5 Thanksgiving Soups Everyone Will Love

With an elaborate and wholesome feast, Thanksgiving is an exciting holiday, especially for food lovers. However, serving the same old turkey and stuffing every year could get a bit boring with little to no room for creativity. Having said that, starting off with your favorite choice of warm, delicious soup could help you add a personal spin to your meal. Also, the additional appetizer may save you from mindlessly gorging on the main course later. With the holiday right around the corner, we would like to bring you 5 of our favorite soup recipes that would elevate your feast this Thanksgiving.

1. Curried Parsnip With Apple Soup

With a combination of delicious spices and sweet apples, this soup could be the perfect starter for your meal.

Ingredients (4 servings)

• Olive oil – 2 tbsp
• Chopped onion – 1
• Parsnips (peeled and chopped) – 600 g
• Potatoes (peeled and chopped) – 2 medium
• Garlic cloves (crushed) – 2
• Curry powder – 1½ tsp
• Coriander powder – 1½ tsp
• Ground ginger – 1 tsp
• Black pepper (freshly ground) and kosher salt
• One cooking apple, such as a Bramley—peeled, cored, and chopped.
• Chicken stock – 4 cups
• Juice of half a lemon.

Directions

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and sauté the onions for 2 minutes. Add the chopped parsnips and potatoes next. Sauté them for around 5 minutes until softened. Now sauté the garlic for about 2 minutes.
• Add the ground ginger, ground coriander, and curry powder to this mix. Season it with salt and pepper as required. Toast the spices using a wooden spoon. Now add the apple and sauté for another minute.
• Add the chicken stock to this mix and bring it to a boil. Let it simmer and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes until all the vegetables are soft and can be mashed easily with a wooden spoon.
• In batches, puree the whole mixture to a smooth consistency using a food processor. Flavor using lemon juice.
• Warm the soup over medium heat in a saucepan and serve it into bowls. Garnish it with a drizzle of crème fraîche and a sprinkle of toasted crushed coriander seeds.

2. Lemon And Ginger Spicy Chicken Soup

The comfort of chicken soup has been taken to the next level with a dash of spices and lemons.

Ingredients (8 servings)

• Whole chicken – 4 pounds
• Yellow onion, chopped into big pieces – 1 (large)
• Medium-sized carrots, chopped into big pieces – 2
• Celery stalks, chopped into big pieces – 2
• 1 large head garlic, cut crosswise
• Jalapeño that is cut lengthwise – 1 (set aside more for garnish)
• Two 3-inch pieces of peeled and chopped ginger
• 1 generous bunch of fresh parsley (set aside more for garnish)
• Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp
• Kosher salt – 1 tbsp
• Black pepper, freshly ground – 2 tsp
• Fresh spinach or tender greens of your choice – 170 g
• Thinly sliced lemons – 2

Directions

• Combine the chicken with onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and jalapeño in a large Dutch oven or a saucepan. Also, add the ginger, parsley, and coriander to the mix along with salt and black pepper. Add cold water to the pot to cover. Cover the pan and bring the liquid to a boil over high heat.
• Now reduce the heat, bring it to simmer, and skim off any residue that rises to the top with a metal spoon. Close the pan and let it simmer for an hour until the chicken is tender enough to fall apart. You could also use a pressure cooker for cooking the chicken and broth within 40 minutes.
• Remove the chicken and place it onto a plate and collect any broth that may drip down. Strain the stock into a clean saucepan using a fine-mesh strainer and warm it over low heat. Check the flavor of the stock and add salt if needed. Using a fork, shred the chicken. You could also freeze and save up any extra chicken for later.
• Place the shredded chicken, spinach, jalapeño, and lemon slices separately into a serving bowl and top it off with the hot broth.

3. Apple And Kale Soup

If you’re looking for something healthy and delicious this Thanksgiving, then our next recipe might be the one for you.

