Soup's On!

Sometimes, we just need a bit of comfort food. That's where homemade soup fits in. It's one of those yummy comfort foods that just feel (and taste) good.

That said, here are six yummy soup recipes to try, including Sausage and Lentil Soup and Slow-Cooker Cuban Black Bean Soup. Enjoy!

ENCHILADA SOUP

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Give your go-to chicken dish a soup-upgrade with this Chicken Enchilada Soup recipe. The best part is that with the help of some Old El Paso™ enchilada sauce, your slow cooker will do the work for you. You can bring the heat with the hot sauce or keep it mild, but either way, it's an easy option to bring delicious chicken enchilada soup flavor to your next fall meal."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes; Makes 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/enchilada-soup.

Ingredients

2 cups Progresso™ chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)

1 can (19 oz) Old El Paso™ mild or hot enchilada sauce

1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso™ chopped mild green chiles

1 package (20 oz) bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed

1 can (15 oz) Progresso™ black beans, drained, rinsed

1 bag (12 oz) frozen corn, thawed, drained

Shredded Mexican cheese blend, if desired

Chopped fresh cilantro, if desired

Crushed tortilla chips, if desired

Preparation

Spray 4- to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, mix broth, enchilada sauce and chiles. Place chicken into enchilada sauce mixture; spoon sauce over chicken.

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 7 to 8 hours.

Remove chicken from cooker with slotted spoon. Stir beans and corn into mixture in cooker. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 5 to 10 minutes longer. Meanwhile, shred chicken by pulling apart with 2 forks; return to cooker. Cook until thoroughly heated.

Top each serving with cheese, cilantro and tortilla chips.

Expert Tips

Transfer corn from freezer to refrigerator when chicken starts to cook. It will be completely thawed by the time it is added to the slow cooker.

Vary the heat in this soup by using mild or hot enchilada sauce and serving with red pepper sauce on the side.

ITALIAN MEATBALL SOUP

Recipe Yield: Yield: 8 servings (about 2 cups each)

Source: 1,001 Recipes For People with Diabetes

Book Title: 1,001 Recipes For People with Diabetes

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/italian-meatball-soup.

Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds ground turkey

2 egg whites

1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs

4 cloves garlic, minced, divided

3 tablespoons Italian seasoning, divided

Olive oil cooking spray

4 cans (15 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 cups water

2 cups green beans, diagonally cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4 medium carrots, sliced

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

8 ounces thin spaghetti, uncooked, broken into 2-to 3-inch pieces

2 medium plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Mix ground turkey, egg whites, bread crumbs, 2 cloves of garlic, and 2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning until well blended; shape mixture into 32 meatballs. Spray large saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Cook meatballs until browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add chicken broth, water, green beans, carrots, onions, remaining 2 cloves garlic, and remaining 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning to saucepan; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered until vegetables are almost tender, about 8 minutes.

Heat soup to boiling; add pasta and tomatoes. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 270; Fat: 8.7 g; Sodium: 174 mg; Cholesterol: 31.7 mg; Protein: 19 g; Carbohydrates: 30 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Bread, 2 Meat, 1/2 Fat

TOFU MUSHROOM SOUP

This comes from Martha Rose Shulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, "For a full meal in a bowl, serve this deeply flavorful soup with warm brown rice or noodles."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

This was featured in "Tofu and Mushroom Broth: Happy Together", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017969-tofu-mushroom-soup.

Ingredients

1 ounce dried mushrooms (about 1 cup), preferably porcinis

1/2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms

1/2 pound fresh button or cremini mushrooms, quartered

1 head of garlic, cut in half crosswise

2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

6 slices fresh ginger, from the widest part of the root

2 tablespoons soy sauce

14 to 16 ounces tofu (1 box), either firm or soft, cut in 1-inch dice

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped chives

Preparation

Place dried mushrooms in a bowl or large heatproof measuring cup and cover with 2 cups boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes. If mushrooms are sandy, agitate from time to time. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and place over a 1-quart measuring cup. Drain through the strainer, then twist mushrooms in the cheesecloth, holding them over the strainer, to squeeze out the last of the flavorful liquid. Discard reconstituted mushrooms or set aside for another use.

While porcinis are soaking, pull tough stems away from shiitake mushroom caps. Slice caps thin and set aside.

Combine the mushroom broth with enough water to make 9 cups liquid and place in a saucepan or soup pot. Add shiitake stems, quartered button or cremini mushrooms, halved head of garlic, salt and ginger slices, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to remove mushrooms, stems, garlic and ginger from broth. Add soy sauce to broth. Taste and adjust salt.

Bring broth back to a boil and add tofu. Reduce heat to a simmer or a gentle boil, cover partly and simmer for 30 minutes. Tofu will puff a little, and texture will become more porous and spongy.

