Category: Soups


Jan
2024

Greek Cannellini Bean Stew

categories: Soups
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Greek Cannellini Bean Stew is an easy to make, meatless hearty stew with carrots, onion, garlic, celery and a hint of orange! It’s DELICIOUS!
Greek Cannellini Bean Stew is an easy to make, meatless hearty stew with carrots, onion, garlic, celery and a hint of orange! It's DELICIOUS!

If you’re looking for a healthy, filling dish that is scrumptious and has lots of healthy ingredients (and fiber) in it, may I suggest this recipe for Greek Cannellini Bean Stew? It’s a wonderful meatless dish that vegetarians AND meat-lovers will surely enjoy!

Greeks call this bean stew “Fasolada”, and it is a much-loved national dish that is considered “comfort food”. This simple stew has its origins in ancient Greece and was typically made using dried cannellini beans.

This version of the bean stew uses canned beans, which is very convenient, because it dramatically reduces the time needed to make this dish.

The stew only takes 15 minutes of prep, and then it is simmered on the stove for 30-35 minutes. When it’s done cooking, you will be left with a creamy, thick stew I’m confident you’ll enjoy!

The surprising ingredient in this soup is the addition of fresh orange slices while it cooks! The natural oils in the orange peel and the fruit itself provide a hint of orange flavor (not overpowering at all!), which is a nice touch. Here’s how to make the stew.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Veggies

Heat olive oil on Medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the chopped onion, and carrot and celery slices to the hot oil.

Cook the veggies 8-10 minutes in the hot oil, stirring occasionally, until they become soft and tender (especially the carrots).

Onion, carrots and celery are cooked in hot olive oil in large soup pot.

Building The Stew

Once the onions, carrots and celery have softened, add dried oregano, 1 bay leaf, tomato paste and two slices of fresh orange (including peel) to the soup pot.

Stir to combine these ingredients, then let them cook 2 more minutes on Medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Orange slices, oregano, tomato paste and bay leaf are added to soup pot.

Now it’s time to add the canned cannellini beans to the soup pot. You will use a total of 2 cans of beans, following the instructions below.

Drain ONLY 1 CAN of cannellini beans and then add the beans (without liquid) to the stew. The remaining can of beans should be added to the stew INCLUDING THE LIQUID.

Stir in 1 cup of water to the soup pot, salt and pepper, then stir to combine all the ingredients. 

Cannellini beans, water, salt and pepper are now added to the stew.

Cook The Stew

Cook the Greek Cannellini Bean Stew (uncovered) for 30-35 minutes on a LOW simmer, stirring occasionally. The stew will thicken considerably as it cooks, which is a GOOD thing!

If at any point, you notice the stew is cooking too fast or begins sticking to the bottom of the pan, make sure the heat is very low. You may wish to add a tiny bit of water.

When the stew has finished cooking, and it’s thick and creamy, it is done. Remove the bay leaf and orange slices from the pot before serving.

The Greek Cannellini Bean Stew cooks 30 minutes, or until thickened.The thickened bean stew is ready to be served once hot and thickened.

Serve The Greek Cannellini Bean Stew

Ladle the Greek Cannellini Bean Stew into 4 bowls, dividing evenly. If desired, garnish each serving with half an orange slice (this is optional).

Serve the stew hot, and enjoy the wonderful flavor of this vegetarian dish. We especially enjoy eating the stew with a thick, crusty piece of garlic bread on the side. YUM!

The Greek Cannellini Bean Stew is served with an orange slice as garnish.A spoonful of the thick, creamy Greek Cannellini Bean Stew.

I really hope you enjoy this hearty cannellini bean stew. Even though it is meatless, it has lots of protein (from the beans) and vegetables, and always fills us up!

Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to visit my blog. I appreciate it, and invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SOUP And STEW Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of soup and stew recipes, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

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Recipe adapted from: Koula Barydakis at: mediterraneanliving.com/white-bean-soup/

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Greek Cannellini Bean Stew
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 

Greek Cannellini Bean Stew is an easy to make, meatless hearty stew with carrots, onion, garlic, celery and a hint of orange! It's DELICIOUS!

Category: Main Dish, Soup
Cuisine: Greek
Keyword: Greek Cannellini Bean Stew
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 405 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ large yellow onion chopped
  • 3 medium carrots , peeled, thinly sliced
  • 3 stalks celery thinly sliced
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 thin slices orange round slices, include peel and flesh
  • 31 ounces canned cannellini beans =2 (15.5 oz. cans), DO NOT DRAIN
  • 1¼ cup water
  • ¼ teaspoon salt or more, to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper or more, to taste
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil on Medium heat in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add chopped onion, carrot and celery slices to the hot oil. Cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they become soft/tender (especially the carrots).

  2. Add oregano, 1 bay leaf, tomato paste and two slices of orange (including peel) to soup pot. Stir to combine, then let them cook 2 more minutes on Medium heat, stirring occasionally.

  3. Drain 1 CAN of cannellini beans and then add the beans (without liquid) to the stew. The remaining can of beans should then be added to the stew INCLUDING THE LIQUID. Add water, salt and pepper to the stew; stir to combine ingredients. 

  4. Cook for 30-35 minutes on a LOW simmer, stirring occasionally. The stew will thicken considerably as it cooks. If at any point, you notice stew cooking too fast or sticking to the bottom of the pan, make sure the heat is very low. You may add just a tiny bit of water. When the stew has finished cooking, and it's thick and creamy, it is done. Remove bay leaf and orange slices from stew before serving.

  5. Ladle stew into 4 bowls, dividing evenly. Garnish each serving with a fresh half of an orange slice (OPTIONAL). Serve hot, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Greek Cannellini Bean Stew
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
Calories 405 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 10g
Sodium 248mg11%
Potassium 1294mg37%
Carbohydrates 55g18%
Fiber 13g54%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 17g34%
Vitamin A 7845IU157%
Vitamin C 6mg7%
Calcium 199mg20%
Iron 7mg39%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Greek Cannellini Bean Stew is an easy to make, meatless hearty stew with carrots, onion, garlic, celery and a hint of orange! It's DELICIOUS!


Nov
2023

Turkey Mulligatawny Soup

categories: Soups
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Leftover turkey? Make Turkey Mulligatawny Soup with turkey, rice, carrots, celery, onion, apple & curry powder. It’s hearty and satisfying!
Leftover turkey? Make Turkey Mulligatawny Soup with turkey, rice, carrots, celery, onion, apple & curry powder. It's hearty and satisfying!

The first time I tried mulligatawny soup was about 20 years ago. A friend and I were invited to another friends home for lunch, and she served mulligatawny soup to us.

My first reaction was “Mulliga-WHAT?”, because I had never heard of this soup before. When she told me there was a combination of vegetables, meat and green apples in it, truthfully I had my doubts whether it would be something I would enjoy.

However… it was fantastic, and all was well in the soup world. True story! Who knew that a thick soup with VEGETABLES and APPLES in it could taste so good? 

Mulliga-WHAT?

In researching more about this soup, I discovered there are many variations and recipes available. I learned mulligatawny soup was fairly common around the end of the 18th century in India, but tended to be more of a spicy, thin broth, which its original name was translated in English to “pepper water”.

Apparently, as the British gained more influence and prevalence over the years in India, their version of this soup began to include meat or mutton, more vegetables, and a creamier consistency. That is why mulligatawny soup is often commonly referred to as an Indian-British soup.

Years later, I found a recipe for a wonderful mulligatawny soup in one of my cookbooks. After making a few changes, it brings back memories of the soup my friend served me. This modified version is the recipe I am sharing today. Here’s how to prepare it.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prep The Vegetables

The first thing you will need to do is prep the veggies and fruit. Finely chop 3 ribs of celery and peel and chop a yellow onion.

Peel, and finely chop carrots, then peel, core and finely chop a green Granny Smith apple. These are the veggies (and fruit) that will help to bring flavor and texture to the mulligatawny soup.

Onion, green apple, celery and carrots are finely chopped for the soup.

Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter (on Medium heat)in a large soup pot, then add the prepared ingredients (celery, onion, carrots and apple). 

Cook the veggies (and apple) on Medium heat for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions should become tender and translucent.

Stir in 2 cloves of minced garlic, and continue to cook for 1 more minute, stirring often so the garlic doesn’t burn.

The chopped vegetables are cooked in butter in a large soup pot.Minced garlic is added to the cooked veggies in the soup pot.

