatán, where it's commonly used in its traditional cookery.
• Lime gives the soup its acidity. In Yucatán, lima agria or key limes are widely used. They're less widely available in the United States, and you can substitute the larger limes you find at the grocery store.
• Lard is traditionally used in many traditional Mexican recipes. It's perfect for frying the tortilla strips or cooking down the sofrito. Choose pasture-raised lard as it is rich in vitamin D and monounsaturated fat. It's an excellent alternative to vegetable oil for frying.
• Garnishes include fried tortilla strips, lime slices, fresh cilantro, and chopped chilies. You can add serrano or jalapeño peppers, but we favor habañero for its intense heat and subtle floral notes.

Recipe Tips

• If you're making a larger batch of soup, consider making the broth yourself by simmering a whole chicken in a large soup pot. Then strain and reserve the broth and shred the chicken.
• Many traditional recipes are made with turkey rather than chicken. If you happen to have leftovers from a slow-roasted turkey, this is a great way to use them.
• Cook the sofrito until it's very soft and begins to break down. It will release its flavor into the broth more effectively.
• Keep a plate lined with paper towels on hand to drain the fried tortillas so that they're less greasy when you add them to the soup.
• Charring the onions, cloves of garlic, and spices before simmering the broth amplifies their flavor and gives the broth a beautiful depth of flavor.
• Use gloves when slicing the hot chilies. It'll prevent you from burning your skin from the pepper's capsaicin.

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Lime Soup Recipe (Sopa de Lima)

With a deeply complex broth touched with sweet, aromatic spices and plenty of fresh lime, Lime Soup is a favorite in our household. Fresh cilantro, chilies and lime take this humble pot of chicken soup to the next level, amplifying its flavor for an easy, nourishing meal. 

Course Soup

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 6 servings

Calories 280kcal

Author Jenny

Equipment

• cast iron skillet
• Large, Heavy Pot

Ingredients

For the Crispy Tortilla Strips

• 3 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• lard (for frying)
• fine sea salt (as needed)

For the Broth

• 1 bay leaf
• 6 allspice berries
• 1 ceylon cinnamon stick
• 2 whole cloves
• ½ medium white onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

For the Sofrito

• 3 tablespoons lard
• 1 medium red bell pepper (cored, seeded, and chopped fine)
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper (cored, seeded, and chopped fine)
• ½ medium white onion (chopped fine)
• 3 medium Roma tomatoes (cored, seeded, and chopped)

To Finish the Soup

• 1 medium lime (juiced, plus additional sliced limes to serve)
• fine sea salt (as needed)
• reserved fried tortilla chips
• 3 habañero peppers (seeded and thinly sliced)
• fresh cilantro (to serve)
• avocado (to serve)

Instructions

To prepare the tortilla strips

• Slice the tortillas in thin strips about ¼-inch wide.
• Heat enough lard over medium-high heat to fill a cast-iron skillet by about ½ inch. When it melts, drop a strip of tortilla into the hot oil. If it bubbles rapidly, your oil is ready.
• Work in small batches so that you don't overcrowd the pan, and fry the tortilla strips until crispy. Drain on a plate lined with a paper towel, sprinkle with salt, and set them aside while you finish the soup.

To prepare the broth

• Heat a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat for a few minutes until you can feel the heat radiating from the pan when you hold your hand above it. Place the bay leaf, allspice berries, cinnamon stick, cloves, onion and garlic in the pan. Allow them to toast in the hot pan, moving occasionally, until fragrant and a bit charred - about 4 or 5 minutes. Pour in the broth. When the broth begins to boil, tip in the chicken breasts and then turn the heat down to medium-low. Cook the chicken breasts until they reach an internal temperature of 165 F, and are opaque throughout.
• Remove the chicken from the broth and set it on a cutting board. Strain the broth, discarding the solids.
• Shred the chicken finely, and set it aside.

To prepare the sofrito

• Rinse the soup pot and wipe it out. Then heat 3 tablespoons lard in the pot over medium heat, when it melts, stir in the bell peppers, onion and tomatoes. Fry them together until deeply fragrant and softened, about 12 minutes.

