Cooking your own at home is a great way to save pennies on the shopping bill and you can use up leftover ingredients from your fridge and cupboards too to save waste
There’s nothing quite like a bowl of hot, hearty soup to warm the cockles on a chilly winter day or to soothe you when you’re battling a nasty cold.
Whipping up your own batch at home not only helps you cut costs on your grocery bill but also lets you make the most of leftovers, reducing waste in the process. Plus, there’s an undeniable comfort in tucking into a homemade meal during the colder seasons.
A culinary expert has revealed that you really only need three essential ingredients for a flavoursome and satisfying homemade soup. Food and Flavour Expert and Founder of The Gift of Oil, Phil Bianchi, shared his insight: “The key elements to a great soup recipe are dairy, vegetables and stock. As long as you have those three key ingredients, no matter the variation, you’ll be guaranteed a good soup full of flavour.”
Phil also emphasised the adaptability and ease of making soup, noting its ability to incorporate a wide array of ingredients already at hand: “The great thing about soup is that you can experiment with different flavours using a variety of ingredients straight from your kitchen cupboards,” he remarked.
Phil’s perfect winter warmer is a prime example of how to use ingredients you might already have in your kitchen. While the three key ingredients are all you need for a delicious dish, he also suggests giving your recipe an extra twist by using infused oils, such as a chilli-based one for an extra kick of heat.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make Phil’s simple recipe:
- One tablespoon of olive oil
- One diced onion
- Two large carrots, chopped
- One garlic clove, crushed
- 650g of frozen peas
- 225g cubed potatoes
- 2 pints of vegetable stock
- Creme Fraiche or any soft cheese or cream
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
To make Phil’s soup, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the chopped onion, carrots, potatoes and any other vegetables you fancy. Cook for three or four minutes until they turn soft, then add in the frozen peas. Next, pour in the stock and bring it to a boil, adding salt and pepper to season.
Leave all the ingredients to simmer so the flavours infuse and the veggies become tender. Once this has happened, leave it to cool for 15 minutes, then whisk with a hand blender until it’s silky and smooth. Remember to reheat the soup and stir in your crème fraiche, cream cheese or cream for that extra indulgence.
