How to Make Caldo Tlalpeño Soup Recipe (with Quinoa!)

This caldo tlalpeño recipe is a hearty soup filled with amazing Mexican flavors, fresh veggies, aromatics, and chipotle chiles. Served with delicious garnishes, this filling and satisfying soup is great for colder days, months, or any time of year!

 

Caldo Tlalpeno Soup |Pamela Salzman

 

What Is Caldo Tlalpeño

 

Caldo Tlalpeño is a vibrant and hearty Mexican soup that is beloved for its complex flavors and comforting qualities. This Mexican dish is made with a base of rich chicken broth and features traditional ingredients like shredded chicken and a mix of vegetables such as carrots, zucchini, green beans, and chickpeas for added heartiness. It originated in Tlalpan, a borough of Mexico City, Mexico.

 

What sets Caldo Tlalpeño apart is the chipotle pepper, which infuses the soup with a distinctive smoky and spicy flavor. It is often garnished with fresh avocado, lime, and cilantro. Caldo Tlalpeño is not only a staple in Mexican cuisine but also a favorite soup for a nourishing meal during cold and rainy days.

 

What Makes This Recipe Great

 

I am always looking for new and different Mexican dishes to try on my family.  There are only so many fish taco and chicken fajita recipes that they’ll put up with. When I saw a recipe for Caldo Tlalpeño Soup, I knew right away that this would be a keeper.  There are so many variations on this soup, which I think of as a slightly spicy, smoky Mexican chicken soup.  

 

Chipotles, which are dried, smoked jalapeño peppers, are always the star of the show.   Without them, this would just be a chicken and vegetable soup.  Although the ingredients in Caldo Tlalpeño vary from region to region and restaurant to restaurant, you cannot make this soup without the chiles.  

 

I have also seen versions with diced zucchini, green beans, chayote, or rice.  Epazote is a traditional herb used in this soup, but it’s not easy for everyone to find, so I often use oregano in its place.  Not an exact, perfect sub, but good enough.

 

One of my favorite things about Mexican food is adding all those great toppings and condiments.  So many of my favorite dishes are incomplete without salsa, guacamole, cilantro radishes, or all of the above.  The topping bar is also my secret weapon with Mr. Picky.  He’ll eat almost anything if he is allowed to top it with corn tortilla chips or diced avocado. 

 

Caldo Tlalpeño is great on its own, but I make this a full meal with a little cooked quinoa (not at all traditional, but amazing here), a pinch of sheep’s milk feta (also nontraditional, but delish,) and a squeeze of lime and some fresh cilantro.  So light, fresh, healthful, and delicious.

 

Ingredient Notes

 

  • unrefined, cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil
  • yellow or white onion
  • carrots
  • garlic cloves
  • jar of diced tomatoes: I like Jovial tomatoes in glass jars. I don’t recommend fresh tomatoes as the jarred version adds more to the broth. 
  • whole dried chipotle chiles: Or 2 canned chipotles in adobo (I much prefer the dried chiles.
  • dried oregano
  • cooked chickpeas: Or one can, drained and rinsed. Also called garbanzo beans. 
  • sea salt 
  • chicken or vegetable stock: Preferably homemade, but storebought will work. 
  • baby leafy greens
  • optional accompaniments: Lime, fresh cilantro, crumbled cotija or feta cheese, cooked quinoa or rice, shredded and cooked chicken, and diced avocado.

 

Step-by-Step Instructions

 

saute the aromatics

 

In a large saucepan warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes.

 

add tomatoes, oregano and chipotles

 

Add the tomatoes, chiles, and oregano and sauté for 2 minutes.

 

simmer until carrots are tender

 

Stir in the chickpeas, sea salt, and stock. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer. Cook covered until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.

 

Caldo Tlalpeno Soup

 

Stir in the greens and turn off the heat. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Pour into bowls and serve with suggested accompaniments if desired.

 

Caldo Tlalpeno Soup with a twist | Pamela Salzman

 

Expert Tips

 

  • 4 chiles make this soup about 2-3 on a heat scale of 1-10.   Eating them whole, however, is quite spicy.  You can dice them up or puree them with a little broth when the soup is finished and serve them with the other condiments/toppings for an extra kick.
  • While I made this soup without animal protein, you can always add cooked chicken breasts (leftover chicken or shredded chicken work well).