To finish the soup

• Pour the broth into the finished sofrito, and add the shredded chicken. Let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes, then pour in the fresh lime juice and adjust seasoning with salt.
• Ladle the soup into bowls, and serve with chopped fresh cilantro, a handful of tortilla strips, a few slices of lime, habaneros, and chopped avocado, if you like.

Nutrition

Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 989mg | Potassium: 531mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 956IU | Vitamin C: 72mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg

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Common Questions

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This smoky, brothy black-eyed pea soup recipe is a favorite in our family. It's brimming with earthy beans, aromatic vegetables and collard greens. Fresh thyme and smoked paprika add a delicious depth of flavor.

Growing up, I remember eating black-eyed peas and greens on New Year's Day. It's a folk tradition that promises wealth and good fortune in the New Year.

Over the last few years, I've combined them in this deeply nourishing, simple black-eyed pea and ham hock soup. You start by soaking black-eyed peas and making a rich stock made with ham hocks.

Then, you season the soup with aromatic vegetables, plenty of fresh thyme, and a good dose of smoked paprika.

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

Dried black-eyed peas give the soup body and texture. They're a traditional lucky food in the American South. They're rich in fiber, folate, and many minerals.

Ham hock is essentially a smoked pork knuckle. They impart a rich, smoky flavor to soups. They are also packed with collagen-rich connective tissue, making excellent gelatinous broth and stock. You can swap smoked turkey legs for the ham hock, in a pinch.

Collard greens are packed with fiber, vitamin K, and antioxidants. Like ham and black-eyed peas, they're a lucky food. Kale is a good substitute for collard greens.

Onion, carrots, and celery are sautéed together. They give the soup body and flavor.

Herbs and spices include crushed red pepper flakes for heat, smoked paprika, and fresh thyme. They provide depth and flavor to the soup.

Lard is perfect for sautéing the vegetable before you add the ham stock. It's easy to render your own lard. Olive oil and bacon fat make good swaps.

How to Make It

Preparing the black-eyed peas. Soaking the beans takes about 8 hours (and up to 12). It helps them cook evenly and softens them. Begin soaking them the night before you plan to make the soup.

I also recommend cooking them separately from the soup rather than directly in the broth. Cooking them in advance helps them cook evenly and clear your broth. You can cook them in advance and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days before making the soup.

Preparing the ham hock broth. Making the ham broth in advance allows you to cook down all the connective tissue in the ham hocks. The result is a beautiful, gelatinous broth with a deep, smoky flavor. You make the broth in advance and store in the fridge for up to 5 days before assembling the soup.

Assembling the soup. With both the black-eyed peas and the ham hock already prepped, whipping up the soup is a cinch. You sauté the onions, carrots, and celery with aromatic herbs and spices. Pour in the broth, and then add the cooked beans, reserved ham, and collard greens at the very end.

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Ham Hock and Black-eyed Pea Soup Recipe

Earthy black-eyed peas simmer in a salty, smoky broth made with ham hocks and fragrant herbs. You finish it off with collard greens for a deeply nourishing, wholesome winter soup.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword greens, ham, pulses, vegetables

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 6 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Soaking the Black-eyed Peas 8 hours hours

Total Time 14 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Author Jenny

Equipment

• Large Mixing Bowl with Lid
• Stock Pot
• colander
• Fine-mesh Strainer

Ingredients

For the Black-eyed Peas

• 2 cups dry black-eyed peas (picked through)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• warm water (to cover)

For the Ham Stock

• 6 medium smoked ham hocks
• 8 cups water
• ½ cup dry white wine

Finishing the Soup

• 2 tablespoons lard
• 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
• 6 medium celery ribs (diced)
• 4 medium carrots (diced)
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 bunch collard greens (trimmed and coarsely chopped)

Instructions

Soak and prepare the black-eyed peas.

• Dump the black-eyed peas into a bowl, and then stir in the baking soda. Pour in enough warm water to cover them by about two inches. Cover the bowl tightly and let it sit in a warm spot on your counter for at least 8 and up to 12 hours.
• After soaking the black-eyed peas, drain them in a colander. Rinse them well and transfer them to a stock pot or Instant Pot. Pour in enough water to cover the beans by two inches, and then stir in the salt.
• If cooking on the stove, bring them to a boil over medium-high heat and then turn the heat to medium-low. Simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and reserve.
• If using a pressure cooker, cover the beans with water by two inches. Stir in the salt, and then pressure cook for 8 minutes, allowing the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Drain the beans, and set them aside.

