Soups & Stews Archives - Little Spice Jar

Roasted Garlic Potato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

Marzia — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 10:30:00 +0000

A creamy and luxurious Roasted Garlic Potato Soup. When you roast garlic it becomes sweet, not harsh at all! We’re adding it to a smooth and silky potato soup and the flavor is just out of this world!

I am so in love with this soup.

This velvety smooth roasted garlic potato soup has got me falling head over heels with every bite I take. Warm and creamy bites of potato soup with hints of roasted garlic, sauteed leeks, and onions, topped with gruyere grilled cheese croutons. It’s so smooth that it feels like you’re sippin’ on silk! It’s the ultimate comfort food!

It’s no secret that soups are some of my all-time favorite food to make. I have an overabundance of soup recipes here on LSJ. But honestly… can you ever have enough soup recipes?

And if you look at my soups and stews you’ll find one thing in common – almost all of them have one thing in common. They don’t always contain potatoes. *gasp*

I have a strong suspicion that I consumed a lifetime’s worth of potatoes before I turned 5. Because all of a sudden, potatoes became my least favorite food. In my thirties, I’ve learned to love them again so don’t worry cheesy potato recipes like my cheddar mashed potatoes with definitely be coming around more often!

Moving along… One of the key components in this recipe is the roasted garlic. It’s the absolute best part about this roasted garlic potato soup, other than the parmesan, and all the aromatics we use. I love how just a simple 40 minutes in the oven really brings out all the sweeter notes in garlic. It’s not pungent or offensive, but rather mild, sweet, and a more well-rounded flavor. Each sip of this silky-smooth potato soup is like a little dance across your tongue.

It honestly tastes divine! But don’t worry, if you too have an aversion to potatoes, I make a mean roasted cauliflower soup with truffle oil that you can try instead!

Ingredients for roasted garlic potato soup:

Garlic: Start by slicing the top of a whole head of garlic and exposing the cloves of garlic. We’ll season, wrap this in foil, and roast it for this roasted garlic soup recipe.
Potatoes: I prefer to use russet potatoes for my leek and potato soup recipe. You can use other types of potatoes, such as Yukon gold potatoes, but the starchiness of russet potatoes really helps make this recipe extra smooth. We’ll boil the potatoes until fork tender before adding them to the soup.
Butter and Olive Oil: We’ll saute the aromatics in the butter and use the olive oil to drizzle on the garlic before we roast it in the oven.
Onions and Leeks: These are the aromatics that add tons of flavor to the soup. We’ll saute them in butter to really bring out all that natural flavor as they slightly brown.
Flour: Helps thicken the soup. In the past, I’ve used a bit more flour than you find in the recipe now. I find a slightly thinner soup is more my preference!
Chicken Broth: I typically use homemade chicken broth or chicken stock but vegetable broth would also work for this recipe.
Milk and Heavy Cream: milk and heavy cream add creaminess and a smoother taste and texture to the bowls of warm soup. We’ll add these ingredients at the end and then let them simmer and warm through before we use the immersion blender to blend the soup.
Thyme and Chives: the thyme adds flavor to the soup and the chives are a nice garnish to this roasted garlic potato soup recipe!
Parmesan cheese: adds nuttiness that plays up beautifully with roasted garlic and all the other ingredients in this comforting soup.
Gruyere and bread: These ingredients are entirely optional and really only necessary if you want to make the gruyere grilled cheese croutons to serve on top of your soup recipe. You could even use sharp cheddar cheese or other types if you like something else in your grilled cheese sandwiches.
Seasonings: You’ll need both kosher salt and black pepper for the seasonings.

How to make roasted garlic potato soup:

Roast the garlic. Preheat the oven. Slice off the top of the garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Wrap garlic head in foil, place on a baking tray, and roast until garlic is tender. Let the garlic head cool to room temperature before attempting to squeeze it out.
Bring to a boil. While the garlic is roasting, bring a large saucepan of water to boiling. Add the whole potatoes and boil them until they’re tender. Allow them to cool, peel, and then dice them to add to the soup later. You can also make the potatoes a day in advance, and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge before peeling them. It’s a great way to speed up total time on the day you make this!
Saute the aromatics. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and leeks and saute until the onions and leeks soften and turn translucent.
Make the soup. Lower to medium heat, add the flour, and cook until the flour is lightly golden. Add the broth, milk, cream, thyme, salt and pepper. Let the soup reach a boil then simmer until it starts to thicken. Add the potatoes, and squeeze in the roasted garlic, add the parmesan cheese.
Blend the soup. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. You can also do this in a traditional blender by transferring and blending in batches. If the soup is thick for your liking, add more chicken broth according to preference, you might need up to 1 cup. Stir the soup, give it one last taste, and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
Serving. Transfer the soup into bowls from the dutch oven. Top with parmesan cheese, chives, crackers, or with Gruyère grilled cheese croutons (recipe in notes.)

If you like this soup, you might also like:

Original recipe posted Feb 2015, updated Oct 2023.

Yield: 5-6 servings

Roasted Garlic Potato Soup

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

1 head of garlic, whole
1 teaspoon olive oil
1¾ pounds russet potatoes, peeled
4 tablespoons salted butter
1 cup white onions, chopped
1 leek, cleaned/thinly sliced (whites and light greens)
3 tablespoons flour
4-5 cups low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable)
1 cup whole milk (or 2%)
¼ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon fresh thyme (¼ if dry)
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt + pepper to taste
Chopped chives or grilled cheese croutons for topping (see notes)

Instructions

ROAST: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375ºF. Slice off the top of the garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Wrap garlic head in foil, place on a baking sheet, and roast for 40-45 minutes or until garlic is tender. Let cool before squeezing.
BOIL: While the garlic is roasting, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the peeled potatoes and boil until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, and cube.
SAUTE: Melt the butter in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and leeks and saute for 6-8 minutes or until the onions and leeks soften and turn translucent.
MAKE SOUP: lower the heat to medium, add the flour, and cook for 60-90 seconds or until the flour is lightly golden. Add the 4 cups broth, milk, cream, thyme, a 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper. Let the soup reach a boil then allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes until it starts to thicken. Add the potatoes, squeeze in the roasted garlic, and parmesan cheese.
BLEND: Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. You can also do this in a traditional blender by transferring and blending in batches. If the soup is thick for your liking, add more chicken broth according to preference; you might need up to 1 cup. Taste and adjust with seasonings as desired.
SERVE: serve in bowls topped with parmesan cheese, chives, crackers, or with Gruyère grilled cheese croutons (recipe in notes.)

Notes

Grilled Cheese Croutons: Grab 4 slices of white country bread and spread with a couple tablespoons of unsalted butter on both sides. Add grated Gruyère cheese (about ¼ cup to each) to two of the slices. Top with the cheese-less slices and cook the grilled cheese sandwiches in a warm skillet or panini press until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, let rest for several seconds and cut into 1-inch croutons. Top soup and enjoy!
Roasted Garlic Vs. Leeks: If you want this to have a very prominent roasted garlic flavor, I suggest maybe even doubling up on the roasted garlic and using less of the leeks or omitting them entirely. 1 head of garlic with the leeks does give this a balanced flavor where the garlic or leeks work harmoniously. If you want it to be extra garlicky, use more garlic!

Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Mercimek Corbasi)

Marzia — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 10:30:00 +0000

This Turkish lentil soup is made with red lentils and only five other ingredients! Add the lentils, a bouillon cube with onions, and salt, and let it bubble away. We’ll finish it with a quick roux that will make this buttery, delicious, and perfect for serving as a meal or an appetizer! Did I mention it’s VERY easy to make?

I can’t tell you the number of times I ordered Mercimek Çorbası while we were in Turkey last year.

If it was on the menu, it was going to be ordered. And who could resist a warm and cozy bowl of soup that made you feel comforted away from home? Most places served it with lemon wedges to squeeze on top. I loved it with a slice of white bread to dip in there. And I know what you’re thinking: how can five ingredients make a soup that tastes that good?

To tell you the truth, I’m still in shock. To the point where I’ve tested this recipe a ridiculous number of times to make sure it wasn’t just a fluke. And after this last time, I’ll tell you this; it wasn’t. This dish is truly one of the creamiest, most luxurious soups.

I know I said that last time when I made my Turkish lentil soup with potatoes, carrots, and tomato paste. But I like this one even better. That one did have a big boost of nutrition from the veggies, which I love. But this one had that perfectly creamy texture that’s simply unbelievable. And it’s still surprisingly low in calories. When you make Mercimek Corbasi for friends or family, they will be convinced there’s some animal fat mixed into the soup – because the creaminess feels like it couldn’t simply be a butter and flour-based roux! But to everyone’s surprise, it is, and all we do is hand blend in at the end to create a silky smooth puree. I’ll also add that it can be vegan-friendly with a few swaps.

Ingredients for Mercimek Corbasi

A note about this recipe: since the ingredient list is so tiny and we’re hoping to achieve a prominent flavor, I suggest using good-quality ingredients. This mainly applies to two components – the bouillon and the butter. The bouillon and onion provide most of the flavor in this soup. The butter makes the roux that will thicken the lentil soup and give it that signature creaminess. So trust me when I say these are the key components.