Serving Tips

 

To serve Caldo Tlalpeño, ladle the hot soup into individual bowls. Garnish each bowl with desired toppings including fresh avocado slices, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges on the side for squeezing. 

 

Optionally, add finely chopped onions, queso fresco, or crumbled Cotija for extra flavor. Serve with warm tortillas or crusty bread to complement the rich, smoky broth. 

 

Storage Tips

 

To store Caldo Tlalpeño, allow it to cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat thoroughly and give it a good stir before serving.

 

caldo tlalpeno soup | pamela salzman

 

More Mexican-Inspired Recipes

 

 

If you give this recipe a try, snap a pic and tag @pamelasalzman on Instagram so I can see your beautiful creations. I also really appreciate readers taking the time to leave a star rating and review! Lastly, subscribe for free to my site for the latest recipes and updates.

 

For more delicious recipes and to learn how to be a better cook, check out my monthly online cooking classes. I have been teaching people for 15 years how to cook healthy food that their families love!  Join me!

 

This post may contain affiliate links

 

Get The Recipe

 

Caldo Tlalpeño Soup

Pamela
This caldo tlalpeño recipe is a hearty soup filled with amazing Mexican flavors, fresh veggies, aromatics, and chipotle chiles. Served with delicious garnishes, this filling and satisfying soup is great for colder days, months, or any time of year!
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Tablespoons unrefined cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • 2 large carrots sliced into half-moons
  • 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1 15- ounce jar diced tomatoes I like Jovial tomatoes in glass jars.
  • 4-6 whole dried chipotle chiles use fewer for less heat*, or 2 canned chipotles in adobo (I much prefer the dried chiles.)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas or 1 15-ounce can drained and rinsed
  • Sea salt 1-3 teaspoons according to whether or not your stock is salted
  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock preferably homemade
  • 4 cups baby leafy greens
  • Optional accompaniments: lime fresh cilantro, crumbled cojita or feta cheese, cooked quinoa or rice, shredded and cooked chicken, diced avocado

Instructions
 

  • In a large saucepan warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and garlic and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes.
  • Add the tomatoes, chiles, and oregano and sauté for 2 minutes.
  • Stir in the chickpeas, sea salt and stock. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer. Cook covered until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.
  • Stir in the greens and turn off the heat. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Serve with suggested accompaniments if desired.

Notes

Expert Tips
4 chiles make this soup about 2-3 on a heat scale of 1-10.   Eating them whole, however, is quite spicy.  You can dice them up or puree them with a little broth when the soup is finished and serve them with the other condiments/toppings for an extra kick.
While I made this soup without animal protein, you can always add cooked chicken breasts (leftover chicken or shredded chicken work well). 
Serving Tips
To serve Caldo Tlalpeño, ladle the hot soup into individual bowls. Garnish each bowl with desired toppings including fresh avocado slices, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges on the side for squeezing. 
Optionally, add finely chopped onions, queso fresco, or crumbled Cotija for extra flavor. Serve with warm tortillas or crusty bread to complement the rich, smoky broth. 
Storage Tips
To store Caldo Tlalpeño, allow it to cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat thoroughly and give it a good stir before serving.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

 

 

French Onion Soup Recipe

healthy french onion soup | pamela salzman

If it wasn’t winter before this week, it sure is now. Not in Southern California, of course.  But for the rest of the country.  Although people in LA dress like it’s zero degrees when it’s 55.  It’s totally funny.  I cracked up when I saw this post on Pinterest last week:

50 degrees in California, 50 degrees in Michigan

So I figured that everyone would be in the mood for soup this week, no matter where you live!  I had completely forgotten about this delicious French onion soup I taught two years ago, until my husband asked me to make it.  My entire family, Mr. Picky included, are big soup fans and I love making it.  In general, soups are easy, flexible, reheat well and a good way to consume homemade bone broth, which I am convinced is so healing, immune-boosting and good for digestion.

lots of sliced onions

 

French onion soup is a classic, and I am not necessarily reinventing the wheel here, just sharing the way I like to make it.  And isn’t that the beauty of cooking?  Figuring out how to tweak recipes to your liking?  I prefer an onion soup that is loaded with onions and with a rich and flavorful broth.  I’ve tasted a few very lackluster onion soups and that is not this one!