Prepare the ham stock.

• Place the ham hocks in a stock pot and add enough water to cover them (about 8 cups) by about 2 inches. Pour in the white wine and bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Once it boils, turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 6 hours.
• Strain the stock and reserve. Transfer the ham hocks to a cutting board, and pull off any useable meat. Cut the meat finely and set it in a bowl.

Preparing the soup.

• Warm the lard in a Dutch oven or heavy stock pot over medium heat. When it melts, stir in the onion, celery, and carrots. Sprinkle them salt, thyme, smoked paprika, and crushed red pepper. Allow the vegetables to cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and softened - about 8 minutes.
• Pour in the reserved ham stock. Increase the heat to mediu high, and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are soft - about 20 minutes. Stir in the cooked black-eyed peas, reserved ham hock meat, and collard greens. Allow them to cook for 5 to 8 minutes further or until cooked through and hot.
• Serve right away, or store in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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Scotch Broth, a humble potage of lamb, split peas, barley, and vegetables, fills my family's bellies in wintertime when the lingering cold and snow seem to draw out our strength and internal warmth.  Scotch Broth has long been a favorite of mine - thick with split peas and barley, flecked with long-simmered bits of tender lamb meat and ladled into waiting bowls.

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Scotch Broth

This classic Scotch Broth, a satisfying and filling broth-based soup featuring kale, split peas, lamb and barley, comes.

Prep Time 12 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 13 hours hours 35 minutes minutes

Servings 10 to 12 servings

Author Jenny

Ingredients

• 1 cup hulled barley
• 1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup split peas
• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 large lamb shank
• 1 yellow onions (chopped)
• 2 carrots (chopped)
• 2 celery ribs (chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (sliced thin)
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 12 cups water
• 1 bunch kale
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• ground black pepper

Instructions

• Place the barley in a small bowl with about 1 cup warm water. Stir in cider vinegar. In a separate bowl, pour the split peas into a bowl and cover with warm water. Leave both bowls in a warm room for 12 to 24 hours. After the time has passed, drain the barley and the split peas, and rinse them well.
• In a large pot, heat the butter over medium to medium-high heat. Add the lamb shanks to the pot and brown them on both sides, turning as needed. Room the lamb and set aside.
• Add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic to the pot, and saute for 5 minutes, stirring as needed to prevent burning.
• Return the lamb to the pot and add the thyme, bay, and 12 cups water. Pour in the soaked split peas and barley. Bring the soup to a boil, turn the heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until the lamb shanks are very tender and the meat is easy to pull off the bone. Remove the lamb shanks from the pot and let them cool.
• While the lamb cools, stem the kale and chop it into bite-sized pieces Add the kale to the pot and simmer for 7 minutes or until the kale is soft.
• Shred the lamb, and return it to the pot. Salt well, starting with 2 teaspoons, and add freshly ground pepper if desired. Garnish with chopped parsley, if you like, and serve.

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This is an adaptation of my grandmother's recipe for duck blood soup or czarnina (pronounced cha-NEE-na or char-NEE-na, the R is very soft). My grandmother's parents on my dad's side of the family emigrated from Poland in the early 1900's, but my grandmother did not teach her children to speak Polish and served them American food as children. Fortunately, she did not abandon every tradition from the old country, and so I grew up with stories of Busia's (Polish for grandmother, her mother, my great-grandmother) duck blood soup that was served during the holidays. It sounded exotic and delicious if a little bit strange.

Several years ago I became interested in traditional Polish cooking and asked my grandmother to share her recipe. She not only shared her recipe with me, but she also sent me a cookbook full of traditional Polish recipes. The adaptation that follows is traditional, nourishing, energizing, and thoroughly delicious. If your dinner guests are dubious about blood, just tell them it's gravy soup. This meal is often served on Christmas Eve. It also makes a wonderful Sunday dinner in the fall.