Red Lentils: You’ll need red lentils as the first ingredient. If you buy this from a South Asian grocery store, it’s also labeled as Masoor Daal. You’ll want to rinse the lentils under cold running water before you add them to the pot. If you can’t find red lentils near you, they’re also available online here.
Bouillon Cube: So we’ve talked about how important it is to use a good quality bouillon cube. I typically don’t recommend specific brands unless I’m passionate about them. I prefer to use the Knorr brand of cubes for this recipe. I use the ones that are made in the Middle East or Turkey. But you can use this version (caldo de pollo) as well. All this to say, you want to use a bouillon cube that has tons of vegetables, spices, and herbs mixed in. That is 100% my favorite one to use for this soup. If you want to make this recipe vegan-friendly, I suggest using the same brand but in their vegetable stock variety.
Yellow Onion: You’ll want one large yellow onion to peel and cut into 1-inch cubes. I’m being so specific about the size of the onions so that when we boil the lentils and onions together, they cook up and turn translucent in the amount of time specified to simmer the soup. If you cut them larger, it’s okay; just let the soup simmer for longer until the onions are cooked through. Everything blends up more effortlessly with the hand blender when you do this. Otherwise, if the onions aren’t soft, you won’t get that silky smooth texture to your Mercimek Corbasi.
Kosher Salt: This one is pretty self-explanatory! You can also use black pepper if you’d like, but I usually don’t.
Water: You’ll need water to boil the lentils, and then you’ll also need a bit for the roux before we add it to the stock pot.
Butter: I prefer unsalted butter for this recipe to add salt to the lentils as they simmer. If you only have salted butter, reduce or omit the kosher salt from the soup base.
Flour: You’ll need some flour to create the roux to help thicken the soup. I haven’t tested this recipe with a GF mix, so I’m unsure if it’ll work for my gluten-free friends.

The Best Turkish Red Lentil Soup Recipe:

Simmer the soup. Add the lentils, once rinsed, to a 4-quart dutch oven or larger. Add water, cubed onions, bouillon, and a teaspoon of kosher salt, and bring the soup pot to a boil over high heat. You want the lentils to start releasing a white foam at the top when it boils. Using a spoon, scoop up the white foam at the top and remove and discard. Once the foam has been removed, cover the soup pot with a lid, and lower the heat to medium-low. Let this simmer until the onions have completely softened enough to puree.
Make the roux when the soup is done simmering. Add the butter to a small skillet or a saucepan. Add the flour to the melted butter and let the 1½ tablespoons of flour cook in the butter until it’s lightly golden. Add some water to make a nice thick paste, and then remove from heat.
Finish the soup. Check the soup pot to make sure the onions are translucent. Then transfer the roux mixture to the soup pot. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until you have a silky smooth texture. Heat the soup over medium heat on the stove until it starts to simmer again. You want the soup to start thinking up. Give it 5 minutes to simmer. Then taste the soup to make sure it has enough sodium. You may need another pinch of salt. Serve Mercimek Corbasi warm in bowls with a slice of bread, and garnish with dried mint, a drizzle of olive oil mixed with Aleppo or red pepper flakes. Or serve with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice on top. You could even add croutons instead of serving with fresh bread if you wanted.

FAQS about this soup recipe

How would you store leftover Merimek Corbasi?

I typically store it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. You can warm the whole thing on the stove or in the microwave.

Does Turkish Red Lentil Soup freeze well?

You can keep leftover soup in the freezer and it holds up pretty well. Keep it in small servings or freeze the whole thing in one big soup pot.

Can I add garlic to this recipe?

You can if you want to! Just add in 2-3 cloves with the onions and let them simmer with the lentils. They should puree up nicely!

Can I make this soup in the pressure cooker?

You can! It won’t cut the prep time down at all, but it will cut down on the total time. You’ll want to stir together the lentils, onions, chicken bouillon, and kosher salt, in the instant pot insert along with 4 1/2 cups of water. Let this cook on high pressure for 7 minutes. You can do a natural pressure release if you’d like. Then simply pick up the recipe from step 2.

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Yield: serves 6

Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Mercimek Corbasi)

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

This Turkish lentil soup is made with red lentils and only five other ingredients! Add the lentils, a bouillon cube with onions, and salt, and let it bubble away. We'll finish it with a quick roux that will make this buttery, delicious, and perfect for serving as a meal or an appetizer! Did I mention it's VERY easy to make?

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups red lentils, rinsed
5 cups water + ¼ cup
1 chicken boullion cube
1 yellow onion, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons butter
1 ½ tablespoons flour

Instructions

RINSE AND SIMMER: Add the rinsed lentils, 5 cups of water, bouillon, onion, and kosher salt to a Dutch oven or stock pot and bring to a boil over high heat. When the white foam rises to the top, remove it with a spoon and discard it. Cover, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the onions are soft and translucent.
MAKE ROUX: Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat until it melts. Whisk in the flour and create a roux by cooking the flour for 1-2 minutes until golden. Then add the ¼ cup of water until you have a nice thick paste.
FINISH: Add the paste to the lentils then blend with an immersion blender until completely smooth. Heat the soup over medium heat until it starts to simmer. Then let simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust with more salt as desired. Serve warm in bowls with lemon wedges, fresh parsley, and dried mint, or sprinkle with Aleppo pepper flakes.

Ghormeh Sabzi (Persian Herb Stew)

Marzia — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 11:30:00 +0000

Soul-warming Ghormeh Sabzi is a Persian herb stew loaded with dried limes, fresh herbs, and spinach, simmered in a pot with chunks of tender beef or lamb and red kidney beans. It’s perfect served with fluffy basmati rice or tahdig, and it is such a warm and cozy bowl of food!

I can’t even tell you how obsessed I am with Ghormeh Sabzi right now.

It is the coziest bowl of greens in a turmeric and dried lime stew with tender chunks of beef and beans. It’s slightly tart from the dried persian limes and lemon juice. The dried limes give the stew the most incredible depth of flavor. The greens are a combination of parsley, garlic chives, fenugreek leaves, cilantro, and baby spinach. And it’s absolutely incredible on a bed of fluffy saffron rice. Though ghormeh sabzi is often made with chunks of lamb, I’m using beef today as it’s much easier to find and tastes good as well.

Personally, I can’t eat ghormeh sabzi or khoresh gheymeh without a bowl of Shirazi salad on the side!

I will say, this is one of those weekend recipes that simmer for a few hours and do require a bit of prepwork. But don’t worry, I’ve got tips on how you can prep some of this ahead of time!

What is ghormeh sabzi?

Ghormeh sabzi is a warm herb stew made with meat and beans. It’s made with a combination of greens, the most common of them being parsley, cilantro, and garlic chives. It is the national dish of Iran. And I consider it the king of Persian stews.

Ingredients for ghormeh sabzi

Yellow onions: You’ll want to use chopped yellow onions for this recipe. We’ll cook them in the oil until they’re golden brown before searing off the stew meat.
Olive Oil: You can use ghee, vegetable oil or any other kind of oil you like to use at home for cooking.
Garlic: You can use as little or as much garlic as you’d like. I usually use around 5 cloves.
Spices: you’ll of course need salt, turmeric, and black pepper. Though it’s not a spice, you’ll also need a bouillon cube. The bouillon is optional, but it does amp up the flavor of the stock that the meat simmers in. I usually use chicken bouillon, though beef also makes sense.
Beef: For the meat you want something that can stand up to the long-simmering time this stew requires. I use what my butcher marks as ‘stew meat.’ This is something like a chuck roast or round eye and contains a lot of connective tissue that will break down as the stew gently simmers. Tender chunks of lamb also work. I usually like to have chunks that are about 1½-inch cubes.
Dried Limes: Also called lemoo amani. These are dried persian limes that give the stew the most delicious depth of flavor. This is one of those ingredients that you’ll find at a middle eastern grocery store for or you can order them online here!
Herbs, Herbs, Herbs: This stew is a nutrition powerhouse with all the greens! You’ll need a ton of herbs here. You’ll need bunches of parsley and a small bunch cilantro, and then I’ll also use green onions, and dried fenugreek. Fresh fenugreek will also work for this recipe, however, it’s sometimes a pain to clean, and the dried herbs work just as well. The chopping of the herbs takes the longest hands-on time in this recipe. If I know I’m planning on making this, I usually try to wash and dry the herbs a day ahead of time. I’ll even chop the herbs and spinach and box them up for the next day as that cuts down the prep time significantly!
Baby Spinach: I like to use baby spinach instead of regular spinach. Baby spinach comes cleaned and just requires some chopping. Regular spinach would need to be soaked to get all the dirt and grit out before you dry and chop it.
Red Kidney Beans: Parts of Iran use kidney beans in their ghormeh sabzi. North and northwest Iran uses black-eyed peas. I’ve even seen people use pinto beans. All this to say that you have a few options here.
Lemon Juice: Use lemon or fresh lime juice towards the end to cut through the richness of the stew.

