Man, I love a creamy, rich soup, and at their best they feel both rich and filling and somehow light. Don't stress if you don't feel like putting together bread bowls; each of these soups is great with or without them.
Corn Chowder
Corn chowder should highlight the sweet corn, and to that end, using fresh corn on the cob and making a stock from the leftover cobs amplifies the flavor.
Given that corn chowder traces its roots to Vermont, it's unsurprising that it goes dang well with a healthy grating of sharp Vermont cheddar.
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Ingredients
Method
- Halve stripped corn cobs; put in a large saucepan with stock water. Simmer partly covered 20 minutes. Strain; discard cobs. Measure 4 cups stock, adding water if needed.
- Meanwhile, melt butter in a soup pot over medium. Cook onion and celery 7 minutes until soft, not browned.
- Add potatoes, measured stock, salt, pepper, and thyme. Gently simmer 12 to 15 minutes until potatoes are almost tender.
- Add corn; simmer 5 minutes. Carefully puree 2 cups soup with plenty of corn and potato in a heat-safe container until smooth. Return to pot.
- Add milk and cream; warm on low 3 to 5 minutes until steaming without a hard boil. Divide among 6 bowls, retaining kernels and potato cubes in each.
Creamy Tortellini Soup
From-scratch tortellini soup is a labor of love, so you'll readily be forgiven for buying decent-quality premade tortellini at the supermarket. The cheesy tortellini and Parmesan contrast beautifully with the green flavor of the leeks and peas.
Ingredients
Method
- Melt butter in a soup pot over medium-low. Cook leeks 8 minutes until soft, not browned; add garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add broth, 1 cup peas, salt, and pepper; simmer 8 minutes. Remove from heat; blend smooth with an immersion blender.
- Stir in cream; gently simmer. Add tortellini and remaining peas; cook 3 to 5 minutes or package time, stirring carefully, until pasta is tender.
- Turn off heat; stir in Parmesan until melted. Divide among 4 bowls with peas and tortellini in each; serve immediately.
Tomato Bisque Soup
Roasted vegetables make great purées, and roasted tomatoes make some of the best. The sharp, acidic flavors of the tomato are rounded out by a generous dose of cream.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F. Toss tomatoes, onion, and garlic with oil, salt, and pepper on a large rimmed sheet, keeping tomatoes cut-side up. Roast 35 to 40 minutes until soft with browned edges.
- Meanwhile, combine broth, rice, and tomato paste in a soup pot. Cover; gently simmer 20 to 25 minutes until rice is very soft.
- Scrape vegetables and all juices into pot. Simmer 5 minutes; remove from heat.
- Blend thoroughly with an immersion blender, keeping blade submerged. Press through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan; discard skins and seeds.
- Add cream; warm on low 3 to 5 minutes until steaming, not boiling. Divide smooth bisque among 4 bowls.
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
The elements that make a great loaded baked potato incidentally also make a great soup. Potatoes, bacon, buttermilk, Monterey Jack, and chives all come together here.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F. Rub potato halves with oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt; place cut-side down on a rimmed sheet. Bake 40 to 50 minutes until very tender and cut faces brown.
- Meanwhile, cook bacon in a soup pot over medium 8 minutes until crisp. Transfer to a plate; discard all but 1 tablespoon fat. Cook onion in fat 7 minutes.
- Add broth, pepper, and remaining salt; gently simmer. Cut half the baked potatoes into 3/4-inch skin-on chunks. Scoop and coarsely mash remaining flesh; discard empty skins.
- Add mashed flesh and chunks to broth. Gently simmer 8 to 10 minutes, stirring carefully to retain some chunks.
- Turn off heat; wait until bubbling stops. Gradually whisk 1 cup hot broth into buttermilk; stir tempered mixture into soup.
- Stir in two-thirds of the Jack until melted. Divide among 6 bowls; top with remaining Jack, bacon, and chives. Do not boil after adding buttermilk.
Potato Chowder
Celery root is a seriously underrated vegetable, and it provides a lighter, fresher twist on potato chowder in this recipe. Add bacon if you must, but I fully believe it to be unnecessary.
Ingredients
Method
- Melt butter in a soup pot over medium. Cook onion 7 minutes until soft; add celery root and stir 3 minutes.
- Add potatoes, broth, bay leaf, salt, and white pepper. Simmer partly covered 20 to 25 minutes until both vegetables are tender.