Duck blood is an essential ingredient in this soup. It imparts a unique rich flavor and is loaded with vitamins and iron. I decided to raise my own Muscovy ducks in order to be able to prepare this recipe. If you can't get your hands on a live duck, you can sometimes get fresh blood from a local butcher or farmer, or you can special order it. I know some of my relatives have duck blood express shipped from Milwaukee, where there is a large population of Polish-Americans. Trust me, it is worth the trouble.

The blood and vinegar mixture described below can be frozen until needed. Try to use plastic or glass when handling or storing the mixture and wash any kitchen implements in cold water. If hot water is used, blood will coagulate on your utensils (particularly strainers) and will become impossible to clean off. Once the blood is in the soup, this precaution is no longer necessary.

Therese's Czarnina

Buy a live duck. We got the ducks at a shop about a mile from our home.  At about age 9, it was my duty to go on Saturday morning and get a duck for Busia. The butcher would tie the beak, and wrap the duck with brown paper and a string.  I always feared that the duck would get loose, and hurried that long mile home. To obtain the blood for soup, you must tuck the bill toward the chest, and pluck the feathers off the top of its head.  Using a very sharp knife, cut through the top of the head, and drain the blood into a bowl with about ⅓ to ½ cup of vinegar. This will prevent clotting. Strain and chill. Dress the duck and allow the bird to rest in the fridge overnight to 4 days (depending on the age of the bird). This will make the meat less chewy.

Make sure to save the gizzard, liver, heart, feet, and neck for making stock. Peel the feet and remove the talons before adding to the stock. Save excess fat from the carcass for later processing. It is not necessary to leave the skin on the bird. Prepare a stock and use to make the soup. My Dad always wanted potato dumplings in his czarnina. I also liked it instead of noodles. As early as 8 years of age, I learned how to make the dumplings right after the church service on Sundays so I could have them with my Dad. Everyone else got noodles.

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Czarnina (Polish Duck Blood Soup)

Czarnina is a rich soup dotted with dried fruit. Its flavor is faintly sweet and sour with light, and delicate mineral-rich notes.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Polish

Keyword duck, offal, spices

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 hours hours

Servings 8 servings

Calories 577kcal

Author Becca Bober

Ingredients

For the Stock

• 1 duck
• 3 ribs celery
• 1 medium yellow onion ends removed, and any dirt brushed off
• 6 allspice berries
• 8 whole cloves
• ½ bunch fresh parsley

For the Soup

• 2 tablespoons duck fat
• Reserved duck breasts
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram or 1 tablespoon fresh
• 10 prunes
• 20 dried cherries
• 1 cup dried apple rings
• 1 red bell pepper cored, seeded and coarsely chopped
• Blood from 1 duck in vinegar about ½ cup
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose einkorn flour
• 1 teaspoon unrefined cane sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ bunch fresh parsley minced

To Serve

• Homemade Egg Noodles
• Potato Dumplings
• flat-leaf parsley
• milk kefir

Instructions

To Prepare the Stock

• Carefully remove the breasts from the duck, and place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator while you prepare the stock. Prepare the stock by covering the carcass in water and simmering for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until the meat is tender.
• Lift the carcass from the broth, allow it to cool until comfortable to handle and then remove meat from bones, and chop it finely. Reserve cooked meat to add to soup. Return bones to broth, and add gizzard, liver, heart, feet, neck, celery ends, onion, allspice berries, whole cloves, and the parsley. Simmer gently until stock has desired consistency and flavor, 2-6 hours. When stock is finished, strain, and skim off excess fat and reserve it. Note that if you've prepared the stock from a Muscovy duck, it will not produce significant amounts of fat and may not need to be skimmed.

To Prepare the Czarnina

• When your stock is ready, cut the reserved duck breasts into bite-sized cubes, season with salt and pepper. Melt the reserved duck fat in a heavy stock pot over medium heat. Brown the duck breasts in the hot fat, about 3 minutes.
• After the meat is brown, add duck stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer gently until breast meat is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Add ground allspice, cloves, marjoram, chopped peppers, and dried fruit and cook gently for another 20 minutes. After fruit has softened, chop remaining cooked duck meat and add it to the soup.
• Blend flour and sugar with ½ cup of the duck blood in vinegar. Stir in 3 tablespoons of broth from the hot soup into the mix of flour, sugar and duck blood to temper it. Pout the mixture slowly into soup, stirring continuously in a thin stream. Pouring too quickly results in lumps. Stir in the cream, and season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Just prior to serving, stir in some minced parsley. Serve with homemade egg noodles or potato dumplings.