How to make ghormeh sabzi

Start the stew. In a large pot or dutch oven, add a generous drizzle of oil, and cook the onions over medium heat when it’s hot. Saute the onions until they’re slightly golden. Then add the minced garlic, ground turmeric, and black pepper. When the garlic is fragrant, stir in the meat and let it sear evenly all over. Season the meat with salt, the bouillon cube, and add the water. Bring the stew to a simmer, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for an hour.
Simmer simmer simmer. Poke holes in the dried limes with a fork or a paring knife. Then add them to the stew. Cover the pot with a lid but leave a sliver so that the stew vents.
Saute the herbs. When there’s roughly 20 minutes left. Add a glug of oil to a large skillet or deep saute pan and add the herbs over medium-high heat. Saute the greens until they wilt down to less than half the size. I use dried fenugreek and add that in during the last two minutes.
Simmer again. Add the greens to the stew along with the drained kidney beans, cover the pot with a sliver to vent and let it simmer again for an hour. The theme here is simmer! The lower and slower you cook this, the more tender the meat and the more flavorful the stew!
Serve it up. Remove the dried limes and keep them to the side if you plan on serving them with the stew. Check the meat to see if it’s done with a paring knife. If the knife goes through with some resistance, let it simmer for longer until it’s super tender. When the meat is done, add the lemon juice. Taste and adjust with more salt as the stew needs. Then serve it up with tahdig or basmati rice and shirazi salad.

FAQs about this recipe

Why is my ghormeh sabzi bitter?

If you leave the dried limes in the stew for more than a couple of hours, that’s usually the culprit. You want to pull them out after a maximum of 2 hours. Some people like to eat them with ghormeh sabzi. Just remove them once they’re soft and keep them on the side to serve with the stew later.

Can I use dried ghormeh sabzi herbs instead of fresh for this recipe?

Yes! You can purchase dried sabzi here. These dried herbs usually contain fenugreek, so you can omit that from the recipe. I would use roughly half the bag and then supplement at least 6 ounces of fresh or frozen spinach. If you decide to use frozen, make sure to defrost and wring out the moisture.

Can I prepare some of this in advance?

You can clean, dry, and chop the greens all a day in advance. I store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator a day ahead to cut down on the day of prep work.

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

Yield: Serves 6-8

Ghormeh Sabzi (Persian Herb Stew)

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 3 hours 10 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 40 minutes

Soul-warming Ghormeh Sabzi is a Persian herb stew loaded with dried limes, fresh herbs, and spinach, simmered in a pot with chunks of tender beef or lamb and red kidney beans. It's perfect served with fluffy basmati rice or tahdig, and it is such a warm and cozy bowl of food!

Ingredients

1 large yellow onion, chopped
6 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon EACH: kosher salt, ground turmeric AND black pepper
1 ½ pounds beef stew meat, in 1½-inch cubes (see notes)
1 chicken or beef bouillon cube (optional)
4 cups water
5 dried limes (lemoo amani)
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1 ½ bunches parsley, finely chopped
12 ounces fresh baby spinach, finely chopped
2 bunches green onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons dried fenugreek
1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans (or black eyed peas)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

SAUTE: To a 6-quart dutch oven or larger, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add the onions and saute them for 5 minutes. Then add the minced garlic, ground turmeric, and black pepper. Sauté for another 30 seconds before adding in the stew meat.
BROWN: Brown the meat for 5-7 minutes or until all of the meat is seared on all sides. Season with salt, and add the bouillon cube and 4 cups of water. Kick the heat up to high, bring to a simmer, lower the heat to low, and let simmer for 1 hour, uncovered.
ADD THE LIMES: Poke holes in the dried limes with a fork or a knife and add them to the meat mixture, stir them in. Cover the pot with a lid, leaving a small sliver to vent, and let simmer for 1 hour.
SAUTE: When 20 minutes remain, heat a 4-quart pan or larger over medium heat with 3 tablespoons of oil. Saute the herbs, baby spinach, and green onions until most of the moisture is cooked off, and the veggies are vibrant green, about 12-15 minutes. Add the dried fenugreek for the last 2 minutes of cooking.
SIMMER AGAIN: Add this veggie mixture into the meat mixture along with the drained kidney beans, and stir to combine. If the stew looks a little dry, add ½-1 cup of water, bring to a simmer, and cook for 1 hour, partially covered.
SERVE: Remove the dried lemons and set aside if you’d like to serve them with the stew, otherwise discard them. Check if the meat is tender and gives easily when pierced with a paring knife, which at this point, it most likely will. If it doesn’t cover and let cook another 30 minutes. If the meat is tender, simmer at medium-low uncovered to thicken the stew for the last 15 minutes. Then add the lemon juice. Taste and adjust with more salt, pepper, and lemon as desired. Serve warm with basmati rice or tahdig and shirazi salad.

Notes

Stew meat: you can use chuck or round, cut into pieces. Anything that has tough connective tissue that requires a longer cooking time will work well here.

Mini Moroccan Meatball Couscous Soup

Marzia — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 11:30:00 +0000

Mini Moroccan meatball couscous soup starts with a flavorful broth spiced with Moroccan flavors with meatballs and pearl couscous. This soup is so warm and comforting. It can be made with ground lamb or beef that is seasoned and baked. The pearl couscous pairs beautifully and makes this soup so rich and satisfying!

Mini Moroccan meatball couscous soup.

Coziness simmered in broth.

It’s that time of the year when I want mini baby meatballs that are spiced to perfection and floating around in the spice-simmered broth. The flavors in the meatballs kind of mellow out in the chicken broth, and together they make the most warm-your-soul kind of soup.

It’s I’m-feeling-under-the-weather soup but want something that’s both nourishing and flavorful. I, for one, refuse to sip soup that tastes like melted cardboard. If I had to describe it briefly, I’d say it’s really just sunshine in a bowl. The curry powder, turmeric, and thyme make the broth so warm and comforting. It feels like a little ball of sunshine just touched your heart and warmed it up. Topped with fresh chopped mint to brighten it up further and served with homemade crusty bread to soak up all that lovely broth. This is giving Italian wedding soup meets beef and barley meets chicken noodle.

And I’m totally here for it.

Ingredients for Moroccan meatball soup

Ground lamb: I love using lean ground lamb for this meatball couscous soup recipe. The spices pair beautifully with it and the delicate mint flavor elevates all the other ingredients in the soup. Feel free to swap for ground beef if you can’t find ground lamb in your area.
Seasonings: This soup is heavy on seasonings, and it works! You’ll need ground coriander, ground cumin, dried thyme, curry powder, turmeric, chili powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, kosher salt, and black pepper. We’ll load all of these into the meatballs and then make them up. When they simmer in that chicken broth, they’ll release all that aroma and goodness into the broth as it simmers. One on the curry powder – be sure to salt-free seasoning so that the Moroccan meatball soup doesn’t become overly salty!
Tomato Paste: the tomato paste helps brighten all the seasonings and gives the meatballs a lovely color.
Pearl Couscous: Pearl couscous is so readily available in most grocery stores these days. My grocery store keeps it in the same aisle as the rice. Sometimes pearl couscous is labeled as ‘Israeli couscous’. If you can’t find it, feel free to use acini de pepe or orzo. though, if you swap it for orzo or acini de pepe, you might want to boil it directly in the soup with an additional cup of water instead of boiling it separately.
Olive Oil: You’ll need a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to start the soup. We’ll saute the shallots in the oil before adding the garlic and simmering the stock.
Shallots: I use shallots in the recipe for their delicate flavor. You can also use onions if that’s what you have on hand.
Garlic: Lots of minced garlic flavor in this soup! Mince it up finely, or use a garlic press to make things easier!
Chicken Stock: Feel free to swap the chicken stock with beef stock, veil stock, or even vegetable broth. Whatever you prefer!
Mint or parsley: You’ll need just a tablespoon or so to top the soup with! Don’t skip this, it adds tons of freshness and color!

How to make Moroccan couscous soup

Start with the meatballs. Get the oven preheating. While that’s happening, stir together the spices in a bowl, when they’re combined, add the ground lamb and tomato paste and combine. You don’t want to overwork the meat but you do want to ensure that the mixture is thoroughly combined. Scoop out a teaspoon of the meatball mixture and form a ball in the palm of your hands. I use a melon baller or a mini cookie scoop to measure them out; it’s the perfect size! Then place the meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake them until they cook through and brown.
Make couscous. While the meatballs are baking, saute the couscous in a glug of oil, season with a pinch of salt and add water and bring to a boil. When the couscous is boiling, cover, lower the heat and allow the couscous to soak up all the water.
Make Moroccan meatball soup. In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil and saute the shallots in the oil until they start to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until it’s nice and fragrant. Add the chicken broth with a couple of cups of water and bring it to a boil. When the soup is boiling, reduce the heat to low, add the cooked meatballs and the couscous and allow them to simmer in the soup for a few minutes so that the flavor meld together. Taste and adjust the soup with more seasonings. I usually like to add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of curry powder, but this is purely optional. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with chopped mint or parsley and serve warm with lots of crusty bread to soak up that broth!

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

Original recipe shared March 2015, updated with new images and post Jan 2023.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Mini Moroccan Meatball Couscous Soup

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Mini Moroccan meatball couscous soup starts with a flavorful broth spiced with Moroccan flavors with meatballs and pearl couscous This soup is so warm and comforting. It can be made with ground lamb or beef that is seasoned and baked. The pearl couscous pairs beautifully and makes this soup so rich and comforting!

