There’s nothing like a winter soup to warm your heart and your belly.
This delicious winter warmer recipe is a favourite of Dean, the Executive Chef of FareShare’s Melbourne kitchen.
It is easy-to-cook, nutritious, fun, filling and serves 6-8 people. Perfect for the cold winter months.
Dean says, “I often adjust the recipe, depending on what is in the fridge, and how I am feeling on the day. I have cooked this soup several different ways and it always comes out great.”
Ingredients
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 red capsicum, diced
2 carrots, chopped
1 stick of celery, chopped
4 oz Spanish chorizo, sliced into half-moons. You could also use chopped bacon, or pre-cooked chopped chicken, or omit to keep the soup vegetarian.
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp ground cumin
1 can diced (or similar) tomatoes
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 cups baby spinach (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
1. Heat the teaspoon of olive oil in a large pan (with a lid) over a medium heat.
2. Add the chopped onion, red capsicum, carrot, celery, and add your choice of meat (or leave as vegetable soup). Cook for about 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables are softened and the onion is semi-transparent.
3. Now add and stir in the minced garlic, smoked paprika, and ground cumin. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn and until the spices are highly fragrant.
4. Pour in the diced tomatoes, the stock, bay leaves, and the rinsed chickpeas.
5. Bring the soup to a gentle boil.
6. Now reduce the heat to low simmer, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for 15-20 minutes.
7. Take the lid off the saucepan and stir in the fresh spinach (optional).
8. Now cook the soup (and spinach) for another 2-3 minutes only until the spinach has completely wilted into the soup.
9. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper.
10. Enjoy your delicious soup.
11. Portion up, label, and freeze your leftovers.
