What do you put on the table when you are fed vegetarians? Surprise your guests with one of these five vegetable soups and you are guaranteed to have happy faces at the table.
Pumpkin soup with ginger, cream and chili pesto
Vegetarian soup for 4 people.
Preparation time 15 minutes + 15 minutes waiting time.
• 400 g orange pumpkin flesh • 100 g floury potatoes • 1 carrot • 1 onion • 1 garlic clove • 25 g fresh ginger root • 2 red chillies • 3 tablespoons oil • 750 ml vegetable stock (warm) • 1 small shallot • 1 tablespoon green pesto • salt, pepper, sugar • 2 tablespoons whipped cream • extra needed: hand blender
Cut the cleaned pumpkin, potatoes and carrot into cubes. Chop the onion and garlic and finely grate the peeled ginger root. Halve the chili peppers, remove the seeds and cut them into fine strips (keep a quarter aside). Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a stockpot and fry the onion, garlic and peppers until translucent. Stir in the pumpkin, potato, carrot and ginger and fry briefly. Pour in the stock and simmer covered for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, finely chop the reserved pepper strips and finely chop the shallot. Heat the remaining spoonful of oil in a pan and fry the shallot with the pepper until translucent. Let cool and mix with the green pesto. Place a stick blender in the pan and puree until smooth. Season with salt, pepper and possibly some sugar. Ladle the soup into 4 bowls and garnish with half a spoonful of whipped cream, which you stir with a fork until you have a nice curl. Sprinkle the soup with the chili pesto.
Mushroom soup with shallots
Vegetarian soup for 4 people.
Preparation time 30 minutes + 15 minutes waiting time.
• 10 g dried porcini mushrooms (porcini) • 300 g mushrooms • 2 shallots • 1 garlic clove • 1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil • salt and pepper • 3 tablespoons butter • 3 tablespoons flour • 600 ml vegetable stock (cold) • 50 ml whipped cream • 3 or 4 sprigs of parsley • extra needed: stick blender
Soak the porcini mushrooms in a bowl of lukewarm water. Wipe the mushrooms clean, cut 50 grams into slices (for garnish) and chop the rest finely. Peel and chop the shallots and garlic. Heat the oil in a stockpot and fry the chopped mushrooms. In the meantime, drain the porcini mushrooms, chop finely and toss with the shallot and garlic through the mushrooms. Fry briefly, spoon the mushroom mixture into a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Wipe the pan clean and melt 2 tablespoons of butter in it. Sprinkle the flour over it, stir well with a wooden spoon and let the flour paste (roux) cook for 1 minute without the flour coloring. Then add a splash of cold stock at a time and stir well. Let the soup simmer for 10 minutes. Add the mushroom mixture and let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes. Puree the soup fairly roughly with a stick blender in the pan. Stir in the whipped cream, taste to see if more salt or pepper is needed, and keep the soup warm. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a frying pan and fry the mushroom slices. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Finely chop the parsley. Ladle the soup into 4 bowls and garnish with the mushroom slices and parsley.
Spicy lentil soup with tomato and coriander
Vegan soup for 4 people.
Preparation time 20 minutes + 20 minutes waiting time.
• 1 shallot • 2 cloves of garlic • 1 red pepper • 1 red pepper • 3 or 4 tablespoons olive oil • 125 g dried red lentils • ground cumin • ginger powder • cayenne pepper • smoked paprika • 1 teaspoon brown sugar • 2 tablespoons lemon juice • 250 ml sifted tomato sauce (passata) • 500 ml vegetable stock (warm) • salt, pepper • 1 handful of coriander leaves
Chop the shallot and garlic, cut the bell pepper into cubes and finely chop the red pepper. Heat the oil in a soup pot. Saute the shallot with the garlic and pepper until translucent. Fry the lentils for 1 minute. Sprinkle over some ground cumin, ginger powder, cayenne pepper, paprika and the brown sugar. Add the lemon juice and tomato sauce. Pour in the stock, stir and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes until the lentils are well cooked. Add extra stock or water if needed and stir regularly. Taste to see if more seasonings, salt and (cayenne) pepper are needed. Pureeing is possible, but not necessary. The cooked lentils will fall apart a bit on their own, giving the soup a nice coarse structure. Ladle the soup into 4 bowls and garnish with coriander leaves.
Spinach soup with lemon and bread
Vegetarian soup for 4 people.
Preparation time 40 minutes.
• 400 g spinach • 1 lemon • 150 g floury potatoes • 2 cloves of garlic • 2 spring onions • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 750 ml vegetable stock (warm) • 2 tablespoons butter • 4 slices of baguette • 200 ml coconut milk • salt, black pepper • extra needed: zester (or coarse grater), immersion blender
Roughly chop the spinach. With a zester, peel strips of the lemon zest and squeeze the lemon. Cut the cleaned potatoes into cubes. Chop the garlic and cut the spring onions into rings. Heat the oil in a soup pot and fry the spring onion with the garlic until translucent. Add the potato cubes and lemon zest and stir. Add the stock and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a pan and fry the baguette slices on both sides until golden. Stir the coconut milk and spinach into the stock and let the leaves wilt. Place a stick blender in the pan and puree until smooth. Add extra stock if necessary or let the soup reduce to the desired thickness. Season the soup with salt, freshly ground pepper and lemon juice. Serve the soup with the baguette croutons.
Cold cress soup with radish and sesame seeds
Vegetarian soup for 4 people.
Preparation time 20 minutes.
• 2 boxes of cress • half bunch of radish • 1 cucumber • 1 handful of ice cubes or crushed ice • 150 ml buttermilk • 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste) • 400 ml vegetable stock (cold) • 2 or 3 tablespoons lemon juice • salt, pepper, sugar and ( cayenne) pepper • 2 or 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds • extra needed: blender suitable for crushing ice
Cut the cress loose, cut the radishes into slices and the peeled cucumber into pieces. Place the ice cubes and cucumber in the blender. Add the buttermilk, tahini, vegetable stock and lemon juice and purée until smooth. Add three quarters of the cress and puree again. If necessary, dilute with water or extra stock to the desired thickness. Season with salt, pepper, sugar and (cayenne) pepper. Immediately pour the ice-cold soup into 4 bowls and garnish with the slices of radish, some cress and the sesame seeds. Delicious with crusty white bread, such as ciabatta.
Sources):
- Plus Magazine