Ingredients

Moroccan Meatballs:

1 teaspoon EACH: ground coriander AND ground cumin
½ teaspoon EACH: dried thyme AND curry powder (+ more)
¼ teaspoon EACH: ground turmeric AND chili powder
⅛ teaspoon EACH: ground cinnamon AND nutmeg
Kosher salt + black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 ½ lbs. ground lamb or beef

Couscous Soup:

8 ounces pearl couscous
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more
3 shallots, minced
8 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
3 ¾ cups water
Chopped mint or parsley, for topping

Instructions

MAKE MEATBALLS: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the spices for the meatball, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Mix with a spoon, then add the tomato paste and ground meat and mix until *just* combined. Scoop about 1 teaspoon of the meatball mixture and form a ball, place on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake meatballs for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through.
COUSCOUS: While the meatballs bake, heat a small drizzle of oil in a saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the couscous and allow it to toast for 1-2 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when you smell it all toasty. Add a pinch of salt and 1 ¾ cups of water. Allow it to come to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and let cook for 8-10 minutes or until it absorbs all the water.
SOUP: In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook for 2 minutes before adding the garlic and sautéing for another 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth along with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and add the meatballs and couscous; let simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust with seasonings as desired. I usually add another 1/4 teaspoon of curry powder Top with mint or parsley before serving.

Notes

IB: Williams Sonoma

Parmesan Chicken Pastina Soup

Marzia — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 11:30:00 +0000

The coziest Italian Pastina Soup! This easy chicken and stars soup is so warm and soothing. We start with a homemade parmesan broth; add a few vegetables and star-shaped pasta, and you’ve got the best kind of feel-better soup!

This warm and soothing pastina soup is exactly what the doc ordered.

It’s so secret that I love a good soul-healing soup. And chicken and stars soup is something that automatically heals the soul. Maybe it’s the playfulness of having stars in your soup or the nostalgia of a childhood classic. And when you’ve made my flu-fighting chicken noodle soup one thousand times, here’s a new one you can add to your repertoire.

We’re adulting this classic chicken soup with homemade parmesan cheese broth – you know good things are in your future. I know that sounds complicated, but it’s exactly the same ingredients you need to make chicken broth, minus the chicken bones, and add a few parmesan rinds and some dried mushrooms. The mushrooms add so much extra flavor to this soup base.

If it makes you feel any better, I took the liberty of making this entire chicken pastina soup in one pot, so once you make the broth, strain it and start making the soup. You can even make the parmesan broth a few days in advance. It’s ideal for making over the weekend and popping in the fridge for a quick weeknight pastina soup dinner.

This is my take on Italian comfort food, and it’s gosh darn delicious!

Ingredients for pastina soup

Butter: You’ll need both butter and olive oil. I use a bit in the parmesan broth, and the rest goes into the soup.
Onions: You’ll need two of everything for this recipe! For the stock, you can chop the onions a bit larger; this makes it easier to fish it all out when you strain the broth.
Carrots: You’ll need carrots two ways for this recipe. For the broth, I like to leave them in large chunks; for the soup, I usually do a fine chop to ensure everything is relatively the same size as the pasta once it plumps up in the broth.
Celery: You’ll need to do the same thing as you would for the carrots. Rough chunks for the broth and a fine chop of the soup
Dried Mushrooms: You can use porcini or shiitake mushrooms for this. Most grocery stores carry these in the international aisle (you’ll find porcini near the Italian ingredients and the shiitake near the Asian ones.)
Herbs: You’ll need a fresh or dried bay leaf, and you’ll also need some fresh thyme. We’ll add this to the parmesan stock ingredients, so you get all the flavor without all the pieces floating in your soup!
Seasonings: You’ll need your usual kosher salt and white or black pepper.
Parmesan Rind: This is the backend of a block of parmesan. Many grocery stores these days will sell you the back only. I usually purchase a large block of parmesan from Costco and save the back for soups and stocks. It’s of my favorite ingredients for my pesto chicken meatball soup.
Stelline Pasta: Stelline is the star-shaped little pasta I’ve used for this recipe, but small shells, acini di pepe, orzo, or any other tiny pasta shape will also work.
Cooked Chicken: This can be a cooked rotisserie chicken. Usually, I get bone-in chicken breasts and roast them in the oven, shred and keep them on hand for soups for the week. This is a great way to always have cooked chicken on hand, and it doesn’t require much effort!
A lemon: You’ll need both lemon zest and lemon juice. I love the added pop of vitamin c in the soup; it cuts through the richness of the parmesan broth a little and wakes up all the flavors. I like to add this towards the end so that it stays bright.
Fresh parsley: I sprinkle some on top to finish, so it’s completely optional!

How to make the best pastina soup recipe

Simmer the broth. Melt a tablespoon of butter in a large stock pot. Add the chunks of onions, celery, and carrots and brown them off a bit. Then toss in the mushrooms, fresh herbs, salt, and parmesan rinds. Let the rinds stick to the bottom of the pot a little; this will help flavor the stock. Stir often through so it doesn’t melt entirely. Then drizzle in warm water, and stir and scrape the bottom of the pot. Then add the remaining water and let the soup reach a low boil of medium-high heat. You’ll want to stir frequently because the cheese will stick at that high of a temperature. Lower the heat and let the stock simmer.
Simmer it, don’t let it boil. Let the stock hang out for 45-55 minutes or until it reduces a bit. You should see steam billowing off the soup pot but no visible bubbling in the stock. You may need to toggle between low and medium heat to get it right. Strain the stock when it’s done and set it aside. You can also let it cool and refrigerate it for 3-4 days before preparing the soup.
Make pastina pasta soup. Add the remaining butter and a glug of oil to the same soup pot. Saute the remaining onions, carrots, and celery until softened. Add the garlic and give a few seconds to become fragrant. Then add the broth and bring it to a simmer before you add the shredded chicken and the stelline pasta. Cook until the pasta is done. I like to stir it often to make sure none of the pasta is sticking to the bottom; this is especially true if you use a cast iron soup pot. Taste and adjust the soup with more salt or other seasonings as needed. Turn off the stove, and add in the lemon zest and the lemon juice. Serve warm in bowls topped with more parmesan and fresh parsley.

FAQs about this recipe

Can I use store-bought stock instead?

Yes, any low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable broth will also work. You may want to let it simmer for a bit longer before adding in the pasta with at least one small parmesan rind. That will give it a much better flavor. You can also make homemade chicken broth and toss in some parmesan rinds if you’d like.

Do I have to add protein?

You can skip the shredded chicken if you’d like.

Can I add eggs?

The recipe for pastina with eggs is a little different. You would need to use less broth so that it’s more like an orzo risotto than a soup.

You might also like these Italian soup recipes:

Yield: serves 6

Parmesan Chicken Pastina Soup

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoon butter, divided
4 cups hot water + 8 cups room temp
2 medium diced onions, divided
4 chopped carrots (2 in large chunks, 2 small diced)
4 stalks chopped celery (2 large chunks, 2 small diced)
8-10 (~.5 ounce) dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms, rehydrate in hot water
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs thyme
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more
1 cup (8 ounces) parmesan rind, cut into 16-20 pieces
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 cup stelline pasta (or small shells, etc)
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
Kosher salt + white pepper
Zest of 1 lemon + 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Parmesan + parsley, for topping

Instructions

PARMESAN BROTH: In a large soup pot, melt a tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add half the onions, chunks of carrots, and celery, and saute for 4 minutes. Add mushrooms, bay leaf, thyme, and cheese rinds. Let cook for another 4 minutes. When the cheese and vegetables start sticking to the bottom of the pot, start slowly drizzling in the hot water as you stir and scrape to help deglaze the pan. When deglazed, add the remaining water and kosher salt. Bring to a simmer, stir and make sure nothing is stuck.
SIMMER: Lower the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 50-60 minutes, stirring often to ensure the cheese isn’t sticking to the bottom. You should see steam billowing off the pot but no visible bubbling in the stock. Strain the broth, and set aside for now.
SOUP: To the same soup pot, add the remaining tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of oil. Sauté the remaining onions, carrots, and celery with a pinch of salt for 7 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add 8 cups of prepared stock and bring to a simmer. Add the shredded chicken and pasta and cook for 6-7 minutes or as indicated on the package, stirring often to keep the pasta from sticking. When the pasta is done, turn off the stove, add the lemon zest and juice. Taste and adjust with salt as desired, you shouldn’t need too much more. Serve warm topped with parm and parsley on top.

Notes

Quick tip: The pasta will soak a lot of the broth as it sits, so don’t discard the additional broth! Keep it to thin the soup as needed.
Parmesan broth: you can easily make the broth a day or so in advance to speed up the process the day of. You can also replace the parmesan broth with 8 cups of chicken broth and simmer with two large rinds of parmesan in step 3, but the flavor is so much better with the from-scratch parm broth!

Comforting One-Pot Lasagna Soup

Marzia — Mon, 02 Jan 2023 11:30:00 +0000

A warm and hearty lasagna soup that has all the flavors of a traditional lasagna dinner, but it’s way easier to make! Start with rich tomato broth, a pound of ground beef, and lasagna noodles. The family is going to love this easy soup recipe!