Prepare The Turkey Mulligatawny Soup

Now it’s time to “build” the soup. Add a Tablespoon of curry powder to the veggies, and stir to combine. Continue to cook, (stirring often) for 1-2 minutes so the spices “bloom and develop” and are integrated into the veggies.

Pour 4 cups of chicken broth into the pan, then add 2½ cups of cooked, shredded turkey. Stir to combine, and turn the heat up to High. Bring the soup up to a simmer (not boiling).

Curry powder is stirred into the sautéed vegetables in the soup pot.Shredded cooked turkey and chicken broth is stirred into the soup.

Reduce the heat back down to Medium, and stir in ½ cup of uncooked long grain white rice. Cover the soup pot and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice has become tender (taste it to check).

Uncooked long grain white rice is added to the turkey mulligatawny soup.

Final Step Before Serving The Mulligatawny Soup

Once the rice is tender, stir ¾ cup of low-fat sour cream (or plain, unsweetened yogurt) into the soup. Once incorporated, take a bite, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Turn the heat to Low and let the soup simmer for 7-8 minutes, or until it’s heated through, then the soup is ready to serve.

Once rice is tender, sour cream is stirred into the soup and simmered.Salt and pepper is added to turkey mulligatawny soup before serving.

Serve The Turkey Mulligatawny Soup

Ladle the hot turkey mulligatawny soup into serving bowls, and serve, with a favorite green salad or crusty bread on the side!

The mulligatawny soup is creamy AND chunky, thanks to the sour cream and amount of veggies and turkey. It has wonderful curry flavor, but it is definitely NOT overpowering.

A big bowl of hot turkey mulligatawny soup is served.Lots of veggies and meat in a bowl of turkey mulligatawny soup.

I really hope you enjoy this mouth-watering soup as much as we do! It is savory, full-flavored, and will warm you up on a cold and chilly day!

Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, have a GREAT day, and may God bless you.

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of fabulous soup recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
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Recipe adapted from: “Williams Sonoma- Soup Of The Day”, page 286, published by Weldonowen in 2011

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Turkey Mulligatawny Soup
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
55 mins
 

Leftover turkey? Make Turkey Mulligatawny Soup with turkey, rice, carrots, celery, onion, apple & curry powder. It's hearty and satisfying!

Category: Main Dish, Soup
Cuisine: All Cuisines
Keyword: turkey mulligatawny soup
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 260 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion peeled, finely chopped
  • 1 medium Granny Smith apple peeled, cored, finely chopped
  • 3 large celery ribs finely chopped
  • 2 medium carrots peeled, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 Tablespoon curry powder
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2½ cups cooked, shredded turkey
  • ½ cup long grain rice (uncooked)
  • ¾ cup low-fat sour cream or plain unsweetened yogurt
  • salt and black pepper, to taste
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Melt butter on Medium heat in a large soup pot. Add onion, apple, celery and carrots. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions become tender/translucent. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring often so it doesn't burn.

  2. Stir curry powder into the veggies until combined. Cook, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken broth and turkey. Stir to combine ingredients. Turn heat up to High and cook until soup is simmering (not boiling).

  3. Reduce heat to Medium. Stir in uncooked rice. Cover soup pot and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until rice is tender (taste it to check).

  4. Stir sour cream into the soup until incorporated. Take a bite- season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn heat to Low; let soup simmer (do not boil) for 7-8 minutes, or until heated through.

  5. Ladle hot soup into bowls, serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Turkey Mulligatawny Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/6 of total))
Calories 260 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Trans Fat 0.2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 62mg21%
Sodium 722mg31%
Potassium 394mg11%
Carbohydrates 24g8%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 17g34%
Vitamin A 3664IU73%
Vitamin C 5mg6%
Calcium 79mg8%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Leftover turkey? Make Turkey Mulligatawny Soup with turkey, rice, carrots, celery, onion, apple & curry powder. It's hearty and satisfying!

 


Nov
2023

Creamy Pumpkin Coconut Soup

categories: Soups
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Creamy Pumpkin Coconut Soup is a delicious, comforting meal to enjoy on a cold day! This easy to make recipe serves 4 and has great flavor.
Creamy Pumpkin Coconut Soup is a delicious, comforting meal to enjoy on a cold day! This easy to make recipe serves 4 and has great flavor.

Fall is here, and I’ve begun making more soups as our weather is transitioning from the heat of summer to cooler, crisp days! One of the soups we enjoy is creamy pumpkin coconut soup. The recipe is a compilation of other soups I make, using ingredients from several recipes. 

This creamy soup is simply seasoned with butter, onions, garlic, curry powder, chicken broth (*see note below), salt and pepper. They’re all pretty basic, but they make this soup wonderful!

NOTE: If you are vegetarian, you can substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth. It will slightly alter the taste, but will still be delicious!

The soup gets its color and creaminess from a can of coconut milk and 2 cups of pumpkin puree (homemade or canned). Both these items can be found in most grocery stores.

This recipe will yield four servings and is incredibly EASY to prepare in about 20 minutes. Here’s how to make it.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Creamy Pumpkin Coconut Soup

The first thing you will need to do is cook the onions until they are tender. Melt butter on MEDIUM heat in a large saucepan or soup pot.

Add chopped onions to the pot, and cook them for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until they become tender and translucent. 

Chopped onions are cooked in melted butter until they've softened.

Stir minced garlic and curry powder into the onions, and cook 2 more minutes, stirring often so the garlic does not burn.

NOTE: I use ¾ tsp. of curry powder when I make this, but if you really, really enjoy curry flavor, add a full teaspoon! 

Minced garlic and curry powder are stirred into the cooked onions.

Time For The Pumpkin Puree

Add 2 cups of pumpkin puree (not pie filling!) and 1 cup of chicken broth to the soup pot. Stir until combined, and cook 2 more minutes to blend and heat the ingredients.

Use an immersion blender to thoroughly blend the soup ingredients. Place it right into the soup and blend away!

NOTE: If you do not have access to an immersion blender, you can process these ingredients in a blender. You may have to do this in two batches, however! After blending, pour the soup back into the pot.

Pumpkin puree is added to the seasoned onions in the soup pot.An immersion blender is used to puree the soup ingredients.

Add Creamy Coconut Milk To The Soup

Process the soup until it is lump free and smooth in texture. Add remaining 2 cups of chicken stock, salt and pepper to the soup, and stir, to combine. Continue heating the soup on LOW heat.

Pour one can (13.5 ounces) of coconut milk into the creamy pumpkin coconut soup. TIP: Open the can of coconut milk and stir it (in the can) until smooth, before adding it to the soup.

Canned coconut milk is stirred into the creamy pumpkin coconut soup.The pumpkin soup is stirred until the coconut milk is incorporated.

Serve The Creamy Pumpkin Coconut Soup

Stir well to combine, and continue cooking the soup on LOW heat until it is fully heated through. Once it’s heated through, the creamy pumpkin coconut soup is ready to be served.

To serve, ladle the hot soup into four serving bowls. Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of curry powder and parsley, if desired (optional).

Serve this delicious, hot soup with large slices of garlic bread or crusty bread of your choice. Enjoy this flavorful soup!

The soup pot with creamy pumpkin coconut soup heating in it.Creamy pumpkin coconut soup, garnished with curry powder and parsley.

I hope you have the opportunity to make this creamy soup for yourself and those you love. It’s a delicious, comforting soup, and I really hope you enjoy it!

Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of wonderful soup recipes to check out, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

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Creamy Pumpkin Coconut Soup
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 

Creamy Pumpkin Coconut Soup is a delicious, comforting meal to enjoy on a cold day! This easy to make recipe serves 4 and has great flavor.

Category: Main Dish, Soup
Cuisine: All Cuisines
Keyword: creamy pumpkin coconut soup
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 334 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • ¾ medium yellow onion finely chopped
  • ¾ teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 2 cups pumpkin puree NOT pie filling
  • 3 cups chicken broth *DIVIDED USE
  • 13.5 ounces coconut milk (canned) stir in can before adding
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley** **optional (for garnish)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Melt butter on MEDIUM heat in a large saucepan or soup pot. Add onions; cook them 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until they become tender and translucent. 

  2. Stir garlic and curry powder into the onions. Cook 2 more minutes, stirring often.

  3. Add pumpkin puree and 1 cup chicken broth. Stir and cook 2 minutes (on MEDIUM) until blended and heated. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Process soup until it is lump free/smooth in texture. NOTE: No immersion blender? Process in a blender in batches. After blending, pour puree back into the pot.