- Discard bay leaf. Mash in pot with 6 to 8 firm strokes, leaving most potato cubes intact.
- Add milk and cream. Warm over low 5 minutes until steaming, stirring bottom and avoiding a hard boil.
- Divide among 6 bowls, including broth and potato pieces in each.
Chicken Corn Chowder
Corn doesn't just flavor a creamy soup; it thickens it, and this recipe doubles down by using masa harina as well as corn kernels. Chicken thighs provide the protein, and diced poblano brings a gentle spiciness.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat broiler. Place poblano on a foil-lined sheet 6 inches below heat; broil 8 to 12 minutes, turning until blistered all over. Cover in a bowl 10 minutes; peel, seed, and finely chop.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a soup pot over medium. Cook onion 7 minutes; add garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add chicken, broth, salt, and cumin. Gently simmer partly covered 20 to 25 minutes until thickest thigh reaches 165°F.
- Transfer chicken to a plate; shred into short pieces. Add corn and poblano to broth; simmer 5 minutes.
- Whisk masa harina into cold milk until smooth. Stir into simmering broth; cook gently 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly thickened.
- Return chicken; add cream. Warm gently 2 to 3 minutes; divide among 6 bowls.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Broccoli and cheddar is THE bread bowl soup for a reason; nothing pairs better with a sourdough boule. But even if you're just serving this in an ordinary bowl, it's a complete meal, owing to the addition of cannellini beans.
Ingredients
Method
- Cut broccoli into small florets. Peel tough stem exteriors; dice tender centers into 1/4-inch pieces.
- Melt butter in a soup pot over medium. Cook leeks 7 minutes; add stems, beans, broth, salt, and pepper. Simmer partly covered 18 to 20 minutes until stems soften.
- Meanwhile, boil water under a steamer basket. Add florets; cover and steam 4 to 6 minutes until just tender. Remove basket; discard water.
- Remove soup from heat; blend smooth with an immersion blender. Add milk; warm gently 3 minutes.
- Turn off heat; wait until bubbling stops. Stir in cheddar by small handfuls until melted; fold in florets.
- Divide among 6 bowls; serve hot, keeping cheese soup below a simmer.
Creamy Mushroom Soup
Creamy mushroom soup is very much a staple in my house. It's simple, it's healthy, and it's delicious, especially on a rainy night. I like to rehydrate dried shiitakes (available in big bags at any Asian market) for this soup, as they are both quite flavorful and dirt-cheap.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F. Toss mushrooms with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper on a large rimmed sheet. Roast 25 to 30 minutes, turning once, until browned and moisture mostly evaporates.
- Melt butter in a soup pot over medium. Cook shallots 5 minutes, garlic 30 seconds; add sherry and simmer 2 minutes.
- Scrape mushrooms and juices into pot. Add broth, thyme, and remaining salt; simmer 10 minutes.
- Carefully puree half the soup, including mushrooms, in a heat-safe container. Return to pot, leaving other mushrooms intact.
- Stir in crème fraîche over low until melted and steaming, about 3 minutes. Divide among 4 bowls; avoid a hard boil.
Seafood Chowder
The key to great seafood chowder is not trying to cook everything at once. The potatoes and veggies go in first, followed by shrimp and big chunks of cod, and finally delicate scallops.
Ingredients
Method
- Pat seafood dry; refrigerate while preparing base. Melt butter in a soup pot over medium; cook fennel and onion 8 minutes until soft.
- Add potatoes, stock, salt, and pepper; gently simmer 15 to 18 minutes until potatoes are tender.
- Add milk and cream. Whisk cornstarch with cold water; add and gently simmer 2 minutes until lightly thickened.
- Add cod and shrimp; simmer very gently 3 minutes without vigorous stirring. Fold in scallops; cook 2 to 4 minutes more until cod and scallops reach 145°F and shrimp are opaque throughout.
- Carefully divide among 6 bowls, distributing seafood and potatoes evenly. Serve immediately.
Cheeseburger Soup
Cheeseburger soup is kind of a fun, deconstructed recipe, pairing cheese soup with beef meatballs, diced pickles, and burger-bun croutons. Cauliflower helps keep this from being too heavy.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 375°F. Toss bun cubes with melted butter on a sheet; bake 8 to 10 minutes until crisp, turning once. Set aside.
