Super soups

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Posted at 11:00AM, 15 January 2010 by Emily Boyce - Sub-editor, bbcgoodfood.com

Here at bbcgoodfood.com we're always interested to know what you're searching for, so we can provide the recipes you want. Along with the ever-popular choices of chicken and cake (chicken cake, anyone?), one of the big trends we've noticed over recent months is the rise of the humble soup.

When we've flagged up our favourite soups in our weekly newsletter, the stats have gone through the roof. A Tomato soup from 2002 snuck past the mighty Ultimate chocolate cake to become our most-viewed recipe in September last year, while Barney's Pumpkin soup took on a life of its own around Halloween, ranking number one in Google.

It's not the sexiest of meals, with high potential for slurping and spillage

So what is it about soup that gets you clicking in your thousands? Let's be honest, it's not the sexiest of meals, with high potential for slurping and spillage. It can also make you feel weirdly bloated - if I have soup for lunch, I often feel uncomfortably full all afternoon, even though I think of it as a light option (then again, maybe that's because I eat several bread rolls and a large chunk of cheese with it).

But with many of us trying to eat more seasonally, and perhaps also cutting down on meat, soup provides an easy way of using up a glut of seasonal produce, such as those fresh September tomatoes and autumnal squashes.

Maybe it's the frugality of it that appeals in these troubled times; even when made with less than perfect ingredients, it always tastes better than it does out of a carton. It's a good lunchbox filler, as well as something nourishing to make for the family on a chilly Saturday.

Are you one of our legion of soup-lovers and if so, why does it float your boat? What's your favourite soup recipe?

Comments

Claire

15 January 2010, 4:24PM
Claire

Yep I'm a soup lover. They are cheap, warming, delicious, usually full of veggis and very healthy, what more do you need? I would have to disagree on the bloating front though. I don't like to have bread for lunch at work because I feel tired and bloated after. Instead I have a bowl of soup (no bread roll) and I feel much better.

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Italiana

17 January 2010, 7:52AM
Italiana

I love soup! It's also a fantastic way to get the kids to eat their 5 a day of veg without them realising it...... once its blized with the trusty handblender they cant pick bits out and with an artistic swirl of cream on the top they are eager to get stuck in. My fav soups are chicken soup (made with any left over chicken from the Sunday roast) and fresh mushroom soup, made with onions, garlic, potatoes, leeks, celery etc....and cream....Yum!

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Belit

17 January 2010, 7:45PM
Belit

Soup is great! It's a terrific way to have a reasonably quick weekday supper, where you can easily fit in lots of veg as well as leftover meats, and the kids love it. I use homemade stock or luxury quality bought stock when I can for best flavour, and like to blend soups for that thick, satisfying feel. Some of my favorites are tomato soup with grilled peppers and garlic, carrot soup with garlic and ginger, and chickpea and leak soup.

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Ann

17 January 2010, 10:03PM
Ann

soup is a good way of using up any left-over veggies from the Sunday roast (I have 3 teenage sons so we never have leftover meat) chop them up put into hot stock and after heating blend it or serve it.

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Yumminess

18 January 2010, 4:17AM
Yumminess

I could almost live on soup! It's comforting, filling and I always feel quite accomplished after making a big pot of soup. I hate wasting food, so soup is a perfect way to use up veggies, meat or roast veg from Sunday dinner (try pureeing roasted sweet potatoes, parsnips and onions with a favourite broth/stock- yum!), as well as create a healthy meal. My favourites are my mum's turkey soup (a must-have after Christmas!), lentil soup with cumin in it to spice it up, and tomato and fennel soup. However, I just made a large pot of vegetable soup this afternoon, so that could be a new favourite too!

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Lily

18 January 2010, 5:26PM
Lily

Soup does make a delicious and comforting dinner option, but for some reason unless I eat something solid I feel tricked out of a full meal, so I always seem to follow it off with a particularly hearty pudding... not quite a diet option after all!