  4. Add remaining 2 cups chicken broth, salt and pepper to soup; stir, to combine. Continue heating soup on LOW. Open coconut milk; stir it (in the can) until smooth. Pour it into the soup; stir until combined. Cook on LOW until heated through.

  5. Taste soup. Add more salt/pepper, if desired. Ladle hot soup into 4 bowls. Garnish each serving with parsley, if desired (optional). Serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Creamy Pumpkin Coconut Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
Calories 334 Calories from Fat 261
% Daily Value*
Fat 29g45%
Saturated Fat 24g150%
Trans Fat 0.2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Cholesterol 19mg6%
Sodium 1012mg44%
Potassium 588mg17%
Carbohydrates 18g6%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 19416IU388%
Vitamin C 12mg15%
Calcium 67mg7%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

Creamy Pumpkin Coconut Soup is a delicious, comforting meal to enjoy on a cold day! This easy to make recipe serves 4 and has great flavor.


Sep
2023

Creamy Butternut Squash Bisque

categories: Soups, Vegetable Dishes
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Creamy Butternut Squash Bisque is a delicious hot soup, perfect to serve for lunch OR dinner! The recipe, as written, yields 4 servings.
Creamy Butternut Squash Bisque is a delicious hot soup, perfect to serve for lunch OR dinner! The recipe, as written, yields 4 servings.

Do you like butternut squash? We sure do, and today I want to share with you a recipe for creamy butternut squash bisque I am confident you’ll like.

A bisque is a thick soup (usually made with cream), that is cooked and then pureed. This low calorie recipe uses nonfat plain yogurt as a garnish/add-in for creaminess without actually using CREAM.

As you may know, butternut squash takes a while to oven-roast until tender, BUT this recipe cooks the squash in a MICROWAVE! What a fantastic timesaver!

The tender squash is then cooked with red bell peppers, onions and garlic, chicken broth, and a few spices. This delicious soup is then pureed until smooth, then topped with creamy nonfat yogurt to serve.

It’s delicious, very low in calories, and truthfully, it’s a cinch to make enough for 4 servings. Here’s how to make creamy butternut squash bisque.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

A Word About The Butternut Squash

You will need a LARGE butternut squash for this recipe (or two small ones). NOTE: Last year I grew butternut squash in our little raised bed garden, so I used two of the smaller home grown ones when I photographed the recipe prep.

All told, you will need between 4-5 cups of cubed squash, and I’ve found that if I buy a nice, large one, it’s enough.

Cook The Butternut Squash In The Microwave

Pierce the butternut squash 2-3 times with a knife on each side. Place the butternut squash on a paper towel in the microwave.

Cook the squash on HIGH heat for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the squash from the microwave (it’s hot). Slice the squash in half, lengthwise.

Use a large spoon to remove (and discard) the seeds and the stringy pulp inside the cavity of the squash.

Place the squash halves back in the microwave and cook on HIGH heat for 5 additional minutes. Carefully remove, and set the squash aside to cool.

Butternut squash is pierced with a knife before microwaving.After microwaving, the seeds and pulp are removed from the squash.

Cook The Onions, Garlic And Red Bell Peppers

Heat a large soup pan on MEDIUM-HIGH. Add olive oil and ¼ cup of chicken broth to the pan. Bring these ingredients to a boil.

Olive oil and chicken broth are brought to a boil in large soup pan.

Add chopped onions, chopped red bell pepper and minced garlic to the broth, then stir well, to combine these ingredients.

Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. The peppers and onions should be tender and cooked through at the end of this time.

Chopped red bell peppers, onions and minced garlic cook in the pan.Onions, garlic and red bell peppers are cooked until tender in pan.

Add The Butternut Squash And Spices

The reserved butternut squash should have cooled slightly at this point. Scoop the squash out of the shells, and then cut it into small chunks.

Add the squash pieces, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, and reserved 2 cups chicken broth to the pan. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat to MEDIUM, and bring this entire mixture to a boil.

Once it begins boiling, put a lid on the pan, and reduce the heat to a LOW SIMMER. Let the bisque cook (covered) for 15 minutes. 

Butternut squash, chicken broth and spices are added to the soup pan.

Blend The Soup

After it has cooked for 15 minutes, it is time to puree it into a smooth, velvety bisque. There are three ways to do this…

You can use a blender or food processor, and blend the bisque in batches, OR you can use an immersion blender (shown below) to puree  the bisque right in the pan.

An immersion blender is used to puree the soup until smooth.

Process until the soup is smooth and the veggies have been fully blended together. If you pureed it in a food processor or blender, return the bisque to the soup pan, then repeat process with remaining veggies, etc.

The bisque will be fairly thick, and should be “lump-free”. Turn the heat to Medium, and cook until the creamy butternut squash bisque is fully heated through.

Season the bisque with salt and black pepper, to suit your taste. Now the bisque is ready to serve.

Once pureed, creamy butternut squash bisque is heated through before serving.

Serve The Creamy Butternut Squash Bisque

Ladle the creamy butternut squash bisque into 4 bowls. Place a spoonful of nonfat plain yogurt on top of each serving.

Use a knife to swirl the yogurt around decoratively on top of the soup. Serve immediately while hot, and enjoy!

Plain yogurt is swirled on top of the creamy butternut squash bisque for serving.

I hope you enjoy this delicious, creamy butternut squash bisque! We really like it, and trust you will, too!

Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More VEGETABLE SOUP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of delicious vegetable soup recipes for you to enjoy, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe adapted from: Noom, an online weight loss/behavioral app.

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Creamy Butternut Squash Bisque
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 

Creamy Butternut Squash Bisque is a delicious hot soup, perfect to serve for lunch OR dinner! The recipe, as written, yields 4 servings.

Category: Main Dish, Side Dish, Soup
Cuisine: All Cuisines
Keyword: creamy butternut squash bisque
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 166 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 large butternut squash or 2 small
  • 1½ teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2¼ cups chicken broth *DIVIDED USE
  • 2 cups chopped yellow onions
  • 1¼ cups chopped red bell pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • ¼ cup nonfat plain unsweetened yogurt
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Pierce squash 2-3 times with a knife, on each side. Place squash on a paper towel in microwave. Cook on HIGH for 5 minutes. Remove squash from microwave (it's hot). Slice squash in half, lengthwise. Use spoon to remove (and discard) seeds and pulp inside squash. Place squash back in microwave; cook on HIGH 5 more minutes. Remove; set squash aside.

  2. Heat a large soup pan on MEDIUM-HIGH. Add olive oil and ¼ cup of chicken broth. Bring to a boil.

  3. Add onions, red bell pepper and garlic to the broth; stir to combine. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

  4. Scoop squash out of the shells; cut into chunks. Add squash pieces, cumin, cayenne, and remaining 2 cups chicken broth to the pan. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to MEDIUM; bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover pan; reduce heat to a LOW SIMMER. Cook (covered) for 15 minutes. 

  5. Puree mixture until smooth. There are three ways to do this. Use a blender or food processor, and blend in batches, OR use an immersion blender to puree bisque right in the pan. Process until smooth. If you used food processor or blender, return bisque to pan. Bisque should be fairly thick, and "lump-free".

  6. Turn heat to Medium; cook until bisque is heated through. Take a bite; season to taste with salt and pepper.

  7. Divide bisque evenly between 4 bowls. Place a spoonful of plain yogurt on top of each serving. Use knife to swirl through yogurt decoratively on top of the soup. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Creamy Butternut Squash Bisque
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
Calories 166 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 0.4g3%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 3mg1%
Sodium 710mg31%
Potassium 961mg27%
Carbohydrates 35g12%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 21450IU429%
Vitamin C 106mg128%
Calcium 157mg16%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Creamy Butternut Squash Bisque is a delicious hot soup, perfect to serve for lunch OR dinner! The recipe, as written, yields 4 servings.


Apr
2023

Mexican Red Lentil Soup

categories: Meatless Meals, Soups
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Mexican Red Lentil Soup has all the flavor of a good chili recipe, but it’s a meatless soup you’ll really love, with enough for 7 helpings!
Mexican Red Lentil Soup has all the flavor of a good chili recipe, but it's a meatless soup you'll really love, with enough for 7 helpings!

Mexican Red Lentil Soup is a yummy, meatless main dish that is packed with flavor! If you enjoy chili, I’m confident you will enjoy this recipe, as well. Whether you’re a vegetarian or not, this soup is wonderful, budget friendly, and it’s worth checking out.

