Best Summer Soup Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient in soup? ›

It may sound a bit strange and unusual for some, but vinegar is a common ingredient in some soup recipes, and there is a good reason for it. If you think about it, vinegar is really a flavor-enhancer (umami). That's why it is so often used in cooking, sauces, and salad dressings. The same is true with soups.

Crunchy. We've already discussed Fritos, but any tortilla chip will do, especially for bean soups or, well, tortilla soup. Crushed up potato chips on top of potato soup would be a potato inception, corn nuts could complement a corn chowder, or good ol' crackers (oyster, buttery Ritz, saltines) are a good standby.

Add a splash or two of ACV when the soup is done cooking. The vinegar helps lift and highlight flavors.

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

All soups and stews must have three major components in order to be tasty: an undercurrent liquid, aromatics, and volumizing ingredients. In every case, they're layered together until all of the flavors meld together in a harmonious, silky balance.

A soup's quality is determined by its flavor, appearance and texture. A good soup should be full-flavored, with no off or sour tastes. Flavors from each of the soup's ingre- dients should blend and complement, with no one flavor overpowering another.

Just before serving, add a swirl of extra virgin olive oil or pesto to your soup if it's Italian, a little butter if it's French, or sambal oelek if it's south-east Asian. Don't over-salt. Most of us just add more salt if our food is blah, which can have the effect of making it both blah and salty.

What does sour cream add to soup? ›

Yogurt, Sour Cream, and Crème Fraîche – Dairy like yogurt, sour cream, and crème fraîche can add a creamy acidity to soups, but can curdle and be unpleasant if cooked over heat for too long, so swirl these in last.

Try some different spices and herbs. Dried fenugreek, celery seed, salt, basil, thyme, etc. if you can get some of them as fresh herbs, give those a try in place of dried ones. Add a dash or three of Worcestershire sauce to the pan of soup.

"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says. The choice of ingredient depends on the recipe, though.

Some of our favorites are Dried Shallots, Dehydrated Red Bell Pepper, Dehydrated Green Bell Pepper, Tomato Flakes, Minced Onion and Roasted Garlic Flakes.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

Italian Seasoning: a classic mixture of oregano, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, basil, and sage goes well with almost any fresh vegetables. Bay Leaf: you should only need one for this big batch of soup, a little goes a long way with bay leaves, giving your soup a great depth of flavor.