healthy French onion soup | pamela salzman

healthy French onion soup | pamela salzman

The key to the broth is good stock and the proper alcohol.  Yes, you can serve soup with alcohol to children since the alcohol is burned off in the simmering process.  My kids have had plenty of alcohol in cooked foods and were not affected in the slightest.  Brandy or vermouth plus some white wine are my favorites.  I do not love this soup with red wine, personally.  Another tip I can offer is using the slicing disc in your food processor to slice all the onions.  It will take you all of 1 minute with no tears to do it this way.  If you have no food processor, get out your best knife and get close (not too close) to a big open flame, like a gas burner on your stove, and slice away.  The flame from the stove will burn the gases from the onions and you won’t cry.  Promise!

healthy French onion soup | pamela salzman

As for the cheesy toast, I personally don’t add the traditional Gruyere toast on top to mine because I can’t eat too much dairy, but my family loves that part.  My son adds toast only, I add chopped parsley, and my husband and daughters love toast + cheese.   I think it makes more sense to toast the bread and melt the cheese separately in the oven than broil it in the soup bowls.  The soup bowls get so incredibly hot and it’s not safe at all to serve such hot bowls to kids (or anyone.)  It’s much simpler to add the melted cheese toast to the soup bowl.  But you can broil it in the bowls, too.  I would serve this with a meal of roasted fish and a green vegetable or just a large, hearty salad.  This soup is all about comfort, warmth and total deliciousness.  One bite is like a cozy blanket wrapping itself around you.  What more could you need on a day like today?

healthy French onion soup | pamela salzman

French Onion Soup

Pamela
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 pounds yellow onions about 6, halved and cut into ¼-inch slices
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt double this if your stock is unsalted
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
  • ¼ cup Cognac or brandy
  • 4 cups rich chicken stock preferably homemade
  • 4 cups high quality beef broth or use mushroom stock or chicken stock
  • 6 ½- inch slices of baguette or French bread torn by hand
  • 6 ounces Gruyere shredded (or buy it pre-sliced)
  • a pinch of Parmesan cheese optional

Instructions
 

  • In a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot, melt butter over medium heat and add onions. COVER and cook 10 minutes.
  • UNCOVER, add thyme, bay leaves, salt, black pepper and cook onions until they are very soft and deep golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. I usually start at medium heat and then when I see the onions start to color, I drop to medium-low and then to low heat. This is the key step in this recipe. If the onions don’t get golden, the soup won’t have as much flavor. But you also don’t want to burn the onions because then the soup will taste bitter.
  • Stir in the wine and Cognac, scraping the bottom of the pot.
  • Stir in the stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes longer. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Taste for seasoning. Keep in mind that if you are adding cheese, you will be adding extra saltiness.
  • In the meantime, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, arrange the baguette slices or bread pieces on a baking sheet in one layer and bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes.
  • Preheat the broiler to high and position the oven rack 6 inches from the heat. Either top each piece of toast with a handful of grated gruyere and broil until melted. Divide the soup between 6 bowls and top each soup bowl with a piece of cheese toast. OR place 6 oven-proof soup bowls or crocks on a rimmed baking sheet and fill each with soup. Top with the toasted bread and then the cheese. Broil a few minutes until cheese has melted.

Notes

This soup tastes even better the next day! If you want to double this, caramelize the onions in 2 pots. Otherwise it's too many onions at one time.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Pasta with Shredded Grass-Fed Brisket Recipe (slow cooker version, too!)

pasta with shredded grass-fed beef brisket | pamela salzman

Just because I don’t eat meat, doesn’t mean my family doesn’t love it and ask for it.  So I will make it on occasion, but my rule is that it has to be grass-fed.  Read my other brisket post about why.  I make beef more in the winter than in the summer because it has a very warming thermal nature, and becomes even more warming when cooked with onions, which means it can actually raise the thermostat in your body and heat you up a little.  Perfect these chilly nights, and I know so many of you have been suffering through the worst winter ever!  It’s almost over! (I hope!)

pat meat dry, season and sear

chop veggies

I’ve been making a version of this recipe for about 15 years, and my grandmother made something similar which everyone loved.  Of course grandmothers never write recipes down because they don’t measure anything (a pinch of this, a sprinkle of that.)  Thank goodness for google which helped me come up with a great roadmap for one of my family’s favorites.  In fact, my older daughter has requested this dish many times for her birthday in past years!