Lasagna in soup form?

I’m the biggest fan. And there are several reasons why. It’s undoubtedly easier than making a meat sauce, filling it between layers of lasagna noodles and ricotta like the classic version. It comes together in one pot, and we’re definitely a fan of one-pot meals around here. It also means that lasagna soup is totally a doable dinner for midweek – unlike the traditional dish. And last but certainly not least, this soup is made with mostly pantry and refrigerator staple ingredients so other than the ricotta cheese, I’m willing to bet you’ve got most of the ingredients on hand already.

And when you’ve got ground beef simmered in a rich tomato broth with noodles, what else could you ask for? Each bite is a spoonful of a warm tomato broth with slow-simmered ground beef, tender cooked noodles, and a delicious ricotta mixture on top. The cheesy yum on top is a mixture of ricotta cheese, parmesan, fresh basil, and mozzarella, and I am obsessed with it.

I don’t know why we’re still making lasagna when you can feed a whole family with this easy one-pot lasagna soup recipe!

Ingredients for homemade lasagna soup recipe

Ground beef: I like to use lean ground beef for this recipe, but Italian sausage or ground turkey, or even chicken will also work. Keep in mind that if you use ground beef with a higher fat content, you might need to drain the grease so that the soup isn’t too greasy at the end.
Olive Oil: a glug of oil helps saute the onions.
Onions: Chop the yellow onion and add it to the ground beef. The onions add a ton of flavor to the soup.
Garlic: fresh minced cloves of garlic works best for this recipe and gives the ground beef plenty of flavor.
Seasonings: you’ll need kosher salt, dried oregano, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, a pinch of sugar, and a bay leaf. If you don’t have oregano on hand, feel free to use Italian herbs or Italian seasoning instead. Crushed fennel is one of my favorite ingredients to add to this recipe because it gives the lasagna soup that slow-simmered flavor. If you’re using Italian sausage, you might want to skip it as most Italian sausages already contain this ingredient, and it might be overpowering.
Tomato products: In the past, I’ve made this recipe with tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. But recently, I’ve swapped a couple of those ingredients for a jar of marinara or a few cups of homemade marinara. It gives the soup a much better flavor than tomato products. Seriously – between the marinara sauce and the fennel seeds, this totally tastes better than an actual lasagna!
Broth: I like to use chicken broth for this recipe, but you can also use beef broth if you prefer.
Lasagna Pasta: You know when you buy a box of lasagna noodles and end up finding half of it crushed up? Make lasagna soup! I break down the noodles into about 6-7 pieces so that they’re all bite-sized. You can also use bow-tie pasta, or any other shape that you like if you don’t have lasagna sheets on hand.
Cheese: You’ll need ricotta cheese for the cheesy yum portion of this recipe as well and parmesan cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese. When you add a dollop of this to the top of the hot soup, it just melts right in and gets so cheesy and delicious!
Herbs: I like to add fresh parsley and basil that’s finely minced to the cheesy yum. It gives it such a fresh flavor!

How to make lasagna soup at home

Brown off the meat. Start by heating up a dutch oven or a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook and crumble until the meat heats and browns. Make sure to drain if there’s grease in the pot. Add a glug of oil and saute the onions until they’re tender. Stir often with a wooden spoon so that nothing sticks to the pan. Then add the garlic and all of the seasonings along with the tomato paste. You want the tomato paste to deepen in color so take your time here.
Bring the soup to a simmer. Add the chicken broth, marinara, crushed tomato and bay leaf to the large pot and let the soup come to a boil. Cover the pot, lower the heat and allow the soup to cook for 30 minutes. This allows all of the flavors to blend together.
Cook the noodles. To cook the noodles in the soup, add a splash of water and kick the heat up, so it boils. Stir in the noodles and let them cook through. If you’re anticipating leftovers, you might want to cook the noodles separately so that the noodles don’t soak up all the soup as it sits.
Make the topping. Combine the cheese mixtures in a bowl with the parsley and basil. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper.
Serve it up. Ladle the soup into bowls, and top with noodles if you prepared them separately. Drop a dollop of the cheesy yum on each bowl and sprinkle with more herbs if you’d like. Serve it up with caesar salad and garlic bread!

FAQs about this recipe

Can I freeze the soup?

If you’re planning on freezing the soup, I suggest cooking the noodles separately and adding them in fresh when you’re serving. Same with the ricotta mixture, prepare as needed!

Can I use gluten-free pasta?

Yes, gluten-free pasta can be subbed for the regular pasta here. I do, however, suggest cooking the pasta separately rather than in the soup.

Can I use plant-based protein?

Yes, plant-based protein would work well in place of ground beef.

Is this soup spicy?

We didn’t find it to be spicy at all. However, feel free to omit the red pepper flakes if you’d like to make it even milder.

Can I make instant pot lasagna soup?

Yes, brown everything off on the saute setting and then let the soup cook for 12 minutes on high pressure. You can do a quick pressure release and then add the pasta and let it cook on the simmer setting. This cuts down some of the cooking time!

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Original Recipe shared Dec 2015, updated with new post, images, and minor recipe edits Jan 2023.

Yield: Serves 6

Comforting One-Pot Lasagna Soup

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

A warm and hearty lasagna soup that has all the flavors of a traditional lasagna dinner, but it's way easier to make! Start with rich tomato broth, a pound of ground beef, and lasagna noodles. The family is going to love this easy soup recipe!

Ingredients

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ cups yellow onion, chopped
1-2 tablespoons minced garlic
¼- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar
4 cup low sodium chicken broth (or beef)
1 (24-25 ounce) jar marinara (homemade or store-bought)
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
8 ounces lasagna noodles, broken
8 ounces ricotta cheese
¼ cup EACH: chopped parsley AND basil
⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

BROWN: Heat a 5-quart dutch oven or larger over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef. Cook and crumble until brown, about 4 minutes. Drain excess grease, if required. Drizzle the olive oil, add the onions, and sauté them for 5-7 minutes or until softened. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, fennel, tomato paste, and sugar. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the tomato paste deepens in color.
SIMMER: Add broth, marinara, crushed tomatoes, and bay leaf to the pot. Bring the soup to a simmer, cover, lower the heat to low, and cook for 30 minutes.
NOODLES: to cook the noodles in the soup, add ½ cup of water to the prepared soup, kick the heat up to medium-high, bring the pot to a boil, and add the noodles and let cook for 8-9 minutes uncovered, or until the noodles are done. You can also cook the noodles separately if you’re anticipating leftovers.
TOPPING: Combine the ricotta, parsley, basil, parmesan, a pinch of salt, pepper, and mozzarella in a bowl. Using a silicone spatula, stir until combined.
SERVE: Ladle soup into bowls, and top with noodles if you prepared them separately. Drop a dollop of ricotta topping on top and sprinkle with additional parsley or basil, if desired. Enjoy!

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Recipe inspired by a Farmgirl’s Dabbles.

Cozy Smoked Gouda Soup

Marzia — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 10:30:00 +0000

This smoked gouda soup is the ultimate comfort food! We’ll saute some aromatics until fragrant, create a bechamel and then add in tons of shredded smoked gouda cheese and smoked paprika. I serve this in a bread bowl but this would be equally delicious with sourdough croutons.

Smoked Gouda soup was amongst one of the best things I ate in Stowe, Vermont.

I’ll admit, I went a little overboard ordering both a cheese soup and the Vermont Cheddar fritters. But you must when you’re in Vermont and besides, this girl loves her some cheese. This recipe is 100% inspired by that delicious soup. Loads of garlic, onions, and celery so the soup is definitely aromatic. Hickory smoked gouda, along with smoked paprika, makes it smoky and delicious. It’s honestly the perfect starter for Thanksgiving, Christmas or any other holiday party.

I found the most adorable little sourdough bread boules and used those as bread bowls, which would be adorable for a starter at a party! The key is to remove the top, push down the fluff, and toast them in a 250ºF oven or air fryer for a few minutes. Toasted bread holds its shape better. And the tops of the bread are absolutely perfect for dipping!

Ingredients for homemade smoked gouda soup:

Butter: We’ll use a knob of butter to saute the aromatics. Then, we’ll create a roux for the bechamel.
Onions: add tons of flavor to this recipe. Chop them up finely and season them with salt so that we can cook them down until they’re tender and translucent.
Celery Stalks: You’ll want to chop these up finely as well and season them with salt to cook them down quickly without browning or burning.
Garlic: we’ll add this in when the onions are almost done so that the garlic doesn’t burn.
Flour: Creates a roux with the butter that we’ll then turn into a bechamel by adding whole milk.
Whole Milk: creates the sauce that we need to cook the cheese down in. This recipe starts just like a pot pie filling or any other bechamel-based soup.
Chicken broth: you can use vegetable broth if you want to keep this recipe vegetarian-friendly.
Seasonings: You’ll need both mustard powder and smoked paprika to help give the sop plenty of flavor! You’ll also need a couple of bay leaves!
Worcestershire Sauce: Adds saltiness and an umami flavor to the soup that pairs beautifully with the smoked gouda. If you’re preparing this for vegetarians, be sure to swap this with vegetarian-friendly Worcestershire!
Smoked Gouda Cheese: I like to use a hickory smoked gouda. Just shred the cheese on a box grater before you add it to the soup. Or, to cut down on prep time, just run the block of cheese through a food processor.
Chives: just adds a little color to the top of the soup! Feel free to use toasted croutons or anything else you’d like as well.

