The “‘ber” months are back, which means the cozy season’s return! There will soon be a chill in the air, pumpkin spice everything, trips to the apple orchard, and in our house, Soup Sunday.
Last cozy season, I started a tradition of making a different soup every Sunday. It changed up my cozy season game, and now I want to help all of you take on this season like a true Soup Sunday professional.
Tips and Tricks for Soup Sunday
First things first, I highly recommend a good soup pot. You don’t have to spend a ton of money. I got a great one at IKEA that lasted me for years, but I upgraded last year to a Crock-Pot Dutch oven. I love to cook my soup du jour in the afternoon and let it sit on the stove all day. A good soup pot will allow you to let it simmer without it getting stuck to the bottom, and then you get all the all-day soup flavors. Also, you can absolutely tell me to go kick rocks with my fancy soup pot and make soup in whatever pot you want.
Second tip: frozen vegetables. I stock up on all the varieties of frozen vegetables and throw those in whenever I can into the soups. Now, don’t get me wrong; I love some fresh veggies, but I also love to play this game where I buy fresh veggies, forget about them while they sit in the fridge, and then a couple of weeks later try to figure out why my kitchen smells like a sewage plant (spoiler alert: it’s always the fresh veggies).
Lastly, carbs. Fresh bread with my soup, chef’s kiss, my friends. We have some of the most amazing local bakeries with some of the best bread here in Indy. My personal favorite is the savory loaf from Amelia’s. Insider tip: They only have that on Mondays, so get it on Monday and freeze it until Sunday. You can thank me later for that tip.
Soup Sunday favorites
Here are a few of my family’s favorite Soup Sunday recipes with some additional tips to make them even better.
Stuffed Pepper Soup:This is one of my absolutely favorite soups and make it multiple times in the Fall and Winter months. My secret ingredient, brown sugar. Add a little bit of brown sugar and this stuff is addicting.
Creamy German Sausage, Potato, and Sauerkraut Soup: Ok, just hear me out on this one because I’m sure at first glance, for many of you, this wouldn’t be your first choice. It was delicious and so hearty for when it’s cold. For lactose intolerants like me, you can use Fairlife milk (real milk, no lactose) for this recipe and all others that call for milk.
Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden Copycat): I will never get sick of this recipe, and while I would love to eat it at the “OG” with never-ending fresh breadsticks, that is not always an option. This recipe tastes just like the real thing. Another pro tip: If dairy gives you tummy issues, dairy-free whipping cream works great in soups that call for heavy cream (Kroger usually has it).
The last recipe that really isn’t a recipe is pre-made soup mixes in a bag. When you don’t have the brain space, time, or energy or want something easy (umm, sign me up), most stores have bag soup mixes where you just add water or broth, maybe some protein, and you are good to go! The BearCreek brand is the kind I like and the one that is usually available at the store in the, you guessed it, soup aisle.
Now, you are ready to be a true Soup Sunday professional! Happy “souping,” everyone.