dry red wine and organic diced tomatoes in a glass jar

brisket and sauce before and after

This is different from the brisket I learned how to make for Jewish holidays.  That brisket is braised in an oniony sauce as well, but it’s sliced whereas this one is shredded and the sauce is more tomato-veggie, much more Italian.  We used to eat this over wide pasta, like pappardelle or fettuccine or egg noodles.  But spaghetti and even orecchiette are great.  Since I don’t make as much pasta as I used to, we have been enjoying this more over cauliflower mashed potatoes or polenta.  For those of you who are hooked on spaghetti squash, I think this would be great on it!

cut and shred

Brisket is one of those very tough cuts of meat that can only be made meltingly tender by cooking it low and slow for a long period of time with lots of moisture.  Don’t try and grill, sear or stir-fry brisket.  You’ll end up with the toughest, chewiest meat ever.  Yuck!  You can also use chuck roast in this recipe since that cut also needs a long, low and slow preparation.  Since it takes three hours minimum to cook, you’ll need to get this going early in the day or do it in a slow cooker, or make it the day before and reheat it.  All methods will result in a super soft, very flavorful brisket and sauce.  Although I personally think the flavor is a little better the next day.  And, this will freeze beautifully!  I think this sounds like a good weekend project for those of us who will be stuck inside from monsoon rains (not complaining, just saying) or the bitter cold.  Hoping this can help you find a way to stay cozy this weekend!

pasta with shredded grass-fed beef brisket | pamela salzman

Pasta with Shredded Grass-Fed Brisket

Pamela, adapted from epicurious.com
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ½-3 pound piece of brisket preferably grass-fed
  • sea salt or kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 3 Tablespoons unrefined olive oil divided
  • 2 large onions chopped
  • 2 medium carrots chopped
  • 2 medium stalks of celery chopped
  • 6 cloves of garlic chopped
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 2 cups rich chicken stock or beef broth use whichever you have that’s homemade
  • 1 14- to 15- ounce can diced tomatoes or 18-ounce glass jar
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 pound pasta cooked and drained

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Pat brisket dry and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a large oven-proof pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sear the meat on both sides until nicely browned, about 12 minutes total.
  • Transfer meat to a platter. Add 2 Tablespoons oil to the pot and then add the chopped vegetables and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté over medium heat until tender and golden.
  • Stir in the wine, stock, tomatoes and bay leaves and deglaze the bottom of the pan by scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil and place brisket back in the pot. Cover and transfer pot to the oven. Braise the meat for 3-4 hours or until tender enough to shred with a fork.
  • Remove from the oven and transfer meat to a cutting board. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Remove excess fat from the meat, cut into 2-inch chunks, and shred with two forks.
  • If you would like a smoother sauce, pureé the vegetable mixture either directly in the pot with an immersion blender or in a food processor or blender. Otherwise you can leave it chunky. This can be done a day before and reheated in the same Dutch oven over medium heat on the stove.
  • Add the shredded meat back into the sauce and stir together. Serve over cooked pasta or polenta, millet-cauliflower mash, mashed potatoes or cauliflower-mashed potatoes.

Notes

Use less liquid if you want less of a sauce.
SLOW COOKER VERSION
-Sear meat on both sides in a skillet or Dutch oven.  Transfer to slow cooker.
-Saute vegetables until tender.  Season with salt.
-Deglaze pan with 2/3 cup wine, 1 ½ cups stock and same amount of tomatoes as stove-top recipe, making sure to scrape all the brown bits from the bottom of the pot.  Transfer contents plus bay leaves to slow cooker.
-Cover and cook on LOW for 7-9 hours or HIGH 4-5 hours.  Proceed with remaining steps 4-6 above.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Creamy, Dairy-free Asparagus Soup Recipe and Video

Creamy, Dairy-Free Asparagus Soup | Pamela Salzman
Creamy, Dairy-Free Asparagus Soup | Pamela Salzman
Photography by Morgan Pansing

I remember growing up in New York and feeling gipped when Spring rolled around.  Why?  Because 90% of the time it was still cold!   My parents told me that last Saturday it was snowing.  Brrrrrr!  Sort of doesn’t really match the image I used to have of spring — lying under a flowering tree, daffodils and tulips under a sunny sky.  I’d rather hunker down with a bowl of hot soup wearing a beanie and not a bonnet.