Notes

Recipe variations: For a more substantial meal, you can add more dried fruit. For an appetizer, you can reduce the fruit slightly and add less cream. If you prefer, you can save the liver to add to the soup instead of cooking it in the stock. You may substitute raisins in place of the cherries for a slightly sweeter soup. If you are lucky enough to have a goose for roasting, you can substitute goose blood and leftover meat from your roast and make the stock from the cleaned bones.

Nutrition

Calories: 577kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 245mg | Potassium: 5309mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 880IU | Vitamin C: 23.6mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 3.9mg

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French onion soup, those little pots of slow-simmered onions and bubbling cheese, warms our bellies on cold autumn days.  While I'll always have a place on my table, in my belly, and in my heart for other favorite cold-weather soups like curried lentil soup, and slow cooker chicken soup.

I make it frequently in winter - combining the mountains of onions we purchase in bulk each autumn from regional farms with homemade beef bone broth (though, if I'm lucky enough to have it, I prefer using pasture-raised veal stock).  I float a thin slice of day-old no-knead sourdough bread in the fragrant soup, top it with a smattering of Gruyere cheese, bake it and serve it with another winter staple: homemade sauerkraut.

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Classic French Onion Soup Recipe

Sweet with the flavor of long-simmered onions, this French onion soup also takes a savory note from reduced beef stock, bay, black peppercorns and thyme.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Author Jenny

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon tallow
• 1 pound yellow onions (peeled and sliced thin)
• ¾ pound red onions (peeled and sliced thin)
• ¼ pound shallots (peeled and sliced thin)
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 ½ quarts bone broth
• 1 cup white wine
• 4 slices sourdough bread
• 4 ounces Gruyere cheese (shredded)

Instructions

• Melt the tallow in a heavy-bottomed stock pot over medium-high heat, then stir in onions and shallots. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in salt. Cover and sweat the alliums, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent - about 10 minutes.
• While the alliums sweat, tie bay leaves, thyme and peppercorns together in a piece of cheesecloth or a small muslin bag, and add it to the pot. Stir in beef stock and wine, then simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes or until the stock is reduced by ⅓.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Ladle into oven-proof soup bowls. Top with a piece of day-old sourdough bread and 1 ounce shredded Gruyere cheese. Cover and bake for 20 minutes, then serve.

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This creamy asparagus soup recipe is easy to make and the perfect soup to welcome those chilly spring evenings. You'll use leeks, asparagus, chicken broth, and cream for a beautiful soup with a delicate flavor.

What is it?

Asparagus soup is a springtime soup made with asparagus, broth or water, cream, and a thickener. The result is a pale green soup with a delicate flavor and velvety texture. 

Key Ingredients

Like most soup recipes, the ingredients for this asparagus soup recipe are straightforward, with a focus on fresh spring produce. It's simple, nourishing, and delicious.

• Asparagus is the foundation of the soup. Any type of asparagus will do. You can use thin- or thick-stemmed asparagus as well as green, white, or purple varieties.
• Leeks give balance to asparagus. They have a light onion-like flavor and are often available in springtime at the farmers' markets.
• Broth forms the liquid portion of the soup. Store-bought broth works fine. But if you learn how to make chicken broth, you'll find the results taste even better. You can also use vegetable broth or homemade bone broth.
• Short-grain white rice thickens the soup.  You only need a little bit, but it plumps in the butter and soaks up the broth. 
• Butter gives the soup a creamy note, and it also helps break down the leeks.
• Heavy cream softens the flavor of the soup, introducing a delicate quality. It also works with rice to thicken the soup and improve its texture.