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Emily

19 January 2010, 2:49PM
Emily

If I'm having soup for dinner, it needs to contain something to make it more substantial - pasta or noodles, or loads of croutons. I'm definitely guilty of compensating for a lighter dinner by gorging on pudding. I've never tried using leftover Sunday roast vegetables in a soup, will have to give it a go... thanks for the tip!

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Cassandra Amy Rose

20 January 2010, 3:02PM
Cassandra Amy Rose

Ah, soup! Love it. It's cheap, easy to make and delicious!

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Hel - Brit in Beijing

21 January 2010, 5:56AM
Hel - Brit in Beijing

I love soup. Easy, cheap, comforting, lots of veg and can be low fat. What's not to love? You can take it to work, on the train, in the car, to picnics... what else is so versatile? Even sandwiches go soggy. Soups just reach room temperature. My two favorites are a leek, potato and bacon one from Mary Cadogan on this website and the other is one my mum made for me as a child. It's so thick it's more like babyfood.

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Ann

21 January 2010, 3:33PM
Ann

I'm on a diet, Put over a stone on over xmas. But back to my diet and loat 7lbs this week. Just by having soup for lunch. This week going to make buuternut squash and veg. and will make spicy parsnips soup. Delish

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Beatenberg

23 January 2010, 12:53PM
Beatenberg

Couldn't agree more with the other comments. Soup is easy to make, satisfying to eat and there is a soup for everyone, it would be impossible to be bored with soups. We have a 'Soup Circle' at work, it works like this...on a rota 2 or 3 people make soup each week, the rest of us eat it! It gives us the opportunity to enjoy and try new flavours in a sociable setting, there are enough of us that we only need to make soup every couple of months or so.

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Gemsy

23 January 2010, 6:25PM
Gemsy

Soup has been a nice lunch alternative; its cheap, cheerful and if you make it your own it's usally a winner!

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Angela

24 January 2010, 3:09AM
Angela

No one has mentioned breakfast soup, now that is something to get really excited about! What better way to start the day than with a steaming bowl of Pho!

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Angela

24 January 2010, 3:11AM
Angela

I can't believe no one has mentioned starting the day with soup. A steaming bowl of Pho, happy days!

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sandra

26 January 2010, 4:01PM
sandra

We have breakfast soups and really enjoy them. Starts the day off right as far as we are concerned.

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Sireesha

27 January 2010, 5:18PM
Sireesha

This is very encouraging but how do I get by husband to like soups.

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Kelly=)

29 January 2010, 12:07PM
Kelly=)

Did you know, that soup is the best meal to have at lunch if you are on a diet? This is because, your body has to use less energy in digesting and breaking food down. It stays in your stomach longer leaving you feel fuller for longer. You can also make a regular meal into a soup! Not always recommended, but it is true. I always make a soup for my fiance for him to take to work, heat it up in the morning and pour into his trusted thermos. I have been brought up on soup as it was always a cheap meal and we were not always rich with food in our home. I have my own book with hand written recipes from my grandparent down to me. I love experimenting and soup is so easy to play with. My fave soup is my chunky tomato and buterbean soup. warming and very filling. yummy.

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kittendothroar

31 January 2010, 10:13PM
kittendothroar

I love soup and make it very often, partially through cheapness and also that I don't think you can beat it served up on a cold winters night with some freshly buttered bread! My favourite is broccoli and stilton, recently discovered adding cream cheese at the end, instead of cream makes it just perfect :)

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maxine mclean

24 February 2010, 9:53AM
maxine mclean

soup is delightful. it is easy to make and is nourishing if made the right way,you can be fairly creative with soup, like something i did for a function was a pea and ham and cream of tomato split soup.taste and looks amazing!!! i am also a lover of croutons instead of bread rolls, i feel that why you may feel bloated as commented about in a recent post, too much bread... try a little malba toast, awesome combination of textures, crunchy, smooth x yummy......

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