Red lentils (or other lentils) are an amazingly inexpensive, but high in protein superfood! Did you know that lentils have been around for thousands of years? Yes, they have!

Lentils contain large amounts of vitamins, minerals, potassium, fiber and polyphenols (think antioxidants!), and are a wonderful source of protein in “meatless” dishes.

If you’re not too familiar with lentils… what they are and to learn more about their history and nutritional value, check out the info on this amazing food source here. 

Today I want to share this yummy recipe I found online many years ago online. So… here we go!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Rinse And Drain, Rinse And Drain!

Lentils need to be rinsed several times before cooking, to clean them. Pour the red lentils into a large saucepan (one that has a lid). Cover the lentils completely with water.

Stir or swirl them around in the water, then cover the pan with the lid, and drain off the water. Be sure to hold the lid on tightly so the lentils can’t “escape” while draining!

Repeat this process 1-2 more times or until the water becomes mostly clear, to ensure the lentils are cleaned and “good to go”.

Red lentils are placed in saucepan, covered with water, then drained.After rinsing several times, the red lentils are ready to be cooked in more water.

Cook The Lentils

Add 4 cups of fresh water back into the pan with the lentils, and cover the pan. Turn the heat to HIGH, and let the water come to a boil

Once the water has begun boiling, turn off the heat, then remove the pan from the heat source. Keeping the lid on, let the lentils rest for 20 minutes, without disturbing.

The red lentils are brought to a boil, then sit covered off the heat, for 20 minutes.

Cook The Veggies While Lentils Are “Resting”

Place a large soup pot on the stovetop, and add olive oil. Begin to heat the oil on medium-low, then add diced onions and minced garlic.

Continue to cook, stirring often, until onions have become tender, then add diced celery, and stir to combine. Cook for a couple minutes until the celery starts to get soft.

Chopped onion and minced garlic are cooked in olive oil in a large pot.Celery is added to the onions and garlic in the pan.

The next ingredients to add to the pan are fire-roasted canned tomatoes, chili powder, turmeric, ground cumin and hot sauce.

NOTE: For the hot sauce I use Tabasco sauce, and use between 6-8 dashes, but if you like it HOT, add 10-15 dashes.

Stir these ingredients until they are fully combined, and then you are ready to finish this soup with lentils and broth.

Fire-roasted tomatoes, spices and hot sauce are added to the pan.The soup pot is now filled with vegetables, spices and tomatoes, all combined.

Drain The Cooked Lentils

Drain the remaining water off of the cooked red lentils, then add the lentils to the soup pan. Pour the vegetable broth into the soup pot, as well.

Give the Mexican red lentil soup a stir to incorporate all the ingredients, then let the soup simmer (uncovered) on medium-low heat for 15 minutes.

After draining off water, the cooked lentils are ready to add to the soup.The red lentils and vegetable broth are added to the soup mixture already in the pot.

Final Step Before Serving

After 15 minutes the soup will be nice and hot. Stir in chopped cilantro leaves, then squeeze in the the juice of one medium-sized lime.

Stir these ingredients into the soup, then take a little taste. Add salt or more hot sauce, if desired, to suit your taste. Now your Mexican Red Lentil Soup is ready to serve!

Chopped cilantro and the juice from a lime are added to the Mexican red lentil soup.When hot, the Mexican red lentil soup is now ready to be served and enjoyed.

Enjoy A Bowl Of Mexican Red Lentil Soup

This soup will yield about 7 servings in total. Ladle each portion (about 1½ cups per serving) into bowls, serve hot… and enjoy!

A red and yellow bowl, filled with one serving of Mexican red lentil soup.

I really hope you have the chance to make this delicious Mexican Red Lentil Soup for those you love. It’s REALLY good, and I’m sure you will enjoy it.

Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. It can be easily reheated on the stovetop or in a microwave. It freezes fairly well, also. 

Thank you for stopping by today. I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes! Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of delicious soup recipes, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

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Author's signature

Original recipe source, and with thanks to Beth Moncel, at: https://www.budgetbytes.com/2009/12/mexican-lentil-stew/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Mexican Red Lentil Soup
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 

Mexican Red Lentil Soup has all the flavor of a good chili recipe, but it's a meatless soup you'll really love, with enough for 7 helpings!

Category: Main Dish, Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Mexican red lentil soup
Servings: 7 (1½ cups per serving)
Calories Per Serving: 250 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 cups dry red lentils
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion peeled, diced
  • 4 stalks celery diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 29 ounces canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes =two 14.5 ounce cans
  • ½ Tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 6-8 dashes Tabasco sauce or other hot sauce + more if heat desired!
  • 1 medium lime (juice of)
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro stems removed
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Put lentils in a large pot (one with a lid). Cover completely with water. Stir or swirl them around in water; tightly cover pan with lid; drain water out. Repeat 1-2 more times until water is fairly clear.

  2. Add 4 cups water to pan with lentils; cover pan. Turn heat to HIGH; let water come to a boil. Once boiling, turn off heat. Keeping lid on, let lentils rest 20 minutes, undisturbed.

  3. Place large soup pot on stovetop; add olive oil. Heat oil on medium-low; add diced onions and minced garlic. Cook, stirring often, until onions are tender, then add celery; stir to combine. Cook 2-3 minutes until celery becomes tender.

  4. Add tomatoes, chili powder, turmeric, ground cumin and hot sauce into pot; stir until combined. NOTE: For hot sauce I use Tabasco sauce, and use between 6-8 dashes; if you like it HOT, add 10-15 dashes.

  5. Drain any remaining cooking water off lentils, then add lentils to soup pot. Stir in vegetable broth, until combined. Let soup simmer (uncovered) on medium-low heat for 15 minutes.

  6. Stir in chopped cilantro (discarding stems), and juice of one lime. Taste the soup. Add salt or more hot sauce, if desired.

  7. This soup will yield about 7 servings total. Ladle 1½ cups soup per serving into bowls. Serve hot... and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Mexican Red Lentil Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 serving (about 1½ cups))
Calories 250 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 0.4g3%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Sodium 753mg33%
Potassium 611mg17%
Carbohydrates 42g14%
Fiber 18g75%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 15g30%
Vitamin A 1131IU23%
Vitamin C 9mg11%
Calcium 86mg9%
Iron 5mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Mexican Red Lentil Soup has all the flavor of a good chili recipe, but it's a meatless soup you'll really love, with enough for 7 helpings!


Jan
2023

Southwestern Chicken Lime Soup

categories: Chicken, Main Dishes, Soups
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Southwestern Chicken Lime Soup is a filling and delicious soup, with shredded chicken, onions, jalapeño, lime, and avocado in seasoned broth.
Southwestern Chicken Lime Soup is a filling and delicious soup, with shredded chicken, onions, jalapeño, lime, and avocado in seasoned broth.

If you’re looking for a low calorie, yet delicious and flavor-filled meal, how about this recipe for Southwestern chicken lime soup? Packed with shredded chicken and full of TexMex flavors, this is a tasty soup I really believe you’re going to enjoy!

This recipe, as written, makes 4 servings, and is a perfect dish for any time of the year! Whether it’s cool, hot, pleasant, or downright freezing outside, this hearty soup will fill you up and satisfy your hungry stomach! Here’s how to make this flavorful soup!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Season And Pan-Sear The Chicken Breasts

This recipe calls for one pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I’ve found that using 3 medium sized chicken breasts usually works out perfectly. On average they will weigh about one pound, give or take a bit.

First, pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels, to remove excess moisture. Trim off as much of the visible fat as possible. Sprinkle the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and black pepper, to lightly season.

Heat oil in a large saucepan on Medium heat, until very hot, but not smoking. Add the chicken in a single layer, and cook until browned on both sides. You do not need to cook the chicken all the way through, because that will happen later as the soup cooks.

You only will need to make sure to get both sides of the chicken nicely browned! This will take about 2-3 minutes per side. NOTE: The chicken will not be cooked all the way through, as this will happen later, once added to the soup.  Transfer the chicken out of the pan onto a plate, cover it, and then set it aside.

Chicken breasts are patted dry, then seasoned with salt and pepper before cooking.The chicken breasts are cooked in hot oil only until both sides are nicely browned.

Sauté The Aromatics!

Using the same saucepan, cook chopped onions for 3-5 minutes, or until they become tender and translucent. Stir often as they cook. Add diced jalapeño and minced garlic to the onions. Cook, stirring often, for about 45 seconds, making sure to not burn the garlic!

