Quick and Easy Soup Recipes Made with Whole Foods

While traditional stocks and soups are nice, they take many hours or days to make. Many quick stocks for soups taste like chemical concoctions. But don't despair as this collection of fabulous quick and flavoursome soup recipes can be completed in less than 60 minutes. There is no compromise on taste as the recipes employ various tips and tricks to save time.

Quick Chicken Soup with Lemon Mint and Buckwheat

Ingredients

1 litre water
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 shallot, finely sliced
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
100 g buckwheat groats, not roasted
4 chicken thighs, with skin and bones removed and cut into small pieces
1 lemon, peel removed with peeler and finely sliced, juice reserved for serving

For serving

4 sprigs mint, leaves only, shredded
Juice of a lemon, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

Place everything in a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to the boil and then lower the heat and simmer until the chicken is tender (about 20-40 minutes). Remove the chicken and shred it into strands and then add back to the soup. Add the mint and adjust the seasoning with salt, freshly ground black pepper and lemon juice. Serve the soup in 2-3 bowls, top with a little cheese and fresh herbs.

Quick Spicy Chicken Soup with Coconut Water

Ingredients

For the Spice Mix

Pinch salt
1 garlic clove
2 spring onions
1 kaffir lime leaf
1 lemongrass stalk
Small bunch coriander
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 hot red chilli, seeds removed
4 cm (1 1/2 inch) piece of fresh root ginger

For the Chicken

1 litre coconut water
2-4 chicken thighs (depending on size), bone in, skin removed
200 g (7 oz) green vegetables such as green beans and bean sprouts, sliced

For Serving

1 tablespoon peanuts
100 g (3 oz) rice noodles, cooked
1/2 hot red chilli, finely sliced
1 spring onion, sliced into short sections
Coriander leaves, reserved from bunch used in the paste

Method

Place the spice ingredients into a blender and blitz to form a rough paste, or grind with a mortar and pestle. Add the coconut water. Pour the marinade in a bag with the chicken pieces. Set aside for 4 hours or overnight. When you are ready to cook the soup, empty the contents of the bag into a moderate-sized saucepan and bring to the boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer from 30-45 minutes. Remove the chicken and shred it, then transfer back into the soup. Add the green beans and bean sprouts to the pan and to cook for 1-3 minutes a minute, and then add the noodles. Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with the peanuts, coriander, chilli and spring onion.

Quick Chicken and Mung Bean Soup

Ingredients

1 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoons salt
1 litre (quart) water
1/4 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1-2 teaspoons of hot chilli, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of rice bran or grape seed oil
2-4 chicken thighs with bones and skin removed
200 g (7 oz) mung beans, well rinsed in cold water
3 cm (1 1/2 inch) length of root ginger, finely chopped

Method

Place the mung beans a small pan and cover with cold water. Add a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30-40 minutes until the beans are tender. Add a tablespoon of oil to another pan and heat to moderately hot. Add the chicken, spices, garlic, ginger and chilli and fry until the chicken is tender (about 15-30 minutes). Remove the chicken, shred it and add back to the pan. Add the water, cider and honey and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Then, add the cooked mung beans to the broth and heat through. Serve the soup topped with extra chilli and herbs.

Quick and Easy Vegetable and Lentil Soup

Ingredients

3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 celery sticks, sliced
1 teaspoons black pepper
2 carrots, cut into cubes
2 white onions, finely chopped
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 long red chilli, finely chopped
12 cups good quality vegetable stock
500 g brown lentils, rinsed and drained
4 medium ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
80 ml (3 fl oz) rice bran or grape seed oil
1/2 cup chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves

Method

Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan or Dutch oven over moderate heat. Add the garlic, onions and celery and fry for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft. Add the coriander, tomatoes, bay leaves, and 8 cups of vegetable stock. Bring the pan to the boil and add the lentils, chilli, tomato paste and carrots. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and simmer for 30-40 minutes until the lentils are tender. Add extra stock if needed and adjust the seasoning. Serve garnished with extra chilli and coriander.

Quick Vietnamese Style Chilli Beef Soup with Noodles

Ingredients

4 cloves
2 star anise
1 onion, halved
1 dried red chilli
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 black cardamom pod
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 limes cut into wedges
4 garlic cloves, halved
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 hot red chillies, seeded
1 cup Vietnamese mint sprigs
2 litres good quality beef stock
375 g (13 oz) dried rice noodles
1 cup coriander (cilantro) sprigs
500 g (1 lb) eye fillet steak, with fat removed
5 cm (2 inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

Method

Dry-fry the spices in a heavy pan or Dutch oven for 2–3 minutes, then add the oil. Fry the onion, ginger and garlic and ginger until tender. Pour in the beef stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 10–15 minutes. Season with fish stock, salt and sugar. Slice the beef thinly across the grain and set aside. Cook the rice noodles in the usual way, drain well and add to the stock. Stir-fry the beef until just cooked, and then add to the broth. Serve the soup on hot bowls with a serving of herbs, chillies, bean sprouts, lime wedges and your choice of sauces.

Quick and Easy Prawn Soup with Noodles

Ingredients

1 star anise
1/2 cup mint
pinch of sugar
juice of half a lime
1/2 coriander leaves
1 teaspoon fish sauce
85 g (3 oz) thick rice noodle
500 ml (1 pint) homemade vegetable stock
2 teaspoons of red chilli, finely sliced
1-2 cups small raw prawns, peeled with heads removed

Method

Boil the noodles in the usual way until just tender, then drain. Add the stock to a heavy pan with the lime juice, fish sauce, star anise and pinch of sugar. Bring the broth to the boil and add the noodles and prawns. Simmer briefly until the prawns are just cooked. Serve in small bowls garnished with mint, chilli slices and coriander.