How to make cozy smoked gouda soup:

Saute the aromatics. Melt butter in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Then add the onions, celery stems, and bay leaves. You want to get them added nice and early so that there’s plenty of flavor. Season the onions with a big pinch of salt and cook them down for 7-10 minutes. You want them to be soft and translucent so it’s critical to keep a close eye on them. Then add the garlic and let it saute for another minute until you can smell that deliciousness.
Make the roux. Once the aromatics are cooked down, sprinkle the flour into the butter and stir, and cook it for 60-90 seconds. It’s essential that we cook down the flour so that the soup doesn’t have a raw flour flavor. Then add the milk in slowly as you whisk or stir to combine. As the liquid starts to simmer, you’ll notice the roux will start to thicken. Add in the chicken broth, mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce, and smoked paprika.
Make the soup. Allow the soup to reach a boil, then lower the heat and allow it to thicken. Turn the heat to low and slowly add the cheese in batches so that it melts as you stir. You want to make sure to do this step slowly. If you’re scared of the cheese scorching, pull the pot off the heat completely. Continue adding the cheese, roughly 1/2 cup at a time, until all of it has been added to the soup. Fish out the bay leaves and give the soup a taste. Feel free to season with additional salt and pepper as desired.
Serve it up. Once the soup is done, serve it with toasty bread in your favorite bowl. I like to top it with chopped chives for a little color!

FAQs about this recipe:

Can I add additional veggies to this soup?

I know a lot of smoked gouda soups usually also contain roasted red peppers. If that’s something you enjoy, you can easily add in a drained jar of roasted red peppers that are chopped up in with the onions and celery. You could even roast your own red bell peppers on a baking sheet, wrap the pepper in foil until you can peel the skin, and then use that.

Does this soup have texture?

It does! Unlike most pureed cheese soups, this one definitely has a bit of texture to it from the onions and celery. If you’re someone that wants a super smooth cheese soup, I suggest using an immersion blender and blending the soup once you’ve added the chicken broth and the seasonings. Make sure to do this before adding the cheese!

What about storage?

Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container. You can also add it to zip-top bags and keep the soup in the freezer. Thaw the soup in the refrigerator. It does change the texture of the soup a bit because of the cheese, but it’s still warm and cozy!

Can I add cream to the soup?

I honestly think the soup doesn’t need it. However, if you wanted to make this more lux, I’d swap the whole milk for half and half!

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Yield: Serves 8

Cozy Smoked Gouda Soup

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

This smoked gouda soup is the ultimate comfort food! We'll saute some aromatics until fragrant, create a bechamel and then add in tons of shredded smoked gouda cheese and smoked paprika. I serve this in a bread bowl but this would be equally delicious with sourdough croutons.

Ingredients

¼ cup butter
1 white onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 bay leaves
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups whole milk
2 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 cups smoked gouda, shredded
For serving: crusty bread + chopped chives

Instructions

SAUTE: Melt the butter in a 4-quart or larger dutch oven over medium heat. When melted, add the onions, celery, and bay leaves. Season with a pinch of salt and saute for 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and continue to saute for an additional minute.
ROUX: Sprinkle with flour, whisk to cook out the raw flavor; about 60-90 seconds. Slowly pour in the milk as you continue to whisk. Let the milk heat through completely and thicken the mixture slightly. Then add the chicken broth. Season with mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce, and smoked paprika.
SOUP: Allow the soup to reach a simmer. When simmering, let thicken 3-4 minutes. Turn the heat to low, and slowly add the cheese as you stir, ½ cup at a time until it completely melts before adding the next batch. Fish out the bay leaves. Taste and adjust with salt as desired.
SERVE: Ladle soup into bowls, and serve with toasty bread. Top with chopped chives, if desired.

Notes

Texture: Unlike most pureed cheese soups, this one definitely has a bit of texture from the onions and celery. If you're someone that wants a super smooth cheese soup, I suggest using an immersion blender and blending the soup once you've added the chicken broth and the seasonings. Make sure to do this before adding the cheese!
Variations: I know a lot of smoked gouda soups usually also contain roasted red peppers. If you enjoy that, you can easily add chopped roasted red peppers in with the onions and celery.

Roasted Honeynut Squash Soup

Marzia — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 10:30:00 +0000

Roasted Honeynut squash soup is soul-warming! This starts with cubed squash, large wedges of onions, and garlic cloves that we’ll roast in the oven until golden and fork-tender. Blend it all up with stock, a splash of maple syrup, and a drizzle of cream for the ultimate comfort food!

All you need is a big hunk of sourdough bread to dip into this soup.

Step aside butternut squash; there’s a new Cucurbita in town.

Okay but seriously, it’s not new. But honey nut squash has quickly become a new favorite for me. Don’t get me wrong; I love my quick slow cooker butternut squash, Thai butternut squash curry, and my Cajun squash soup as well. And I’ll almost never say no to a slice of homemade pumpkin bread. But Honeynut squash is something I’ve loved these last couple of years. I’ve used it to make my risotto and I’m borderline obsessed with this soup.

The flavors are like nothing you’ve had before. Sweet, rich, creamy, and when we add a splash of maple syrup and a dash of cinnamon, it just takes this recipe up 10 notches. I’d serve this soup with a smoked gouda grilled cheese but also as a starter for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Ingredients for roasted honeynut squash soup:

Honeynut squash: I like to use those tiny honeynut squashes because 1) they’re adorable and 2) they taste even better than butternut squash because they have a more concentrated flavor. However, you can substitute butternut squash for this recipe. Since honeynut squashes are a little sweeter than butternut squash, you might want to up the maple syrup by a splash so that you get the same flavor.
Large yellow onion: Slice the onion into quarters, remove the peel and drizzle it in olive oil before tossing it on a sheet pan to roast.
Garlic cloves: I like to wrap the garlic cloves in a small piece of foil so that they take approximately the same time to roast as the squash and onions. Leaving them exposed on the baking sheet would cause them to roast much faster than the onions or squash.
Thyme sprigs: Fresh thyme adds an aroma to the squash while roasting. I usually toss out any charred bits before tossing everything into the soup pot.
Olive Oil: Used to drizzle on the veggies before we roast them in the oven.
Seasonings: I season the squash with cayenne, kosher salt, and black pepper. We’ll also need a sprinkle of cinnamon to add to the soup as it simmers at the end.
Grated ginger: fresh ginger gives things a kick and makes the soup warm and hearty.
Maple Syrup: adds a well-rounded sweetness to the soup
Vegetable Broth: you can also use chicken stock for this recipe.
Heavy cream: The drizzle of cream at the end just helps make the soup creamy and luxurious. To keep this recipe vegan friendly, you might want to swap the heavy cream for coconut cream or coconut milk.

How to make the best squash soup:

Prep it first. Start by preheating the oven. While that’s going, peel the squash to expose the flesh and remove the seeds and guts and discard. You can also reserve those and roast the seeds if you’d like for later! Make cubes from the squash. Spread them out on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil, fresh thyme sprigs, cayenne, and lots of salt and pepper. You’ll also want to quarter the onions, drizzle them, and season them with salt and pepper. Wrap the garlic cloves in a small basket made out of foil, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Wrap the garlic so that they aren’t exposed.
Roast it all up. Pop this in the oven to roast for 30 minutes. At that point, you’ll want to check and see if the squash is fork-tender. You’ll also want to check the garlic cloves. Typically, everything should be done at this point. If the squash still needs a bit more time, pop the tray back in the oven once you remove the garlic and the onions.
Make soup. Add a small drizzle of oil to a large soup pot over medium heat. When warm, add the ginger and saute it for 30-60 seconds or until fragrant. Transfer the roasted vegetables to the soup pot along with the broth and blend the soup together until smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can transfer this to a traditional blend and blend. Add cinnamon, maple syrup, and heavy cream, and bring the soup to a simmer. Taste the soup and adjust it with more salt or maple syrup as desired. If the soup is too thick, you can use additional broth to thin it out to your liking.

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Yield: Serves 6-8

Roasted Honeynut Squash Soup

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Roasted Honeynut squash soup is soul-warming! This starts with cubed squash, large wedges of onions, and garlic cloves that we'll roast in the oven until golden and fork-tender. Blend it all up with stock, a splash of maple syrup, and a drizzle of cream for the ultimate comfort food!