Chopped onions are cooked in saucepan until translucent and tender.Minced garlic and diced jalapeños are added to onions in pan and cooked.

Okay- Let’s Make This Soup!

Place chicken broth, water, lime juice, oregano and cumin into the saucepan, and stir to combine. Now add the three chicken breasts back into the pan. Increase the heat to High, and let the broth come to a boil. If any foam accumulates on the surface of the soup, skim it off and discard.

Once the liquid begins boiling, turn the heat down to Medium-Low. Put a lid PARTIALLY on top of the pan (leave part uncovered). Cook the Southwestern chicken lime soup on Medium-Low heat for 30 minutes. The chicken will finish cooking during this step, so don’t cut corners on the time!

Chicken broth, water, lime juice and spices are added to the soup in saucepan.Lightly browned chicken breasts are added into soup to finish cooking.

Shred The Chicken!

Transfer the cooked chicken out of the pan to a cutting board, but let the soup continue to simmer on the stove. Use two forks to shred the chicken into small pieces (or use a kitchen aid stand mixer to do this, as well).

Once the chicken has been shredded, carefully place it back into the hot soup, and stir, to combine. Continue to cook for a couple minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken and soup have been heated through. Now the Southwestern chicken lime soup is ready to garnish and serve

After cooking through, chicken is removed, shredded, and then added back into soup.Southwestern chicken lime soup finishes heating through before serving.

Serve The Southwestern Chicken Lime Soup

To serve, ladle the hot soup into individual bowls. Garnish each serving with 1-2 lime wedges, diced avocado, and fresh cilantro sprigs. Serve the Southwestern chicken lime soup while hot, and enjoy this delicious, flavor-filled meal. We enjoy this soup served with warmed corn tortillas or crusty sourdough bread on the side. YUM!

A bowl full of Southwestern chicken lime soup, topped with lime wedges, avocado and cilantro.

I hope you have the opportunity to make this filling, healthy and delicious soup. Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day.

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a wonderful variety of soup recipes I’m confident you’ll enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Author's signature

Recipe adapted from the book- “Food Meets Faith”, by Isabel D. Price, page 90, published by LiveSmart Solutions, LLC in 2019

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

5 from 1 vote
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Southwestern Chicken Lime Soup
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 

Southwestern Chicken Lime Soup is a filling and delicious soup, with shredded chicken, onions, jalapeño, lime, and avocado in seasoned broth.

Category: Main Dish, Soup
Cuisine: Southwestern
Keyword: Southwestern chicken lime soup
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 274 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts approx. 3 small chicken breasts
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (or other neutral cooking oil)
  • ½ medium yellow onion peeled, chopped
  • 1 medium fresh jalapeño pepper diced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 2½ cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1½ cups water
  • 1 lime (juice of)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
For Garnish:
  • 1 avocado peeled, pitted and diced
  • 1 lime cut in 8 wedges
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Trim off as much visible fat as possible. Lightly season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.

  2. Heat oil in large saucepan on Medium heat until very hot, but not smoking. Add chicken in a single layer; cook only until well browned on both sides (about 3 minutes per side). Chicken will NOT be all the way cooked through! Remove chicken from pan; transfer to plate; cover and set aside.

  3. In same pan, cook onions, stirring often for 3-5 minutes, or until tender and translucent. Add jalapeños and garlic. Cook, stirring often, for 45 seconds, making sure not to burn the garlic!

  4. Add broth, water, lime juice, oregano and cumin to pan; stir to combine. Transfer chicken to pan. Turn heat to High; let broth come to a boil. Skim/discard discard foam that appears on top of soup. Once broth boils, turn heat down to Medium-Low. Put a lid PARTIALLY on top of pan (leave part uncovered). Cook soup for 30 minutes. Chicken will finish cooking during this time.

  5. Transfer chicken out of the pan to a cutting board, but let soup continue to simmer. Use two forks (or a Kitchen Aid) to shred chicken into small pieces. Transfer shredded chicken back into soup. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken and broth are heated through.

  6. To serve, ladle hot soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with 1-2 lime wedges, diced avocado, and fresh cilantro. Serve hot, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Southwestern Chicken Lime Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
Calories 274 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Trans Fat 0.03g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 7g
Cholesterol 73mg24%
Sodium 477mg21%
Potassium 874mg25%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 29g58%
Vitamin A 237IU5%
Vitamin C 20mg24%
Calcium 47mg5%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Southwestern Chicken Lime Soup is a filling and delicious soup, with shredded chicken, onions, jalapeño, lime, and avocado in seasoned broth.


Jul
2022

Easy Black Bean Stew

categories: Meatless Meals, Soups
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Easy Black Bean Stew is a hearty meatless dish, with black beans, pearl couscous, onions, and tomatoes in a savory Southwestern-style broth.
Easy Black Bean Stew is a hearty meatless dish, with black beans, pearl couscous, onions, and tomatoes in a savory Southwestern-style broth.

If you enjoy the flavor of chili, then I’m confident you will enjoy this easy black bean stew. The dish is incredibly simple to prepare, and is very filling, because of the black beans and pearl couscous used. Onions, diced tomatoes and spices round out the dish, and when garnished with sour cream and green onions, it’s a great meatless meal! 

My husband and I are trying to eat a couple of meatless meals each week, and this one is always a big hit! With only a few minutes prep time and a short cooking time, this meatless meal is not only quick and simple, it tastes GREAT! Here’s how to make this easy black bean stew:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

The recipe calls for pearl couscous (also known as Israeli couscous), which is typically located near the rice at most grocery stores.. It is a round-shaped pasta, similar in size to a pearl, so you can see why it’s called “pearl” couscous. Pearl couscous cooks quickly and is a wonderful addition to this dish.

Pearl couscous is used in this recipe, and is pearl-shaped pasta.

First, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium heat in a large, non-stick saucepan. Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), add chopped onion and the pearl couscous (uncooked). Stir often, and cook for 5 minutes. The onions will soften and the couscous will become lightly “toasted”.

Add chicken broth, minced garlic and ground cumin to the pan, then bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the saucepan with a lid once it begins boiling, and turn the heat down to low. Allow the broth to simmer (covered) for 5 minutes.

Chopped onion and pearl couscous are cooked in pan for about 5 minutes.Chicken broth and spices are added to the onion and couscous in pan.

Almost Finished Making The Stew

Remove the lid and add black beans (drained, rinsed), diced tomatoes (including juice), and a teaspoon of minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce. Stir the black bean stew until all the ingredients are combined. 

Put a lid on the pan and let the stew simmer (covered) on low heat for 4 minutes, or until the pearl couscous is tender. The stew will be fairly thick when done. If you want it to be more “soup-like”, add a bit more broth or hot water, and stir it in. I usually tend to add a bit more broth to ours at the very end. See how easy it is to make black bean stew? Now you’re ready to serve it! 

Chipotle pepper, black beans and diced tomatoes are added to the easy black bean stew.Easy black bean stew cooks and broth is added to thin it out, if desired.

Serve The Easy Black Bean Stew

When the stew is fully heated and the couscous is tender, it is ready to serve! Ladle the black bean stew into serving bowls. If desired, garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream and some chopped green onions (scallions). The garnishes are optional, but provide great added color and flavor to the dish, and I heartily recommend it!

You could also add avocado chunks or chopped cilantro, if desired, to “make it your own”. This soup really does taste great, for something so simple to make! I am confident you’re going to enjoy this meal. A big slice of crusty bread on the side goes well with the stew. It tastes great dipping it into the seasoned broth. YUM!

The easy black bean stew is garnished with chopped green onions and sour cream to serve.A white bowl full of easy black bean stew is ready to be eaten and enjoyed.

I sure hope you enjoy this delicious black bean stew, if you have the opportunity to try it. Thank you so much for stopping by today, and I invite you to come back soon for more delicious recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a great day.

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of fantastic soup recipes for you to check out, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe adapted from the cookbook: “Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2004, page 273, published in 2003 by Oxmoor House

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Easy Black Bean Stew
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

Easy Black Bean Stew is a hearty meatless dish, with black beans, pearl couscous, onions, and tomatoes in a savory Southwestern-style broth.

Category: Main Dish, Meatless, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: black bean stew
Servings: 4 small bowls
Calories Per Serving: 211 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • ½ cup chopped yellow onion
  • ⅓ cup uncooked Israeli (pearl) couscous
  • 1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 can black beans (14.25 oz.) rinsed, drained
  • 1 can diced tomatoes (14.25oz.) including juice
  • 1 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
For Garnish: (optional, but recommended!)
  • 1 Tablespoon sliced green onions
  • 4 teaspoons low-fat sour cream
Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large, non-stick saucepan. Once oil is hot (but not smoking), add chopped yellow onion and uncooked couscous.. Stir often, and cook for 5 minutes.