Recipe Tips

• Making the leek and asparagus broth is helpful but not necessary.  So, if you don't have time to fuss with an infused broth, your soup will still taste amazing without the extra effort.
• Leeks are notoriously dirty vegetables because they're grown in sandy soil. So, give them a good rinse when you slice them to remove any grit.
• You can save the asparagus tips and blanch them in hot water to stir into the soup rather than puréeing everything together. The asparagus makes a pretty garnish.
• If you don't have an immersion blender, you can purée the soup in batches in a high-powered upright blender. Cool the soup for about 10 minutes before blending.
• When reheating the soup, add a little extra broth or water. A few tablespoons are all your need.

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Asparagus Soup Recipe

This creamy asparagus soup recipe has a delicate quality and a luscious, velvety finish. It's a simple recipe that's easy to make and the perfect low-effort soup for a chilly spring day.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 347kcal

Author Jenny

Equipment

• Small saucepan
• Dutch Oven
• Fine-mesh Strainer
• Immersion Blender

Ingredients

• 1 pound asparagus
• 3 medium leeks
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons salted butter
• ¼ cup short-grain white rice (such as arborio)
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¾ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Make the leek- and asparagus-infused broth.

• Chop off the woody ends of the asparagus and place them in a small stock pot. Next, chop the remaining asparagus into 1-inch pieces and place them in a medium bowl.
• Chop the dark green leaves of the leek, and place them in the small stock pot. Then slice the remaining white and light-green part of the leeks into ¼-inch pieces and place them in a small bowl.
• Pour the chicken broth over the leek and asparagus scraps, and warm over medium heat while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Simmer the soup.

• While the broth simmers, melt butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. When it froths, stir in thinly sliced leeks and the rice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover, and let them sweat for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• When the leeks are soft and tender, strain the chicken broth and discard the leek and asparagus scraps. Pour the strained broth into the pot with the leeks and rice. Add the asparagus.
• Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Immediately turn down the heat to medium-low, and then simmer until the asparagus and rice are tender - about 25 minutes.

Purée the soup.

• Turn off the heat, and then pour in the cream. Purée with an immersion blender until smooth. Serve hot, and store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 1549mg | Potassium: 453mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2894IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 4mg

Recipe Questions

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Fresh herbs give this wild mushroom soup recipe a punch of brightness, balancing the savory, earthy notes of mushrooms. The recipe is easy to make, coming together in about thirty minutes.

Homemade soup is always a welcome meal for the colder months, and this recipe is one of our favorites. A far cry from canned cream of mushroom soup, with its gloopy texture and salty flavor, this recipe highlights the complex flavor of wild mushrooms and fresh herbs.

It's one of the best soups to make in autumn and springtime when wild mushrooms are plentiful. If you can't find wild mushrooms, the soup is equally delicious, made with button, cremini, and other domestic varieties purchased from the local grocery store.

Key Ingredients

• Fresh mushrooms are the key to this recipe. Their woodsy aroma and deep, earthy flavors lend a resonant flavor to the recipe. The key is to add a wide variety of mushrooms to the soup pot. A mix of mushrooms will give the soup a deeper and more complex flavor.
• Broth forms the liquid portion of the soup. While you can purchase chicken stock for this recipe, homemade chicken broth is best. If you prefer a richer nutritional profile, consider using this long-simmered bone broth recipe, which is high in protein from gelatin.
• Celery lends a vegetal note to the recipe, complementing the flavor of the mushrooms.
• Shallots are members of the onion family, and they bring a savory, sweet quality to the soup. That flavor serves as a good background for the earthy notes of wild mushrooms. You can substitute yellow onion or leeks.
• Butter and olive oil combine to sauté and break down the mushrooms, celery, and shallots before you add the broth. They also lend flavor and a creamy element to the soup. Ghee would also work as a good replacement for the butter, bringing pleasant nutty undertones to the soup.
• Fresh thyme adds an herbal element to wild mushroom soup. It's a natural match for many mushroom varieties - especially porcini and pine mushrooms, as well as domestic varieties.
• White wine lends acidity to the soup, brightening the deep mushroom flavor. You can also use a splash of sherry or a squeeze of fresh lemon. 
• Heavy cream adds richness to the soup and helps it emulsify, As a result, you'll make an ultra-creamy mushroom soup without adding flour or other thickeners.

