À La Carte: Cozy soups for freezing temps
Tempeh chili, moqueca, Polish pickle soup + more 🍲
Hi friends,
The weather in New York this week was the most frigid we’ve experienced in years. We’re talking low teens and even single digits. I reluctantly had to unearth the giant poofy jacket that typically lives in the deep depths of my closet and makes me feel like the Michelin man.
But the upside is, of course, that this weather is conducive to burrowing oneself into one’s couch and warming up with bowls of soup. A nice way to spend an evening indeed.
Below, globally-inspired soups to cozy up with next week…
1. Cauliflower Potato Leek Soup
Most recipes with leeks instruct you to find another use for the dark green bits, or to discard them altogether, which is honestly insane. When fried until brown and crispy, leek greens transform into a delicious savory topper that take this French-inspired soup to new heights.
2. Polish Pickle Soup
Over the last 13 years of living with my Polish partner, I’ve become quite familiar with the Polish soup canon. And no shade to my own Ukrainian roots, but Polish people know soup. (Or maybe their soups are just extra tasty because they almost universally contain sour cream, not sure.) Either way, this pickle number - with grated dill pickles and pickle juice! - is one of my faves. I’ve gone ahead and veganized it with coconut milk.
3. Tempeh Chili
Crumbled tempeh gives this soup a “chili con carne” vibe, while melting a few squares of dark chocolate into the broth offsets the acidity of the tomatoes.
4. Vegetarian Moqueca
This Brazilian seafood stew typically consists of shrimp and/or fish in a citrusy coconut broth. My vegetarian version has plantains and hearts of palm instead, and makes a satisfying, weeknight-friendly one-pot meal.
5. Tex-Mex-ish Tomato Chickpea Soup
Cumin, lime, and cilantro give this soup a Tex-Mex personality. While it’s great on its own, the homemade tortilla crisp (also seen in #3 above) and creamy avocado garnishes elevate it to restaurant-fancy status.
Planning to make one of these? Tell me how it goes in the comments section or tag me with your creation on Instagram.