  2. Add chicken broth, garlic and cumin to the pan. Bring liquid to a boil. Cover pan with a lid once boiling and turn heat to low. Let stew simmer (covered) for 5 minutes.

  3. Remove lid; add black beans, tomatoes (including juice), and minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce. Stir until all ingredients are combined. Cover pan; simmer (covered) on low heat for 4 minutes, or until couscous is tender. NOTE: Stew will be fairly thick. If you want it more "soup-like", add more broth or hot water, and stir it in.

  4. Ladle stew into serving bowls. If desired, garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream and chopped green onions. Garnishes are optional, but provide added color and flavor, Serve hot, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Caloric calculation includes sour cream and green onion garnish in total.

Nutrition Facts
Easy Black Bean Stew
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
Calories 211 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 1mg0%
Sodium 581mg25%
Potassium 648mg19%
Carbohydrates 36g12%
Fiber 9g38%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 215IU4%
Vitamin C 14mg17%
Calcium 87mg9%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Easy Black Bean Stew is a hearty meatless dish, with black beans, pearl couscous, onions, and tomatoes in a savory Southwestern-style broth.


Jun
2022

Turkey Tortilla Soup

categories: Soups, Turkey
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Have leftover roast turkey? Make a pot of yummy Turkey Tortilla Soup, garnished with cheese, tomato, cilantro and baked tortilla strips!
Have leftover roast turkey? Make a pot of yummy Turkey Tortilla Soup, garnished with cheese, tomato, cilantro and baked tortilla strips!

If you enjoy the flavor of Southwestern-style soups or chilis, then I believe you will really love this turkey tortilla soup! The soup can be made quite simply, and features cooked turkey, so it’s a perfect soup to use any leftover cooked turkey you might have!

Typically once Thanksgiving is over, or any time we cook a whole turkey or turkey breast, we have leftover turkey. I usually make turkey noodle soup with leftover turkey, but this tortilla soup is now (also) an option. You only need 2 cups of cooked turkey to make this soup, and it is so yummy!

Corn tortillas are used  in two ways for this soup. They are used uncooked IN the soup and used (baked ’til crispy) ON TOP of the soup, adding flavor and texture.

The turkey tortilla soup is garnished with crispy tortilla strips, and then can be topped with cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, avocado and cilantro, if desired! YUM! Turkey tortilla soup not only LOOKS great… it tastes great, too. Here’s how to make it:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prep The Corn Tortillas

Preheat your oven to 450°F. Place the corn tortillas in two piles of 5 each, stacking 5 tortillas on top of each other. Slice the tortillas into ½” wide strips. Reserve and set aside one stack of strips from 5 tortillas until later.

The reserved stack of tortilla strips will go (uncooked) into the soup, and the remaining strips will be baked until crispy to garnish the finished soup.

Take the remaining stack of strips (from 5 tortillas) and place them on a large baking sheet, in a single layer. Lightly coat the strips with non-stick cooking spray, then turn them over and spray the other side.

Bake the tortilla strips at 450°F for 9-10 minutes, turning them over once, halfway through the cooking time. Once crispy and browned, remove them from the oven, let cool, then place in an airtight container, plastic wrap or bag until you’re ready to serve the soup.

Corn tortillas are sliced into 1/2" strips for the soup.Half of the tortilla strips are sprayed with oil, then baked until crispy, for garnishing soup.

Let’s Make Some Turkey Tortilla Soup!

Now you’re ready to make some delicious turkey tortilla soup! TIP: If you start the soup while the tortilla strips are baking, you will save time! Heat olive oil on MEDIUM in a large soup pot or Dutch oven.

Once oil is hot, add chopped onion, minced garlic and jalapeño. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring often (so garlic doesn’t burn), until onions are softened and slightly browned.

Pour in the chicken broth, then add the reserved (unbaked) tortilla strips to the soup pot. Stir to combine, and cook on MEDIUM heat for 3-5 minutes. This cooking time will soften the tortilla strips which helps to slightly thicken the broth.

Chopped onion, jalapeno and minced garlic are lightly browned in olive oil in soup pot.Unbaked corn tortilla strips are added to chicken broth and sauteed onion mixture in soup pan.

The next step is to add canned (mild-flavored) enchilada sauce, chopped turkey and ground cumin to the soup.

Stir these ingredients in, then cook the turkey tortilla soup for 7-8 more minutes on Medium heat. Do NOT let the soup boil. The soup is done when the turkey and the soup is fully heated through.

NOTE: If you feel the soup is too spicy (depending on the brand of enchilada sauce you used), simply add a little more water or chicken broth to even it out a bit.

Chopped turkey, enchilada sauce and ground cumin are added to the turkey tortilla soup.A ladle full of the turkey tortilla soup, ready to be served.

Serving Turkey Tortilla Soup

To serve the turkey tortilla soup, ladle the hot soup into serving bowls. Place several baked tortilla strips on top of each serving of soup. At this point, the soup is ready to serve, unless you want to add optional toppings (which I recommend!).

OPTIONAL, BUT GOOD: If desired, garnish each serving with shredded cheddar cheese, chopped tomatoes, and cilantro leaves. A dollop of sour cream or avocado chunks can also add to the presentation and taste of this dish, too.

These extra toppings are completely OPTIONAL, but they really do add additional flavor and color to the soup.  Serve immediately, and enjoy this delicious soup!

Bowl of turkey tortilla soup is garnished with tomatoes, cheese, baked tortilla strips and cilantro.Shredded cheese, tomatoes, cilantro and baked tortilla strips top the soup.

I truly hope you enjoy this tasty soup… we LOVE it, and trust you will, too! This soup is such a wonderful way to use up turkey leftovers!

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you will come back again for more delicious recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have many delicious soup recipes for you to enjoy, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
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Original recipe source: “Southern Living Best-Loved Christmas Classics”, page 242, published 2013 by Time Home Entertainment, Inc./ Oxmoor House

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Turkey Tortilla Soup
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 

Have leftover roast turkey? Make a pot of yummy Turkey Tortilla Soup, garnished with cheese, tomato, cilantro and baked tortilla strips!

Category: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Southwestern
Keyword: turkey tortilla soup
Servings: 8 cups
Calories Per Serving: 105 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 10 6" corn tortillas cut in ½" strips, divided use
  • vegetable cooking spray as needed
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion chopped
  • 1 small jalapeño pepper , seeded and minced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 32 ounces chicken broth
  • 2 cups chopped cooked turkey breast meat used in caloric calculation
  • 10 ounce can MILD enchilada sauce
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
Additional Garnishes (optional): shredded cheddar cheese, cilantro, chopped tomatoes, avocado, sour cream
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 450°F.

    2. Place tortillas in two piles of 5 each, stacking 5 tortillas on top of each other. Slice tortillas into ½" wide strips. Reserve/set aside one stack of strips from 5 tortillas until later. Take remaining strips (from 5 tortillas) and place them on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Spray strips with cooking spray; turn and spray other side. Bake strips at 450°F for 9-10 minutes, turning them over once halfway through cooking time. Once crispy/browned, remove them from oven, let cool, then place in airtight container, plastic wrap or bag until ready to serve soup. TIP: If you start soup while tortilla strips are baking, you'll save time!

    3. Heat olive oil on MEDIUM heat in large soup pot or Dutch oven. Once oil is hot, add onion, garlic and jalapeño. Cook 5-6 minutes, stirring often (so garlic doesn't burn) until onions are softened/slightly brown.

    4. Add chicken broth and reserved (unbaked) tortilla strips to soup pot. Stir to combine; turn heat down to MEDIUM; cook 3-5 minutes. This will soften the tortilla strips which help to slightly thicken broth.

    5. Add turkey, enchilada sauce, and cumin to soup. Stir well, then cook 7-8 minutes on MEDIUM heat until soup is fully heated through. Do NOT let soup boil.

    6. To serve, ladle soup into serving bowls. Place several baked tortilla strips on top. OPTIONAL: If desired, also garnish with cheese, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado or sour cream. Serve immediately, and enjoy this delicious soup!

    Recipe Notes

    NOTE: Caloric calculation made using a serving size of 1 cup, and using turkey breast meat. It does NOT include optional garnishes of cheese, avocado, cilantro, tomato or sour cream, but DOES include baked tortilla strips.

