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February 17, 2022: Soup’s On!
There’s nothing like a comforting bowl of homemade soup on a chilly day. The warm, steamy broth, silky noodles, delicious veggies and bits of meat, and the delectable toppings—what’s not to love?? It’s not always the fastest lunch or dinner one can put together, but it is usually one of the most affordable and healthful meals to prepare. It implies that care and love went into the food you’re serving your friends, family, and yourself.
Olive oil is an important ingredient in many soup recipes. You’ll want to use olive oil in two main ways—to help cook the ingredients and as a flavorful finisher on top of your soup.
When making broth-based soups, sauté your aromatics (onions, garlic, scallions, etc.) and chopped veggies (bell pepper, mushrooms, carrots, and so on) in olive oil prior to adding your broth, meat, and cooked grains to the pot.
We love brothy classics like Chicken Noodle or Chicken and Wild Rice, as well as Minestrone, Italian Wedding Soup, Cioppino, and Lentil (click for recipe). Our flavored olive oils like Sage and Rosemary go well with poultry and veggie-based soups. Try also oils like Garlic, Tuscan Herb, Oregano, or Basil for anything with a Mediterranean flavor profile.
Many vegetable-based soups are made by tossing veggies with olive oil on a sheet pan with some salt and pepper to roast and caramelize (i.e. develop great flavor!) before puréeing them together with broth or broth & cream to make a smooth soup. We are big fans of winter favorites like Butternut Squash Soup. In the spring, try roasting beets or asparagus and in the summer, use a combination of eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, and bell peppers fresh from the garden.
Navidi’s spicy olive oils can add a lot of flavor to vegetarian soups, as well as stews and chilis. We recommend Chipotle, Harissa, or Baklouti Green Chili Olive Oil for these types of recipes. We even use our Jalapeño Balsamic to make quick-pickled red onions as a topping for our Vegetarian Three Bean Chili. Tasty toppings can be such an important part of the overall experience of eating a soup!
Finally, olive oil is a real workhorse in hot-weather favorites like Gazpacho. Check out our recipe for this summery Spanish dish! Here, you’ll blend olive oil together with tomatoes and a little bell pepper AND use it as a drizzle on top when serving. It’s so delicious and cooling on a hot day; we look forward to it every year. Enjoy!
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