Category Archives: Soup

Dahlia Bakery’s Tasty Tomato Soup

September 29, 2020

My favorite treat in Seattle comes from Tom Douglas’ Dahlia Bakery (or LOLA their Mediterranean inspired restaurant across the street). They have tiny donuts (more like a beignet) that they serve hot with sweetened mascarpone and marionberry dipping sauce. They’re incredible! Everything I’ve tried at both restaurants has been delicious. And of course I have the Dahlia bakery cookbook. It has a recipe for the Dahlia donuts which I’ve yet to try (probably because I know I’ll never be able to replicate the original and I live close enough, so why bother?!) but I have made- and loved!- their tomato soup recipe.

I thought this soup was just perfect as written. Though I did use half and half instead of cream because I had it around. And while it won’t be quite as rich, it’ll save you a few calories. Use high quality whole or crushed tomatoes for the best flavor. Soup needs a lot of salt so don’t be shy and season it generously to taste. I didn’t make the brown butter croutons because I was serving it alongside grilled cheese (perfect for dipping!) but next time I definitely will. They sound divine.

Dahlia Bakery’s Tasty Tomato Soup

INGREDIENTS

Tomato Soup:
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a knife and peeled
5 cups canned whole tomatoes in juice (I used Cento brand, can also use crushed tomatoes)
1 cup water
2/3 cup heavy cream (I used half and half, heavy cream will make it richer)
1 1/2 -2 tsp. kosher salt (adjust to taste)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper (adjust to taste)
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
1/4 tsp. celery seed (I used celery salt)
1/4 tsp. dried oregano or 1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh oregano
1 Tbsp. sugar

Brown Butter Croutons:
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
4 slices rustic bread, crusts removed, cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes (30 to 36 cubes)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

fresh basil, for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, water, cream, salt, red pepper flakes, celery seed, oregano, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and simmer for 15 minutes.
  2. Remove from the heat and puree in batches in the container of a blender. Return the soup to the pot and reheat to a simmer, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
  3. Meanwhile, to make the brown butter croutons, preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the butter in a small pan over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until the butter is golden brown and aromatic, about 3 minutes after the butter melts. Remove from the heat. Put the bread cubes in a bowl and pour the brown butter over them, tossing to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss again. Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and place it in the oven. Bake until the croutons are toasted and golden, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the oven.
  4. Serve the soup hot, garnished with the croutons and fresh basil (both optional).

(Adapted from The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook: Sweetness in Seattle)

Creamy Tuscan Tortellini Soup

May 27, 2020

We loved the last one so much I made another tortellini soup! This one has a creamy tomato base, Italian sausage (or you can use shredded chicken), white beans, carrots, spinach, and of course, lots of Parmesan cheese on top. Adding tortellini seems to be the only way I can get one of my kid to eat soup. You could substitute any pasta but the cheese-filled tortellini gives it an extra boost of flavor. Other suggestions: up the veggies by adding mushrooms or zucchini, etc. Skip the meat and use veggie broth to make it vegetarian. Ravioli instead of tortellini would be awesome. Stir in cream instead of the milk/flour combo. That would be decadent. Use fresh herbs instead of dried. This is such a great base recipes the options are really endless…!

Creamy Tuscan Tortellini Soup

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 cup diced carrots (about 3 medium carrots, peeled)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 cups chicken broth (I use low-sodium)
28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
10 oz. cheese tortellini
1 1/2 cups milk (I use whole milk)
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 (15-oz.) can Great Northern or Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
8 oz. Italian chicken sausage- mild or spicy (OR pork/turkey sausage OR 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken)
2-3 cups lightly packed, coarsely chopped fresh spinach (I used 1 cup frozen chopped spinach, measured before it was thawed)
freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onions and carrots. Cover the pot and cook/sweat the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds. If you’re using sausage, you want to add it now and cook it until browned. (If you’re using chicken breast you’ll add it later.)
  2. Add the broth, crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and add the tortellini. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the tortellini are mostly tender (they’ll continue to cook for a few minutes in the next step).
  3. Whisk or blend the flour and milk together until smooth and add it to the soup, stirring constantly. Add the beans, chicken (if using shredded chicken) and spinach. Bring the soup to a low simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and all the ingredients are heated through and the tortellini are tender. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  4. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top, if desired.

Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Chicken Tortellini Soup

April 17, 2020

Chicken noodle soup is good but replace the noodles with cheese-stuffed tortellini and chicken soup is suddenly much more exciting! I have one child who doesn’t eat soup (it’s a texture thing I’ve realized), but even she enjoys this one if I drain off most of the broth. It has a touch of creaminess but isn’t too indulgent and packed with good for you things like carrots and garlic and celery (and spinach if you choose to add some like I do). I also stir in a handful of freshly grated Parmesan, and serve extra for sprinkling on top.