    Nutrition Facts
    Turkey Tortilla Soup
    Amount Per Serving (1 cup (8 oz.))
    Calories 105 Calories from Fat 27
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 3g5%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 2g
    Cholesterol 34mg11%
    Sodium 851mg37%
    Potassium 190mg5%
    Carbohydrates 5g2%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 3g3%
    Protein 14g28%
    Vitamin A 273IU5%
    Vitamin C 4mg5%
    Calcium 20mg2%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Have leftover roast turkey? Make a pot of yummy Turkey Tortilla Soup, garnished with cheese, tomato, cilantro and baked tortilla strips!


    Feb
    2022

    Tasty Turkey Chili

    categories: Main Dishes, Soups, Turkey
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    Make a pot of tasty turkey chili with fresh veggies, spices, pinto beans and black beans. Chili is easy to make, filling, and tastes great!
    Make a pot of tasty turkey chili with fresh veggies, spices, pinto beans and black beans. Chili is easy to make, filling, and tastes great!

    I don’t know about where you live, but it has been cold here the past few weeks in Oregon. It’s been so cold each morning while walking our dog that I leave our house bundled up, from head to toe. My husband and I have been craving hot, comfort food meals lately due to the cold of Winter. We’ve enjoyed eating LOTS of tasty turkey chili in the past month or two!

    This is a simple soup to make, and the end result is a delicious, wonderfully spiced turkey chili I think you will enjoy. Ground turkey and black and pinto beans provide protein and fiber, so it is a filling soup. Lots of fresh veggies such as tomatoes, celery, onions, and bell peppers contribute to the texture and taste of this chili, as well.

    I came up with this this soup recipe after looking at lots of different recipes (including my Mom’s- a family favorite), added some new ingredients or spices here and there, and ended up with this tasty turkey chili! It’s delicious! Here’s how to make it:

    Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

    Prepare The Spice Mix

    Place the chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Stir to fully combine these spices, then set aside. This will be the spice mix you will use to season the chili.

    Chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper and oregano are used to make spice mix for chili.

    Cook The Turkey

    Spray a large saucepan generously with non-stick spray.  Add one pound of ground turkey. Stir and cook on high heat until the meat has turned light brown in color and is cooked through. This usually takes about 5 minutes. Drain and discard any grease, then transfer the turkey to a bowl or plate, and cover.

    Ground turkey is cooked until lightly browned and cooked through, in large saucepan.

    Okay- Let’s Make Some Tasty Turkey Chili

    Add a teaspoon of butter to the saucepan, and allow to melt over low heat. Stir in chopped onion, celery and red bell pepper. Cook  on LOW heat for 4 -5 minutes, stirring the veggies often until the onions are translucent. Add minced garlic to the pan and cook for an additional 30 seconds, stirring so the garlic doesn’t burn. Note: You can substitute green bell peppers for the red OR use a combination of red and green.

    Chopped onion, red bell peppers and celery are cooked until softened in saucepan.Minced garlic is added to the cooked vegetables during the last minute of cooking.

    Pour the spice mixture into the pan of cooked veggies. Stir to cover the veggies with the spices. Add fresh chopped tomatoes (or canned, if using), chicken broth, and 3 cups of water to the pan. Stir well, to combine ingredients. Bring this mixture to a boil, then let it simmer (uncovered) for about 20 minutes.

    NOTE: If you don’t have access to enough fresh tomatoes (2½ cups chopped), you can substitute a 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes (+ juice), and it will taste great in this chili, too! I do this often, as well.

    Homemade seasoning mix is added to the sautéed veggies in the saucepan.Chopped fresh tomatoes are added to the saucepan with cooked veggies and spices.

    Final Steps Before Serving

    Now it’s time to finish cooking this tasty turkey chili! Add the cooked turkey back into the pan, followed by the drained black beans and pinto beans. Stir well, to combine all ingredients. Take a taste, and add additional salt at this point, if desired.

    Cook the tasty turkey chili for about 10 more minutes on MEDIUM heat to ensure it is fully heated through.

    Cooked ground turkey is added to the chili.

    Pinto and black beans are added, to finish the tasty turkey chili.

    Time For A Bowl Of Tasty Turkey Chili!

    Once the tasty turkey chili is hot, it’s time to serve it up and ENJOY! It tastes delicious as is, but feel free to top it with grated cheese or a dollop of sour cream if you want! Yum!

    A soup mug holds a serving of the hot and tasty turkey chili, ready to eat.

    I really hope you enjoy this tasty turkey chili. We love the leftovers for quick lunches, too! For us, it is a nice change from beef chili, and is a bit more healthy, thanks to the use of turkey. Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you’ll come back again soon for more delicious, family-friendly recipes. Have a GREAT day!

    Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

    You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a broad variety of soup recipes for you to enjoy, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

    Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
    There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

    You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

    Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Pinterest:     The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Instagram:     jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

    Author's signature

    ↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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    Tasty Turkey Chili
    Prep Time
    10 mins
    Cook Time
    35 mins
    Total Time
    45 mins
     

    Make a pot of tasty turkey chili with fresh veggies, spices, pinto beans and black beans. Chili is easy to make, filling, and tastes great!

    Category: Main Dish, Soup
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Keyword: tasty turkey chili
    Servings: 6
    Calories Per Serving: 264 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    For Spice Mix:
    • 2 teaspoons chili powder
    • 1¼ teaspoons ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    For Rest Of Chili:
    • 1 pound ground turkey
    • salt/pepper for seasoning turkey, to taste
    • 1 teaspoon butter
    • 1 cup chopped yellow onion
    • 1 cup chopped red bell pepper or combo of red/green
    • ½ cup chopped celery
    • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
    • 2½ cups fresh chopped tomatoes or 28 oz. can diced +juice
    • ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
    • 3 cups water
    • 15..25 ounce can black beans , rinsed/drained
    • 15.5 ounce can pinto beans rinsed/drained
    • additional salt if needed, to taste
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Place chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Stir to combine, then set aside.

    2. Spray large saucepan with non-stick spray.  Add ground turkey; stir/cook on high heat until it turns light brown in color and is cooked through (about 5 min.). Drain and discard any grease, then transfer turkey to a bowl or plate, and cover.

    3. Add butter to saucepan; melt over low heat. Stir in chopped onion, celery and red pepper. Cook  on LOW heat 4 -5 minutes, stirring often until onions are translucent. Add garlic; cook for 30 seconds, stirring so garlic doesn't burn.

    4. Add spices; stir to combine. Now add fresh tomatoes (or canned, if using), chicken broth, and 3 cups of water to pan. Stir well, to combine ingredients. Bring to a boil, then let simmer (uncovered) for about 20 minutes.

    5. Add cooked turkey back into pan, followed by black beans and pinto beans. Stir well, to combine. Taste; add additional salt, if desired. Cook chili about 10 more minutes on MEDIUM heat to ensure it's fully heated through. Serve, and enjoy!

    Recipe Notes

    NOTE: Approximately 1½ cups per serving. Salt was not calculated in the sodium percentage as amounts people use may vary greatly.

    Nutrition Facts
    Tasty Turkey Chili
    Amount Per Serving (1 (1/6 of total))
    Calories 264 Calories from Fat 27
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 3g5%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 1g
    Cholesterol 43mg14%
    Sodium 551mg24%
    Potassium 1048mg30%
    Carbohydrates 33g11%
    Fiber 11g46%
    Sugar 6g7%
    Protein 28g56%
    Vitamin A 2067IU41%
    Vitamin C 51mg62%
    Calcium 101mg10%
    Iron 4mg22%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make a pot of tasty turkey chili with fresh veggies, spices, pinto beans and black beans. Chili is easy to make, filling, and tastes great!


    Oct
    2021

    Cauliflower Bacon Chowder

    categories: Soups
    29 Shares
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    Cauliflower Bacon Chowder is a thick, hearty soup with shredded cauliflower, turkey bacon, cheese, onions and celery. It’s really delicious!
    Cauliflower Bacon Chowder is a thick, hearty soup with shredded cauliflower, turkey bacon, cheese, onions and celery. It's really delicious!

    As I write this blog post, it is RAINING outside! Really raining! Since we have had such an incredibly DRY summer here in Oregon, this little taste of Fall has me excited. Well, I’m about as “excited” as I’m every going to get about RAIN (sigh), but we desperately need it this year.

