Autumn Soups

These are a pair of soups I pull out when the weather starts to turn cooler. There’s just something so cozy about soup for dinner. The two soups here are a little different, and international, one is Vietnamese and the other is Italian. I hope you enjoy them.

Vegetarian Vietnamese Curry Soup

2 tsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 Tbsp chopped ginger root (Adjust this if you like, it’s one of the things that makes is spicy)

2tsp to 1 Tbsp curry powder (Adjust to your own spicy level)

1 tsp lemon zest (I often put in more, like half a lemon’s worth)

1 bell pepper seeded and chopped (your choice of color, green, red, orange, yellow)

2 medium carrots sliced diagonally into quarter inch pieces

8 medium cremini mushrooms, or button mushrooms sliced

14 oz veggie broth (canned)

2 cups water

2 bay leaves

1 tsp salt, or to taste

2 cups red potatoes diced

14 oz coconut milk (canned)

cilantro for garnish (optional)

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add onion, garlic, and ginger and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in curry powder and lemon zest and cook for 2 minutes, until curry is fragrant.

Add peppers, carrots, and mushrooms, stir to combine. Add broth, water, bay leaves, and salt. Bring soup to a boil.

Stir in potatoes and coconut milk and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes.

Remove bay leaves. Serve soup topped with cilantro if desired.

Italian Vegetable Barley Soup

2 tsp olive oil

1 large carrot, diced

1 small onion, chopped

3/4 cup celery, chopped

4 tsp minced garlic

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup water

14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained (I use the kind with Italian spices)

1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley

8 oz fresh cremini mushrooms thinly slices, about 3 cups

1 small zucchini, diced

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

4 Tbsp shredded parmigiano reggiano cheese

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add carrot, onion, and celery, saute until onion is light golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Stir in garlic, cook until fragrant, about a minute.

Add broth, water, and tomatoes. Bring soup to a boil.

Add barley, mushrooms, and pepper. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer.

Stir occasionally, cook until barley is almost tender, about 40 minutes.

Stir in zucchini, and cook another 5 minutes. Check to see barley is now tender.

Remove from heat and stir in basil. Season to taste.

Serve topped with 1/2 Tbsp cheese per serving.