- Shape beef into 4 thin patties; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat oil in a wide soup pot over medium-high. Sear 3 to 4 minutes per side until browned and centers reach 160°F. Transfer to a clean plate; cut into small pieces.
- Discard all but 1 tablespoon fat. Cook onion over medium 6 minutes. Add cauliflower, broth, and remaining salt; simmer 15 to 18 minutes until cauliflower softens.
- Reserve 1 cup small cauliflower florets. Blend remaining soup smooth with an immersion blender; stir in ketchup, mustard, and milk.
- Return beef and florets; heat gently 3 minutes. Turn off heat; stir in cheddar by small handfuls until fully melted.
- Divide among 6 bowls; top each with one-sixth of the croutons and pickles immediately before serving.
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
While we associate mascarpone with tiramisu, it's often used in Italy as a way to thicken soups and add creaminess. A rustic tomato soup is made elegant by a few ounces of mascarpone at the end.
Ingredients
Method
- Crush tomatoes and juices in a large bowl with clean hands into small pieces. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium.
- Cook onion 8 minutes until very soft; add garlic for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes with juices, broth, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer uncovered 22 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally and crushing large pieces against pot wall with a spoon. Do not blend.
- Turn off heat; wait until bubbling stops. Whisk mascarpone with 1/2 cup hot soup until smooth; stir into pot.
- Fold in basil; divide among 4 bowls, retaining soft tomato pieces in broth.
Cauliflower Cheese Soup
Cauliflower and cheese is a classic pairing, and in France, Gruyère is very much the classic choice. Roasting the cauliflower adds depth, and by only pureeing half, you get a delightful mix of textures.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F. Toss cauliflower with oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper on a large sheet. Roast 25 to 30 minutes until tender with browned edges, turning once.
- Meanwhile, melt butter in a soup pot over medium; cook onion 7 minutes. Add broth, mustard, and remaining salt; gently simmer 10 minutes.
- Reserve 1 1/2 cups small roasted florets. Simmer remaining cauliflower in broth 5 minutes. Remove from heat; blend smooth with an immersion blender.
- Add 1 cup milk; heat gently 2 minutes. Turn off heat; wait until bubbling stops. Stir in Gruyère by small handfuls until melted.
- Add remaining 1/2 cup milk to loosen. Divide among 6 bowls; top each with reserved florets.
Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Creamy chicken soup can be a bit stodgy, so whole grains go a long way to provide textural variety while making the soup a full meal. Wild rice works great here, whereas barley or quinoa would dissipate a bit too much.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 400°F. Rub chicken with oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper; place skin-side up in a small roasting pan. Roast 35 to 45 minutes or until thickest breast meat reaches 165°F; rest 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, boil rice water in a saucepan. Add wild rice; cover and gently simmer 45 to 55 minutes until tender with many split grains. Drain remaining water.
- Melt butter in a soup pot over medium. Cook leeks 7 minutes; add parsnips, broth, thyme, and remaining salt. Simmer partly covered 20 to 25 minutes until parsnips soften.
- Discard chicken skin and bones. Shred meat into short pieces; retain clear roasting juices.
- Blend parsnip-leek broth smooth with an immersion blender. Fold in cooked rice, chicken, and roasting juices.
- Add cream; heat gently 5 minutes until steaming throughout without a hard boil. Divide among 6 bowls.
Ham and Potato Chowder
If you have the time, ham hocks are a hack for flavorful stews on a budget, and ditto for potatoes. With a cream finish, it's a silk purse from a sow's leg.
Ingredients
Method
- Put hocks, stock water, onion, celery, and bay leaf in a large pot. Bring to a simmer; skim foam. Simmer gently, partly covered, 2 to 2 1/2 hours until meat pulls easily from bones. Add adjustment water as needed to keep hocks mostly covered.
- Transfer hocks to a tray. Strain broth into a clean pot; discard vegetables and bay leaf. Skim fat; measure 5 cups stock, adding water if needed.
- Once cool enough, pull ham from bones. Discard bones, skin, and tough connective tissue; cut meat into small pieces.
- Add potatoes and pepper to measured stock. Simmer 18 to 22 minutes until tender; mash about one-quarter of potatoes in pot to thicken.
- Fold in ham, milk, and cream. Warm gently 5 minutes until steaming, without a hard boil. Divide among 6 bowls.