Ingredients

2 ½ pounds honeynut squash (or butternut squash)
1 large onion, peeled + quartered
6-8 garlic cloves, peeled
2 sprigs thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoon grated ginger
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon maple syrup
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock (plus more)
½ cup heavy cream (or coconut cream)
Roasted pepitas or chopped chives, for topping

Instructions

PREP: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400ºF. Peel the squash, cut in half and remove the seeds with a spoon. Make 1-inch cubes and add the squash to a sheet pan.
TOSS: Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with fresh thyme, cayenne, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Add the onion quarters, and wrap the garlic cloves in foil. Drizzle the onions and garlic with a little oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover garlic with foil so that the cloves aren't exposed.
ROAST: Roast for 30 minutes. Check the garlic; if they are soft and roasted, remove to a plate. Test the squash with a fork, if the fork goes right through, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Otherwise, continue roasting the squash and onions for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the squash is tender.
SOUP: Add a small drizzle of oil to a 4 quart dutch oven or larger over medium heat. Sauté the ginger for 30-60 seconds until softened. Add the squash, onions, garlic, and broth. Blend the soup together until smooth using an immersion blender. You can also do this in a traditional blender then saute the ginger and add in the blended soup. Season with cinnamon, maple syrup, and heavy cream. Taste and adjust with more salt or maple syrup as desired. Ladle soup into bowls; serve warm topped with pepitas or chopped chives.

Chipotle Butternut Squash Chili

Marzia — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 10:30:00 +0000

A smoky chipotle butternut squash chili recipe that’s perfect for these crisp fall days! Loaded with tender butternut squash, simmered with onions and peppers, in a warm broth. Top with all your favorite chili fixings like avocados, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, and cilantro!

Enter: fall comfort food that’s accidentally vegan-friendly and loaded with tons of veggies and lots of my favorite protein — you guessed it, black beans!

Each bowl of butternut squash chili is loaded with tender squash, fire-roasted tomatoes, tons of spices like cumin, chili powder, and all your other typical chili ingredients. Simmered in a base of stock and coffee, I’ve even added a hint of cocoa powder to this. Before you hit the little ‘x’ mark at the top of your screen – you should know this chili doesn’t taste like coffee or cocoa. These flavors are used to enhance the other flavors we’re using. And what you’re left with is a comforting bowl of squash and black bean chili that’s bursting with flavor.

Now, if you’ve got a protein lover at home, you can easily brown off a pound of ground beef, ground turkey, or chicken and add it to the soup pot right before it starts to simmer. Let it all cook down, then serve it up with cornbread muffins for the ultimate meal.

Ingredients for butternut squash chili:

Onions: I like using red onion for this recipe. However, a yellow or even a white onion will also work here!
Red Bell Pepper: Adds a hint of sweetness and plays beautifully with the butternut squash.
Jalapeños: Add just a bit to add heat. We’ll take out the ribs and seeds so that it won’t be too intense. If you’re cooking for littles, feel free to swap this for a green bell pepper or a poblano pepper instead.
Garlic cloves: Mince up some fresh garlic; it adds so much flavor to this recipe.
Cooking liquids: I like to use a combination of coffee and vegetable broth or chicken broth. If you’re weirded out by the thought of using coffee, just use additional broth!
Seasonings: You’ll need kosher salt, chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, and cocoa powder for the seasonings. They’re all pretty typical for a chili recipe, except for the cocoa!
Chipotle Peppers: You can use the minced peppers that come in a jar or the canned peppers packed in adobo sauce.
Brown Sugar: Helps add just a touch of sweetness.
Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes: An essential ingredient for most chili recipes!
Black Beans: I like to use 2 (15-ounce) cans of black beans, but you could also use pinto beans or even kidney beans instead.
Butternut Squash: You’ll need a medium butternut squash that is about 2 pounds in weight. Be sure to peel and remove the seeds before dicing them into roughly 1-inch cubes.
Cornmeal: I like to add cornmeal to help naturally thicken the chili a bit more. It’s an ingredient that I use in my chili con carne recipe too.
Toppings: Bowls of chili are only as good as their toppings! Use cheddar cheese, sour cream, greek yogurt, cilantro, and anything else you like on top!

How to make butternut squash chili:

Saute the onions. Start by adding a glug of olive oil to a large dutch oven. Add the onions and saute, stirring them often with a wooden spoon until they’re tender and translucent.
Toss it all in. Add the red bell pepper, jalapeños, and butternut squash. Let the veggies soften slightly before you add the garlic, cocoa powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, and chipotle peppers, along with the brown sugar and tomatoes. You’ll also want to pour in the chicken broth and the coffee. Allow the chili to reach a simmer before you lower the heat, cover, and cook on low until the butternut squash is about halfway done. At that point, you want to stir in the black beans and cook the chili just long enough for the butternut squash to become tender.
Finish it off. This is completely optional, but I like to add a little cornmeal to the chili to make it heartier! Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon at a time and allow the chili to thicken for a few minutes. 2 tablespoons is the sweet spot for me! And the benefit of using cornmeal is that this recipe remains gluten-free! If you wanted to skip the cornmeal, you can transfer some of the prepared chili to a blender and blend. The beans should help thicken the chili up a bit more.
Serve it up. Serve the chili in your favorite bowl topped with tortilla chips or with cornbread muffins on the side. Add sour cream (if you’re not vegan) or diced avocados with cilantro, and serve with lime wedges on the side!

FAQs about this recipe:

Can I freeze this chili once prepared?

Yup, you can freeze it in freezer-safe containers or zip-top bags. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before warming and serving.

How do you reheat leftovers?

I keep leftovers in an airtight container and just microwave it, stopping and stirring a few times in between to heat it through evenly!

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Original recipe shared Sept. 2015, updated with new images, post, and minor edits Oct. 2022.

Yield: 8 servings

Chipotle Butternut Squash Chili

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons avocado oil (or olive, etc.)
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1-2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
1 ½- 2 pound butternut squash, peeled and diced
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
¾ cup coffee (or additional broth)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoons EACH: cocoa powder AND ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced
2 (14-ounce) cans fire roasted tomatoes
2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, drained
2 tablespoons cornmeal, optional

Instructions

SAUTE: heat the oil on medium heat in a 5-quart dutch oven or larger. Add onions and saute for 4-5 minutes, frequently stirring until translucent. Add the bell pepper, jalapeños, and butternut squash, and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic, and let cook for 30 seconds before adding the broth, coffee, brown sugar, cocoa cumin, paprika, chili powder, chipotle peppers, and tomatoes; stir to combine.
SIMMER: Bring the chili to a simmer, cover with a lid, lower the heat to low, and cook for 25-30 minutes. Taste the chili and season with additional chili powder, salt, and chipotle peppers as desired. Add the drained black beans and allow the chili to cook for another 20-30 minutes uncovered until the squash is fork tender. To make the chili thicker, I like to stir in 1 tablespoon of cornmeal and let simmer for another 5-7 minutes to thicken. Add the second tablespoon if the chili is still thin for your liking.
SERVE: Serve the chili in bowls, topped with tortilla chips, sour cream, grated cheese, diced avocados, and chopped cilantro with lime wedges!

Notes

Jalapeno peppers are optional, you can replace them with diced bell peppers for a more mild chili.
Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are sold in the international food aisle.

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Birria de Res (Stovetop + Instant Pot)

Marzia — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 10:30:00 +0000

This easy birria recipe can be made on the stovetop or Instant pot! Tenders chunks of seared beef that we’ll stew in onions, chile paste, garlic, and lots of herbs and spices! Then use the birria meat to make quesabirria tacos, birria ramen or serve over rice!

Friends!

I am especially excited to share todays beef birria recipe with you! I’ve worked on it for what seems like an eternity. Making batches and batches of birria and loading it up in corn tortillas, over rice, and some times, in a bowl with ramen and a soft boiled egg on top.

Let’s not even mention all the birria tacos and birria ramen I gobbled up from my favorite local food truck all in the name of taste testing. Birria de Res is a dish from the state of Jalisco in Mexico and is traditionally made with goat meat. I’m sharing my recipe using beef as it is much easier to find. You can also make this with goat meat if you’d like, but you will have to play around with the cooking times a bit to make sure the meat isn’t over or undercooked.

All this to say, I’ve layered this dish with layers and layers of flavor and I hope you’ll take some time out of your busy week to just relax, put on some music, and make this birria recipe with me! And hey, if you can’t make it slow-paced, I get it, I’ve got pressure cooker instructions too!