Add thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and chives. Taste, adjust seasoning and serve.

Tip

Broth can be prepared in advance through Step 4 and refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for 2 months. Soup can be prepared through Step 5 a day ahead of time.

SLOW-COOKER CUBAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

This comes from Betty Crocker, and begins, "This all-day slow-cooker recipe isn’t your average bean soup—it’s wildly flavorful and extra hearty, and we’d bet it’ll become your favorite on the first try. The secret is in cooking the beans with a bone-in ham shank that infuses flavor into every bite. The key to getting the perfect consistency, mashing the beans, is a can’t-skip step that’s super easy. Finish your bowl with the toppings of your choice, like pico de gallo, sour cream, avocado or a squeeze of lime juice, and prepare to be impressed!"

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Soup

1 carton (32 oz) Progresso™ chicken broth

1 ham shank (about 1 1/2 lb)

3 cans (15 oz each) Progresso™ black beans, drained, rinsed

1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen™ organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

1 medium onion, chopped

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Toppings

Fresh pico de gallo, sour cream, sliced avocado, lime slices, if desired

Directions

In 5-quart slow cooker, mix all Soup ingredients except lime juice. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours or until ham easily pulls away from bone.

Remove ham shank from slow cooker. Pull ham away from bone; chop, discarding the bone. With potato masher, carefully mash black beans inside slow cooker insert. Stir in 1 cup of the ham and the lime juice. Serve soup with Toppings.

Expert Tips

Ham shanks vary in size, and some may have more meat than others. Save any remaining ham for another use.

To add more spicy heat, stir in an additional 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or top with a medium or hot fresh pico de gallo.

VEGETARIAN GUMBO

This comes from Vallery Lomas in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Vallery wrote, "This meatless gumbo has a distinct Louisiana flavor, thanks to the roux, Creole seasoning and the 'holy trinity' of Creole cooking (onion, celery, bell pepper). Gumbo is traditionally made with a variety of smoked meats and seafood, but this version gets an added bit of smokiness from an optional splash of liquid smoke. Here, the okra is roasted in the oven before being added to the pot, which eliminates the gooey-ness. There is also no skimping on vegetables in this gumbo, and the red lentils thicken it while adding protein. Serving this gumbo over white rice helps make it a complete meal."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 50 minutes

This can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022206-vegetarian-gumbo.

Ingredient

1 (10- to 16-ounce) bag frozen sliced okra

Kosher salt and black pepper

5 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegetable oil

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

2 celery ribs, thinly sliced

1/2 green bell pepper, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon Creole seasoning, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes with their juices

3 cups vegetable or chicken stock, plus more as needed

1/2 cup red lentils

1 tablespoon hot sauce, plus more to taste

2 teaspoons liquid smoke (optional)

Cooked white rice or quinoa, for serving

Preparation

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place the frozen okra in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, breaking up any large clumps, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast, until cooked through and just starting to brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

As okra roasts, prepare the roux: Melt the butter in a cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. (Either vessel will help evenly distribute the heat for a better roux.) If using vegetable oil, simply heat over medium. Using a heatproof rubber spatula or wooden spoon, mix the flour into the fat. Stir continuously, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot so the roux does not burn (a burned roux cannot be saved), until the roux transforms from pale to peanut butter to a rich cinnamon color, about 7 minutes. Remove the roux from the heat and set aside. (Pull the pot from the heat just as the desired color is reached; the retained heat will continue to cook the roux slightly.)

Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the celery and bell pepper, and cook until softened, another 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Lastly, add the Creole and Old Bay seasonings, and stir so that they coat the vegetables and are lightly toasted, about 1 minute.

Stir in the diced tomatoes, stock and lentils. Bring the ingredients to a boil, then reduce the heat to a light simmer. Cover and allow the lentils to cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. (Add more water or stock if needed.)

Add the okra and cook uncovered until softened, another 5 minutes. Stir in the hot sauce, and the liquid smoke, if using. Give the cooled roux a good stir and add it to the pot, making sure to mix it in thoroughly, then simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding salt, pepper, creole seasoning or hot sauce, if desired. Serve warm over white rice or quinoa.

SAUSAGE AND LENTIL SOUP

This comes from one of my favorite sites, TheKitchn. (Check it out, as well as its sister site, Apartment Therapy. Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 6 hours to 8 hours; Yield: Serves 6 to 8

To view this online, go to https://www.thekitchn.com/sausage-lentil-soup-267145.

Ingredients

2 cups dried French lentils, also known as du Puy

12 ounces cooked andouille-style chicken sausage, such as Aidells, cut into 1-inch pieces

3 cups chopped kale leaves

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Place all the ingredients in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on the LOW setting until the lentils are tender, about 8 hours.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.