    I don’t know about you, but when Fall arrives in the Pacific Northwest, and the rains come, the leaves change colors, AND the temperatures drop, I want SOUP!. Do you feel that way, too? It must be a thing… cooler weather and a big bowl of hot soup, right?

    Today I want to share a recipe I originally found online. I’ve made a few slight changes to the ingredients and the process used to make it, but the end result is a delicious, hearty cauliflower bacon chowder. I used turkey bacon for this batch (as seen in the pics), but it is easily made with regular bacon, too. Whatever type of bacon you have on hand will work fine, and add great flavor to this chowder. Here’s how to make it:

    Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

    A Little Bit Of Prep Work Before Cooking!

    It’s always a good idea to get everything you need for the recipe in place before beginning to cook the chowder. For this chowder, you will need to make a thickening agent. You can do this by whisking together 1 cup of chicken broth with 3 Tablespoons of all purpose flour. Whisk until it becomes smooth, then set it aside for later.

    Flour is whisked into chicken broth to make a thickening agent for the chowder.

    Grated cauliflower is needed for the chowder. If you are not buying it pre-grated in bags, then you will need to grate it yourself. It’s easy! Pull off the leaves around the bottom of the cauliflower.

    Holding onto the stalk, simply grate the cauliflower using the large holes on a hand held grater or box grater. This recipe calls for 4 cups of grated cauliflower, which is roughly the equivalent of a medium head, once grated.

    Fresh cauliflower is shredded using a box grater before making the chowder.Shredded cauliflower is ready to add to the soup pot.

    Time To Begin Cooking The Cauliflower Bacon Chowder

    Place a large soup pot on the stovetop. Use a knife or kitchen scissors to cut the bacon (turkey bacon OR regular) into small pieces. Use whatever type of bacon you prefer. Cook the bacon on medium heat until fully cooked and crisp. Remove the crisp bacon from the pan and place it on several layers of paper towels, to drain off the grease. Do NOT clean out the soup pot!

    Leave 1 Tablespoon of the bacon drippings in the soup pot (discard the rest). Put the chopped onion and celery into the pot, and cook these in the bacon drippings until they become tender. This will take about 3-4 minutes. Now add the minced garlic to the pot, and continue to cook for another minute, stirring often, so the garlic won’t burn.

    Small pieces of turkey bacon are cooked in soup pot until crispy.Chopped onions and celery are cooked in reserved bacon grease until tender.

    Add The Cauliflower And Liquid

    Dump all the grated cauliflower into the soup pot, along with 3 Tablespoons of water. Give it a good stir, to combine the veggies, then put a lid on the pot. Let the cauliflower “steam” (covered) for about 5-6 minutes, stirring 2-3 times during the steaming process. This helps to tenderize the cauliflower.

    Once the cauliflower has become tender, add the remaining cup of chicken broth and the milk to the pot. Stir to combine everything, and turn the heat up. 

    Water and grated cauliflower are added to the soup pot and steamed until tender.Chicken broth and milk are added to the cauliflower bacon chowder in the pot.

    Final Steps

    Whisk in the reserved cup of chicken broth and flour mixture (set aside previously). Continue cooking the chowder until it comes to a boil, whisking often. Once it begins to boil, turn the heat down to Low, and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until the cauliflower bacon chowder thickens.

    Once the cauliflower bacon chowder has thickened, remove the pot from the heat. Add the grated cheddar cheese, a few dashes of hot sauce and the cooked bacon. Stir until they have been fully incorporated, and the cheese has melted. Take a quick bite, and then season with some salt and black pepper, to suit your personal taste. The hot, seasoned chowder is now ready to serve.

    Chowder is cooked until it thickens, after adding broth/flour mixture.Bacon pieces and shredded cheese are added to the hot chowder.

    Ready For A Hot Bowl Of Cauliflower Bacon Chowder?

    Ladle the soup into serving bowls. If desired, you can “garnish” each serving with more crispy bacon crumbles, amore grated cheese and some sliced green onions. This is not necessary, but it is a nice presentation. It looks good, and we eat with our eyes first, right?

    The cauliflower bacon chowder is hot, thick and delicious. It also has little tiny pieces of cauliflower in every bite! YUM! I really think you will enjoy this simple vegetable chowder any time of year, but especially when there is cool or cold weather outside! A bowl of this soup will fill you up and warm you up! I hope you enjoy it!

    Bowl of cauliflower bacon chowder is served, topped with green onions, cheese and bacon.A spoonful of cauliflower bacon chowder, ready to be eaten and enjoyed.

    Thank you for taking the time to visit this blog today. I appreciate it, and hope you will come back soon, for more family-friendly recipes. My hope is that you will make this yummy chowder for those you love, when you have the chance. Take care, and have a wonderful day.

    Looking for More CAULIFLOWER RECIPES?

    You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of cauliflower recipes you might enjoy, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

    Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
    There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

    You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

    Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Pinterest:     The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Instagram:     jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

    Author's signature

    Recipe adapted from: pinchofnutmeg.com/bacon-cauliflower-chowder/ (Don’t believe this blog is still active)

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    Cauliflower Bacon Chowder
    Prep Time
    15 mins
    Cook Time
    20 mins
    Total Time
    35 mins
     

    Cauliflower Bacon Chowder is a thick, hearty soup with shredded cauliflower, turkey bacon, cheese, onions and celery. It's really delicious!

    Category: Entree, Main Dish, Soup
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: cauliflower bacon chowder
    Servings: 5
    Calories Per Serving: 351 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 6 slices turkey bacon, chopped can substitute regular bacon, if desired
    • ½ medium yellow onion chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 large celery stalk chopped
    • 4 cups grated cauliflower about 1 medium head
    • 3 Tablespoons water
    • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth *divided use*
    • 2 cups milk 2% is best for this soup
    • 3 Tablespoons all purpose flour
    • 4 dashes Tabasco sauce or other hot pepper sauce
    • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese can substitute mild cheddar
    • salt and pepper (season to taste)
    OPTIONAL GARNISHES: chopped green onions, more bacon crumbles, and more shredded cheddar cheese
      US Customary - Metric
      Instructions

      1. PREP: Whisk together 1 cup of chicken broth and 3 Tablespoons flour. Whisk until smooth; set aside for later.

        PREP: Remove leaves around bottom of cauliflower. Holding onto the stalk, grate cauliflower using large holes on a hand or box grater.

      2. Use a knife or kitchen scissors to cut bacon into small pieces. In large soup pot, cook bacon on medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pot; place on layers of paper towels, to drain off grease. Leave 1 Tablespoon of bacon grease in soup pot. Add chopped onion and celery; cook in bacon grease until they become tender (3-4 minutes). Now add the minced garlic. Continue to cook for 1 minute, stirring often, so garlic doesn't burn.

      3. Put grated cauliflower into soup pot, along with 3 Tablespoons of water. Stir, to combine veggies, then put a lid on the pot. Let cauliflower "steam" (covered) for 5-6 minutes, stirring 2-3 times during steaming process. Once cauliflower is tender, add milk, plus remaining cup of chicken broth, and stir. Turn the heat up. 

      4. Whisk in reserved cup of chicken broth and flour mixture. Continue cooking chowder until it comes to a boil, whisking often. Once it begins boiling, turn heat down to LOW; let it simmer 3-4 minutes, or until mixture thickens. Remove pot from heat. Add grated cheddar cheese, hot sauce, and bacon. Stir until cheese has melted. Take a bite; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve and enjoy!

      5. GARNISH: If desired, top each serving with additional bacon crumbles, sliced green onions, and grated cheese. (OPTIONAL, but a nice presentation.)

      Recipe Notes

      Caloric calculation made using turkey bacon and 2% milk.

      Nutrition Facts
      Cauliflower Bacon Chowder
      Amount Per Serving (1 (1/5 of total))
      Calories 351 Calories from Fat 198
      % Daily Value*
      Fat 22g34%
      Saturated Fat 12g75%
      Trans Fat 1g
      Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
      Monounsaturated Fat 7g
      Cholesterol 71mg24%
      Sodium 765mg33%
      Potassium 591mg17%
      Carbohydrates 16g5%
      Fiber 2g8%
      Sugar 7g8%
      Protein 23g46%
      Vitamin A 553IU11%
      Vitamin C 40mg48%
      Calcium 468mg47%
      Iron 1mg6%
      * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

      Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Cauliflower Bacon Chowder is a thick, hearty soup with shredded cauliflower, turkey bacon, cheese, onions and celery. It's really delicious!