Chicken Tortellini Soup

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1 small sweet onion, diced
2 large carrots, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped (I used 1/2 tsp. celery salt instead)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
dash red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2-3 cups cooked shredded chicken
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 8-10 oz. package of your favorite tortellini
~1/2 cup frozen spinach (optional, 1-2 cups chopped if you used fresh)
1 cup whole milk or half and half
1 1/2 Tbsp. flour
freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. Once the butter melts, add in the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, oregano, red pepper, salt and pepper. Stir and cook until the veggies soften, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the shredded chicken and cook for a minute or two. Add in the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Add in the tortellini and spinach (if using) and cook it for 5 minutes.
  2. While the tortellini is cooking, fill a shaker cup with the milk. Add the flour to the milk and shake the cup for at least 30 seconds. After 5 minutes, stream in the milk slurry while stirring. Bring the soup back to a simmer and let it simmer for 10 or 15 minutes as it thickens.
  3. Taste it and season more with salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and serve.

Serves 4.

Adapted from How Sweet Eats

Thai Coconut Soup with Chicken and Rice

March 26, 2015

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As long as I’ve known Clara (almost 3 years now!) she’s been soup-averse. Not a fan of purees or anything swimming in broth. She’ll usually try them, and then lose interest. I’ve often gotten away with draining the liquid off and serving soup less “soupy”. But rarely does she devour, with pleasure, a bowl of anything soupish without resistance. This was the soup though that made history.

Curry spices + rich coconut milk + shredded chicken + rice + lime juice + cilantro…. essentially coconut chicken curry in soup form. It comes together in about 15 minutes and Dustin, Clara, and I agreed: it’s absolutely delicious!

If you want to complicate things (and maybe add an extra bit of nutrition/flavor), you could saute a small onion, a few cloves of garlic, and some diced red bell pepper before adding the spices at the beginning. But totally not necessary. This soup was full of flavor and perfect just as written. We like our soup thick so I added lots of chicken and rice- cut back on both for a thinner consistency. And you’re always welcome to spice it up to taste. When serving a child, I usually just provide pepper flakes on the side. Serve with warm naan for dipping.

Thai Coconut Soup with Chicken and Rice

INGREDIENTS

1-2 Tbsp. butter, olive oil, or coconut oil
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. chili powder
dash cayenne pepper (to taste)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I added ~1 tsp. salt)
1 large carrot, grated
2 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken broth
1 15-ounce can coconut milk
2 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken (I used half of a Whole Foods rotisserie chicken)
2 cups cooked white or brown rice (I used white Jasmine rice)
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
fresh cilantro, chopped for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot or dutch oven, melt the butter/oil over medium heat, then stir in the spices and let cook for about 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Add the carrots, stir to combine and let cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the carrots are soft.

2. Add the remaining ingredients (chicken broth through soy sauce) and bring to a low boil, then let simmer for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, stir in fresh cilantro, and serve immediately.

Serves 4-6.

(Adapted from Everyday Reading)

Bacon, Mushroom, and Wild Rice Chowder

October 22, 2014

IMG_6247

Clara has been sick for over 2 weeks now, which means little sleep for everyone but lots of time stuck at home to try new recipes. We missed a church Halloween party the first weekend of her illness (which has evolved through several phases now, to include a fever and cold and ear infections and obnoxious persistent cough- poor babe). I had planned to take my favorite Mushroom, Sweet Potato, and Smoked Gouda Chowder to the party we never attended. So a few days later I had all those ingredients sitting around when I found this recipe and decided to make it instead. It also features bacon and mushrooms and potatoes (I used sweet ones). But a little less rich without the Gouda and heartier with brown/wild rice and a few extra veggies. A little bacon goes a long way in this case and this chowder is wonderfully creamy and smoky and just the comforting meal we needed.

Bacon, Mushroom, and Wild Rice Chowder

INGREDIENTS

3 Tbsp. butter
4 oz. bacon, small dice (about 3/4 cup)
8 oz. white or cremini mushrooms, chopped or thinly sliced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 medium russet potato or sweet potato, peeled and chopped (I used a sweet potato)
2 cups cooked wild or brown rice (I used brown rice)
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme leaves or 3/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 bay leaf
4- 6 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (I used 4 1/2 cups)
1 cup half-and-half (I used 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup whole milk)
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice + more to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat until foaming. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 5 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate; set aside.

2. Add the mushrooms to the saucepan, stir to coat in the bacon fat, and cook over medium heat, stirring rarely, until they begin to brown and the liquid they give off evaporates, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl; set aside.

3. Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp. butter in the saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Add the onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened, about 3 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, and potato, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, about 7 minutes.

4. Add the rice and thyme to the saucepan and stir to combine. Sprinkle the mixture with the flour. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the flour is no longer raw-tasting and a film of cooked flour coats the bottom of the pan, about 2 minutes.
Add the reserved mushrooms, bay leaf, and broth (I used 4 1/2 cups for a thicker chowder) and stir to combine. Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the vegetables are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

5. Uncover the saucepan, stir in the half-and-half, bacon (reserve some for serving) and season with freshly ground black pepper. Let the chowder simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and the flavors have combined, about 10 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, taste, and season with more salt, pepper, and lemon juice as needed. Remove the bay leaf and serve garnished with the reserved bacon.

Serves 6.

(Adapted from CHOW)