Ingredients

• Quarter of a cup of chopped bacon
• 1 generous bunch of kale with thick stems removed
• Quarter of a cup of fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons (divided) of extra-virgin olive oil
• 4-6 cups (divided) of chicken or vegetable broth
• Half a yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 Granny Smith apple that is cored and chopped
• Quarter tablespoon of salt
• Quarter tablespoon of black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
• Red pepper flakes, black pepper, heavy cream, and maple syrup for toppings

Directions

• Cook the bacon over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottom pan until it starts to brown. Add one tablespoon of olive oil along with kale and parsley, and stir to coat it in the fat. Add 2 cups of the broth after about 5 minutes, when the kale is wilted. Cook for 10 minutes by bringing it to a simmer. Then remove the pot from heat to let it cool slightly.
• Now blend the mixture in a blender until smooth and set it aside in a clean bowl.
• In the pot, warm two tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions by occasionally stirring until it’s softened. Add salt, pepper, and chopped apple and cook for 2 more minutes. Add 2 cups of broth and cook for 5 minutes by bringing the mix to a simmer. Now remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly.
• Blend the mixture in a blender until smooth and mix it with the maple syrup and the kale mixture.
• Reheat the soup and add additional broth according to your taste and preferred consistency.
• Garnish it with the toppings and a swirl of maple syrup/heavy cream.

4. Vegan Cauliflower And Sweet Potato Soup

Now, if you’re a vegan, we’ve got you covered as well! This tasty sweet potato and cauliflower soup is all you need for the holiday.

Ingredients

• 1 small cauliflower, separated into florets
• Sea salt
• Olive oil
• 1 pound of peeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon of Thai red curry paste
• One 15-ounce can of full-fat coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon of maple syrup (optional)
• 1 sliced avocado for garnish (optional)
• 2 tablespoons of hemp seeds for garnish (optional)

Directions

• Set the oven to 425°. Drizzle a teaspoon of oil and 1/2 teaspoon of salt on to the cauliflower tossed on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat the same on a second sheet pan with the sweet potatoes. Roast these in the oven until they’re tender and caramelized. Swap the pans from top to bottom when it’s halfway done.
• Heat a tablespoon of oil in a stockpot and sauté the onions for 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and curry paste and cook for around 2 minutes until it’s fragrant. Pour 2 cups of water along with the coconut milk and bring it to a boil.
• Now add the roasted vegetables along with the lime juice and maple syrup (as per your taste) and bring it to a simmer. Cool the mixture for a while before pureeing it in a blender. Create the consistency you want by adding more liquid and coconut milk to it.
• Check the seasoning and top it off with avocado and hemp seeds.

5. Slow-cooked French Onion Soup

Nothing says comfort food like a bowl of hot French onion soup.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter – 4 tbsp
• Thinly-sliced sweet onions – 3
• Minced garlic – 2 cloves
• 6 cups of beef broth
• Quarter cup brandy
• A bay leaf
• Chopped fresh thyme – 2 tbsp
• Black pepper and kosher salt that is freshly ground
• ⅓ of sliced baguette
• Gruyère cheese, shredded – 1½ cups
• Fresh chives, chopped (to serve)

Directions

• Start by melting the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Now sauté the onions for around 5 minutes, until soft. Reduce the heat and cook the onions for 15-20 minutes until caramelized. Add the garlic.
• Transfer the mixture into a slow cooker bowl along with the bay leaf, thyme, brandy, and beef broth. Cook it for about 6½ to 7 hours by keeping the cooker on low. Season it using pepper and salt to your taste.
• Pour the soup into bowls and top it with 2 slices of baguette. Make sure the bowls are oven-safe. Add a quarter cup of Gruyère on each baguette before placing the bowls on to a preheated broiler on your oven. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes until the cheese has melted and is well-browned. Garnish it with chives and serve.

We hope that our list of tasty soups help you jazz up your cooking game this Thanksgiving. Which recipe are you excited to prepare this Thanksgiving? We would love to know how it turned out in the comments section below.

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