Recipe Tips

• Use a combination of mushrooms for the best flavor. Each variety brings a unique flavor to the soup - improving its depth of flavor and complexity.
• You can speed up prep time by tossing your mushrooms into a food processor instead of chopping them by hand.
• Clean your mushrooms well. Wild mushrooms often need care and attention to remove dirt, pine needles, and grit. A pastry brush can be helpful. You may also need to trim away bad parts, such as those that are too soft or riddled with holes left by worms and insects.
• Cut the mushrooms into pieces of the same size so that they cook evenly.
• Use the whole mushroom, including the stem. Chopped mushroom stems will add both flavor and bulk to the soup. Using them is a great way to reduce food waste.
• Certain varieties need more time to cook, and they may need more liquid, too, to make up for the increase in cooking time. Lobster mushrooms will take longer to soften than chanterelles and other delicate varieties.
• Add the cream at the very end. If you add it too soon, the cream will taste overcooked instead of fresh and may separate.
• Be generous with your herbs. For the best flavor, you'll need more than a lonely sprig of thyme.
• If you don't have an immersion blender, you can purée the soup in an upright blender. Work in batches, and fill the blender only one-third full with each batch.

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Wild Mushroom Soup Recipe

Mushrooms have a deep, savory flavor that blends beautifully with thyme and cream in this simple cold-weather soup recipe.

This recipe is adapted from the Wild Mushroom Soup recipe in my first cookbook - The Nourished Kitchen (Ten Speed Press 2014).

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword broth, cream, herbs, mushrooms, thyme

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 244kcal

Author Jenny

Equipment

• Dutch Oven (or large soup pot)
• Immersion Blender (or upright blender)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium shallot (coarsely chopped)
• 3 ribs celery (coarsely chopped)
• ½ cup white wine
• 1 ½ pounds wild mushrooms (cleaned and coarsely chopped)
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

• Warm the butter and olive oil in a large pot or large Dutch oven over medium heat. When the butter froths, toss in the shallot and celery, sautéeing them in the hot fat until they soften and become fragrant - about 6 minutes. Deglaze the pan by stirring in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
• Stir in the mushrooms. Sprinkle them with thyme, salt, and pepper. Stirring occasionally, let the mushrooms cook with the shallot and onions until they soften and release their liquid, about 3 minutes further.
• Pour in the broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the pot reaches a boil, turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer until the mushrooms are completely soft and cooked through - about 20 minutes further.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the cream. Then, blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Ladle into bowls and serve right away, or transfer it to the fridge to keep up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 1281mg | Potassium: 549mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 900IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 1mg

Love this soup? Try these other mushroom recipes next.

Recipe Questions

The post Wild Mushroom Soup appeared first on Nourished Kitchen.

What is it?

Kale and white bean soup is a riff on the northern Italian classic soup Ribollita. Ribollita is a Tuscan white bean and kale soup that features loads of seasonal vegetables, beans, day-old crusty bread, and broth.

Cannellini beans (white kidney beans) and Lacinato kale are popular additions to the original recipe. These two ingredients carry over and become the foundation of kale and white bean soup.

Why this recipe works

• It comes together in one pot, so there's less mess, and you can still put a wholesome, nourishing meal on the table.
• Carrots, celery, onions, and garlic are highly aromatic vegetables that make the soup both filling and flavorful.
• Bay leaf and rosemary lend an herbaceous, aromatic note to the savory broth.
• It's nourishing. It's loaded with fiber, complex carbohydrates, potassium, and antioxidants such as beta-carotene.
• Like most bean recipes, it's affordable to make. Beans are cheap and nutritious. If you learn how to make bone broth rather than purchasing it, you can save even more.
• It's a great option for your weekly meal prep since it takes very little effort, is made in one pot, and stores well for several days.

Ingredient Notes

Naturally, kale and white beans are the foundation of this soup recipe. In addition to these wholesome ingredients, you'll also find herbs, broth (or another liquid), and aromatic vegetables.