Crab Bisque
Having been born far from the sea, I fell in love with crab bisque on a family vacation to the Outer Banks of North Carolina as a kid. Breaking down crabs is a chore and a half, but cooked lump crabmeat is a shortcut that doesn't sacrifice too much in terms of flavor.
Ingredients
Method
- Melt butter in a soup pot over medium-low. Cook leek 8 minutes until very soft, not browned. Add flour; cook 2 minutes.
- Add sherry; stir 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in stock; add milk, Old Bay, and white pepper. Gently simmer 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Remove from heat; blend completely smooth with an immersion blender. Add cream; heat on low 2 minutes.
- Gently fold in crab without breaking lumps. Heat gently 3 to 5 minutes, stirring carefully, until soup and crab reach 165°F. Avoid a hard boil.
- Divide among 4 bowls, distributing lump crab evenly.
Creamy Chicken Sausage and Kale Soup
Kale, sausage, and barley are a popular trifecta for winter soups, and this version is a bit lighter, with chicken sausage instead of pork. However, if you want to use a heartier pork sausage, I'm right there with you.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oil in a soup pot over medium. Brown sausage coins 5 to 6 minutes, turning once; transfer to a plate.
- Cook onion and carrot 6 minutes; add garlic for 30 seconds. Add barley, broth, thyme, and pepper; simmer.
- Simmer gently, partly covered, 30 to 40 minutes until barley is nearly tender, stirring bottom occasionally.
- Return sausage; add kale. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes until kale and barley are tender and sausage reaches 165°F.
- Add cream; warm gently 2 minutes without a hard boil. Divide among 6 bowls; serve promptly while broth remains loose.
Lobster Bisque
Many years ago, my girlfriend at the time drunkenly demanded lobster bisque at 1:00 in the morning; an absurd proposal, but with a recipe this simple, it would have been doable. By using lobster tails, you get a quality coastal meal in an hour's time.
Ingredients
Method
- Cut underside of tail shells with kitchen shears; remove raw meat and dark intestinal veins. Cut meat into 1-inch pieces; refrigerate. Rinse shells; cut into large pieces.
- Melt butter in a soup pot over medium. Cook onion, carrot, and celery 7 minutes; stir in tomato paste and shells for 2 minutes.
- Add wine; simmer 3 minutes. Add water and bay leaf; gently simmer partly covered 20 minutes.
- Discard large shells and bay leaf. Strain stock and vegetables through a fine sieve lined with damp cheesecloth into a clean pot, pressing gently. Discard solids; never blend shells.
- Add rice, salt, and cayenne. Cover; simmer 20 to 25 minutes until rice is very soft. Blend smooth with an immersion blender.
- Add cream; bring to a very gentle simmer. Add refrigerated lobster; cook gently 4 to 6 minutes until opaque throughout and thickest pieces reach 145°F.
- Divide bisque and lobster evenly among 4 bowls; serve immediately.
New England Clam Chowder
I love clam chowder, but I don't love a mouthful of sand, and that is regrettably a risk. One trick I always use when I buy live clams is to purge them.
As soon as you get them home, pour them into a bowl of saltwater, and they'll spit out all their sand into the bowl, not your mouth.
Ingredients
Method
- Discard cracked clams and open ones that do not close when tapped. Boil steaming water in a wide covered pot. Add clams; cover and steam 5 to 8 minutes, removing as they open. Discard those remaining closed.
- Remove clam meat; coarsely chop and briefly refrigerate. Strain liquid through a fine sieve lined with damp cheesecloth. Measure 2 cups, adding water within allowance if needed. Discard shells and sediment.
- Cook bacon in a soup pot over medium 8 minutes until crisp. Retain bacon and 1 tablespoon fat; discard excess. Cook onion and celery 5 minutes until soft.
- Add potatoes, clam stock, bay leaf, and pepper. Gently simmer 12 to 15 minutes until potatoes are tender.
- Meanwhile, heat oven to 375°F. Cut lids from boules; hollow centers, leaving 3/4 inch walls. Reserve removed bread for another use. Toast bowls and lids on a sheet 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add milk and cream to soup. Whisk cornstarch with slurry water; add and simmer very gently 2 to 3 minutes until lightly thickened. Fold in clam meat for 1 to 2 minutes until chowder is hot and clams reach 145°F.
- Discard bay leaf. Set bread bowls on plates; fill each with about 1 cup chowder. Serve remaining hot chowder for refills as bread is eaten.