Ingredients for homemade birria:

Dried Chilies: I use a variety of dried chilies for this recipe. Nowadays, most mainstream grocery stores carry these peppers. You’ll either find them near the produce section, in the international aisle, or in the spice aisle. I use ancho chiles, guajillo chiles, and chili de Arbol for this recipe. Be sure to invest in some disposable gloves. The first time I handled these peppers without them, my hands burned for a good 12 hours afterwards! Some people also use chipotle peppers which gives birria a smoky flavor. I’ve always enjoyed birria without it, so you won’t find chipotle peppers in my stew.
Oil: You’ll need it to saute the peppers, the onions, and garlic, as well as the chunks of chuck roast.
Onions: I use white onions for this recipe and you’ll want to cut them into large chunks so we can a little color on them then toss them in the blender. You may also want some extra for topping your birria!
Garlic: I leave the garlic whole in this recipe and just saute it with the onions before tossing it in the blender to make the chile paste.
Water or broth: That is the question! Personally, I like to use bone-in short ribs when I’m making birria, so I usually opt for water as the bones will amp up the stewing liquid plenty without the need for broth. If you plan to use all chuck roast and skipping the short ribs, I do suggest using broth instead of water because you simply won’t be able to develop that same flavor without the bones.
Tomatoes: I use fresh tomatoes that I’ll toss into the blender along with all the seasonings, spices, chilies, onions and garlic.
Vinegar: Vinegar plays a two-part role in this recipe. The first is that it helps give the broth a more complex flavor that pairs beautifully with the spices and chilies used in this recipe. The second is that vinegar helps extract more flavor from the bones which means the consommé will be even more flavorful!
Dried Herbs: You’ll need bay leaves, dried thyme, and dried Mexican oregano for this recipe.
Seasonings: I use whole black peppercorns, whole cloves, ground cumin, dried ginger, kosher salt, and Mexican cinnamon for this recipe.
Beef: I like to use two different cuts of meat for this recipe. The first is a large chuck roast that I’ll just breakdown into about 8 pieces. Cutting the large roast down insures that more heat surrounds each piece and so that the meat cooks faster. If you were to leave this as a whole roast, it would take significantly longer to cook. The second cut is bone-in short ribs. The bones help provide additional flavor to the consommé or the stewing liquid. However, you could also use additional chuck roast to make up for the short ribs if you prefer.
Toppings: You’ll want chopped cilantro, onions, and lots of lime wedges for serving. If you’re serving this with rice, I suggest topping the rice with stew and then adding the toppings. For ramen bowls, you’ll want an assortment of sliced toppings, like radishes. For quesabirria tacos, you’ll also need shredded Oaxaca cheese and corn tortillas.

How to make the best homemade birria meat:

Toast the peppers. I highly suggest wearing disposable food-safe gloves for this first step. Start by removing the stems and cutting down the length of the pepper using kitchen shears. Remove the ribs and all the seeds and discard. You’ll want to add a drizzle of oil to a skillet or directly in the dutch oven you’ll use to make your birria de res. When the oil is hot, add the peppers and pan fry them until they are toasted, then transfer them to a saucepan or a bowl and pour hot water over the peppers. Cover and let them soak for at least 12 minutes. This will allow the peppers to blend very easily.
Saute and blend. Add the onions and garlic cloves to the hot oil and saute them for a few minutes. Then transfer these to a blender, and toss in the tomatoes, vinegar, bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves, oregano, thyme, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, and the soaked peppers with the water and blend until smooth.
Sear and simmer. Pat the meat dry and season with kosher salt generously. Then, add a drizzle of oil to the same dutch oven and sear the meat in batches over medium heat. I remove the meat to a small sheet pan and continue searing until all the meat is done. Then add all the meat back to the dutch oven and pour the prepared sauce over the meat. Add enough water to cover the meat and bring this to a simmer. Then lower the heat, cover the pot, and let it hang out until the meat is tender. I usually walk by every hour and give it a stir and make sure things are chugging along smoothly, but that’s it! If you’re looking for instant pot directions, they’ll be in the notes section of the recipe.
Shred and skim! When the meat is tender, remove it, discard the bones and shred the meat using two forks or with meat claws. You can thin the broth out with water or beef broth if you’re making ramen, but for serving this as stew with rice, it should be perfect this way. You’ll want to taste for seasonings and add additional salt if desired. If you used a conventional blender, I suggest straining the broth to make sure you can get out all the little pieces of spices. You’ll also want to skim the top to remove any excess grease. This will really just depend on how fatty the cuts you used were. You can use an oil separator or if you’re making this in advance, I suggest skimming the top after the birria has been refrigerated, so much easier to remove that way!
Serve: if you’re making quesabirria tacos, dip the tortillas in the consommé and toss them in a pan or a hot griddle with a drizzle of oil, topped with Oaxaca, shredded beef, chopped onions and cilantro. Then serve the consommé in bowls with tons of lime wedges to season the broth with!

FAQs about beef birria de res:

Can I make this in the slow cooker? I’m confident that you can, I just haven’t had a chance to test it yet. You’ll want to follow the instructions on the recipe and sear the meat, then, just pop the meat, the blended chile paste, and water into the slow cooker and let it simmer on low for 6-8 hours until the meat is tender. The cooking time may vary as I haven’t tested the recipe just yet and you may also want to use less water/broth as you won’t have as much evaporation.
Can I make this in advance? Yes, absolutely! The flavors of the consomme and the shredded beef become more enhanced as this sits, so feel free to make this 1-2 days ahead of assembling the tacos or ramen!
Can I use other cuts of meat like beef shank instead of the short ribs? Yes, that should work just fine. The beef shanks may take more or less time to cook, so just make sure to check both the shanks and the chuck roast when you’re testing for doneness so that everything shreds easily.
I can’t find Mexican cinnamon, what else can I use? Siagon or other types of cinnamon will also work but you’ll have to change the technique. Mexican cinnamon is a lot more brittle than, for example, Siagon cinnamon. So you can easily blend it up and it will break down almost immediately in the blender. If you use another type of cinnamon, I suggest adding the cinnamon stick to the stew whole and then fishing it out at the end when you’re shredding the meat. I wouldn’t suggest subjecting the blender to that kind of torture!
Do you have a recipe for quesabirria tacos? I do, it’s coming soon! 😉

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Yield: serves 10

Beef Birria de Res (Stovetop + Instant Pot)

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes

This easy birria recipe can be made on the stovetop or Instant pot! Tenders chunks of seared beef that we'll stew in onions, chile paste, garlic, and lots of herbs and spices! Then use the birria meat to make quesabirria tacos, birria ramen or serve over rice!

Ingredients

4 Ancho chilies
3 guajillo chilies
2-4 chili de Arbol (these have heat)
5 cups water, divided (see notes)
2 tablespoons oil, plus more
1 large white onion, cut into a few pieces
14 cloves garlic
5 Roma tomatoes, cut into a few pieces
3 tablespoons white vinegar
4 bay leaves
8 EACH: whole black peppercorns AND whole cloves
2 teaspoons EACH: Mexican oregano AND dried thyme
1½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried ginger
1-inch piece of Mexican cinnamon (see notes)
3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
3 pounds chuck roast, cut into 8 pieces
2 pounds bone-in short ribs (or use 4 lbs. chuck roast total)

Instructions

SIZZLE: Wearing disposable gloves, remove stem of dried peppers, and cut down the length of the pepper with kitchen shears. Remove ribs and seeds; discard. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 6-quart dutch oven (or larger) over medium heat. Add the chilies and fry for roughly 1-2 minutes, flipping often. Remove chilies using a slotted spoon to a medium bowl, add 2 cups boiling water, cover, and let the chilies soak for 12 minutes. Sauté the onions and garlic for 3 minutes over medium-high heat in the oil that’s remaining in the pan, if dry, add a small drizzle.
BLEND: Transfer onions, garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, bay leaves, peppercorns, whole cloves, oregano, thyme, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, and soaked peppers with water to a high powder blender; blend. For smaller blenders, blend in batches. See notes for conventional blenders.
SIMMER: See notes for pressure cooker directions. Pat the beef chunks dry and season with 2 teaspoons salt. Heat the same dutch oven over medium-high heat. If the pot is dry, add a tablespoon of oil. Sear beef in batches and allow it to brown on all sides; about 5-6 minutes. Add oil between batches if the pot is dry. Once the meat is browned, pour blended chili mixture over the beef. Add 3 cups of water (see notes) and the remaining teaspoon of salt. Allow the mixture to reach a simmer, then, lower the heat to low, and cover pot. Simmer for 4-5 hours or until the meat is fall-apart tender. I check it about every hour and give it a stir, but it’s pretty hands off at this point. Test the meat with a paring knife. The knife should go through the meat very easily.
SHRED AND SKIM: When the meat is tender, remove, discard bones, and shred using two forks or meat claws. You can thin out the broth with additional water or simmer it longer to concentrate it. Taste and adjust the salt in the broth to preference. You'll also want to skim the top to remove excess grease. You can use an oil separator or if you're making this in advance, I suggest skimming the top after the birria has been refrigerated, so much easier to remove that way!
SERVE: Serve it in bowls as stew with rice topped with onions and cilantro. For quesabirria tacos, I like to strain the consommé and season with lime juice, chopped onions, and cilantro. You can also make ramen bowls by preparing noodles ladling with consommé and topping with desired toppings.

Notes

if you used a conventional blender (not high powered) you will want to strain the chili mixture at the end when the meat is done. This is so you don’t end up with bits of spice in your stew!
Water or broth: If you’re using only chuck roast for this recipe, I suggest using beef broth instead of water and waiting on salting until the very end. If you’re using bone-in short ribs, you can skip the broth and use water!
Pressure Cooker: You'll need a 6 quart pressure cooker for this recipe. Follow steps 1 and 2 and most of 3, searing the meat in the pressure cooker. Once the meat is seared, add chile paste, water, and salt. Place the lid on top, seal the vent, and pressure cook on high pressure for 48 minutes. Then, allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, and pick up from step 4 above.
Cinnamon: Mexican cinnamon can be found in Hispanic grocery stores. If you use regular cinnamon, skip it from the ingredients that are added to the blender. Instead, add it directly to the meat when you’re pouring in the blended liquid at the end of step 3. Fish out the cinnamon stick and discard when you shred the meat.

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