• Cannellini beans are the best choice for kale and white bean soup, but you can also use navy beans or even Great Northern beans if that's what you have available.
• Fresh kale is added at the very end of cooking, just long enough to let it wilt. Lacinato (aka Tuscan) Kale is the best choice, but you can also use curly or Russian kale in a pinch.
• Liquid ingredients can include bone broth, chicken broth, vegetable stock, or even plain water. Homemade broths will give your soup the best flavor.
• Vegetables include carrots, celery, and onions, as these are highly aromatic and help to provide bulk to the soup.
• Aromatics include garlic, rosemary, and bay leaf. These fresh herbs lend a brighter flavor and a bit of depth to the soup.
• Extra virgin olive oil is loaded with healthy fats and antioxidants. It has a fragrant character and is perfect for sautéing vegetables. You can also drizzle a little on top of the finished soup for even more flavor.

How to Make Kale and White Bean Soup

Since this soup is an easy, one-pot recipe, there are only a few steps to follow. You'll start by cooking the vegetables in olive oil, simmer them in broth, add the beans and then add the kale. Overall, the steps are basic, but there are a few things you'll want to pay attention to.

1. Sauté the vegetables in olive oil and then let them sweat. Sweating the vegetables in a covered pot, with occasional stirring, allows them to cook without caramelizing. This way, they won't darken your broth, and you'll get a fresher flavor.
2. Add the aromatics and simmer the vegetables in broth. Aromatics give the soup a subtle brightness, and simmering the vegetables helps to soften them.
3. Add the beans. Stirring the beans into the pot during the last 10 minutes of cooking means they won't overcook or fall apart.
4. Add the kale. Once your soup is finished and everything is hot and cooked through, you'll turn off the heat and add the kale. The residual heat will cook the kale to perfection, and leave its color bright, too.
5. Serve the soup hot with a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, or a few gratings of pecorino or parmesan cheese.

Recipe Tips

Like most soup recipes, this white bean kale soup recipe is pretty forgiving. There's a lot of room for both error and experimentation. But there are a few tips you'll want to keep in mind when you make it.

• The quality of ingredients matters. With so few ingredients (just a few vegetables, beans, broth, and greens), lackluster flavor can impact the entire dish. So try your ingredients before you toss them in the pan, using the sweetest carrots, most savory broth, and richest olive oil.
• Remove the kale stems, or they may give the soup a rough texture.
• For a faster version with less prep work, consider substituting frozen vegetables for fresh. It'll come together much faster with less kitchen work.
• Use pre-cooked beans. They'll save you loads of time. But if you have time, you can also soak dry beans overnight and then cook them in advance before adding them to the soup.
• If you're using canned beans, drain and rinse them well.
• Make your own broth, as it'll have the best flavor and is often the most affordable option. If you don't have time, here are a few of the best broth brands to try.
• Experiment with the flavor the next time you make it, adding more garlic, different herbs, or even bacon or ham to the soup. You can really find something your family loves this way and make a version that's all your own.
• Adding the kale when the pot is off the heat means that it keeps its vibrant color without overcooking.

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Kale and White Bean Soup Recipe

Perfect for cold winter evenings, this kale and white bean soup is hearty and nourishing, with a savory broth flavored by bay leaf and rosemary. Serve with sourdough for an easy, satisfying meal.

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 138kcal

Author Jenny

Equipment

• Stock Pot

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion chopped fine
• 4 carrots chopped fine
• 4 celery ribs chopped fine
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 6 cups bone broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 branch fresh rosemary
• 3 cups cooked cannellini beans
• 1 bunch Lacinato kale stems removed, and sliced thin

Instructions

• Warm the olive oil in a heavy, large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Dump in the onions, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 2 or 3 minutes until fragrant, and then sprinkle the salt over the vegetables.
• Stir in the garlic and crushed red pepper, and then cover the pot. Allow the vegetables to sweat, stirring occasionally, until deeply fragrant - about 6 minutes further.
• Pour in the broth, and then drop the bay leaf and rosemary into the pot. Increase the temperature to medium-high and bring to a boil. Once the pot boils, turn down the heat to medium-low and allow the vegetables to simmer until tender - about 20 minutes.
• Using a pair of kitchen tongs or a wooden spoon, pluck out the bay leaf and rosemary.
• Stir in the cannellini beans and allow the soup to continue to cook for a further 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, and then drop the kale into the pot, stir once, and then cover the pot allowing the kale to wilt in the residual heat of the soup.
• Serve warm, and store any leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 1132mg | Potassium: 282mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 8522IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 152mg | Iron: 2mg

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Recipe Questions

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