woody ends in a pot for asparagus stock

But nature is giving us some new foods to enjoy, to help us detoxify all the stuff weighing us down from winter.  I’ve been making mostly thick and hearty meal-in-a-bowl soups like lentil or mushroom-barley.  But I saw gorgeous green local asparagus at the farmer’s market the other day and jumped for joy.  And then I made asparagus soup!  Since the season is so short, I will prepare it at least once a week until I see the words “from Mexico” and then it’s adios asparagus!

a little lemon peel gives the soup a really nice bright flavor

ingredients

Believe it or not, asparagus is a total powerhouse vegetable.  It is rich in antioxidants which protect against free radical damage. Asparagus also contains high amounts of histones, folic acid, and nucleic acid, which boost the immune system.  It contains high levels of the amino acid asparagine, which serves as a natural diuretic, and increased urination not only releases fluid but helps rid the body of excess salts. This is especially beneficial for people who suffer from edema (an accumulation of fluids in the body’s tissues) and those who have high blood pressure or other heart-related diseases.  And it is a particularly rich source of glutathione, a detoxifying compound that helps break down carcinogens and other harmful compounds. This is why eating asparagus may help protect against and fight certain forms of cancer, such as bone, breast, colon, larynx and lung cancers.

looks weird, but after you puree it, it tastes delicious!

This creamy soup is so lovely and EASY.  Easy enough to make tonight on a moment’s notice and special enough to serve for your holiday luncheon or dinner.  Guess what?  Passover is next Monday night and Easter is in less than two weeks.  Time to get those menus in order!  This soup is perfect and of course, it gets its creaminess not from dairy, but from one of my favorite non-dairy tricks, oats!  Crazy, right?  You cook rolled oats with the asparagus and puree everything to a thick and silky creaminess which tastes nothing of oats and only fresh asparagus!  If you need this soup to be Passover-friendly, you can substitute 1 pound of Yukon Gold potatoes for the oats.

puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender

I have made this soup with all vegetable broth and it was terrific.  I tried it will all chicken stock and I thought it was a little too chicken-y.  My favorite way is with half chicken stock and half asparagus stock — amazing!  What’s asparagus stock?  You take the woody ends from the bottom of the asparagus spears and simmer them in water until you have a lovely, delicately-flavored asparagus broth.  This would also be awesome for a vegetarian asparagus risotto!  (Easy-to-follow instructions are at the bottom of the recipe.)  Happy Spring!

Creamy, Dairy-Free Asparagus Soup | Pamela Salzman

Creamy, Dairy-Free Asparagus Soup | Pamela Salzman

Creamy, Dairy-free Asparagus Soup

Pamela
4.89 from 9 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Tablespoon unrefined olive oil unsalted butter or unrefined coconut oil
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
  • ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats check label for gluten-free
  • 2 bunches of asparagus about 2 pounds, woody ends trimmed* and stalks cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock preferably homemade
  • 2 cups water or asparagus stock – see note at bottom of recipe
  • 1 large piece of lemon peel about 2 inches
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt more if you use unsalted stock
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until tender and translucent, about 8 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Add the remaining ingredients to the pot. Bring soup to a boil and lower to a simmer. Cover pot and cook for 10 -15 minutes until asparagus is very tender.
  • Turn off heat and remove the lemon peel. Or for a more assertive lemon flavor, blend the peel or half the peel with the soup. Puree the soup until smooth, either directly in the pot with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender (keep the lid open a crack.)Ideas for garnishes: steamed asparagus tips, garlic croutons, shaved Pecorino-Romano cheese or chopped chives.

Notes

*Save the ends for vegetable stock (recipe here) or boil the ends in 3 cups of water for 20-30 minutes for an asparagus stock. This should yield approximately 2 cups of asparagus stock, but measure anyway.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

 

 

Creamy, Dairy-Free Asparagus Soup | Pamela Salzman

Broccoli stalk soup recipe

This month I’ve been teaching a broccoli and cauliflower stir-fry in my classes.  I am using only the florets since I know the stalks aren’t as popular in my house.  It’s all very well and good, except for the fact that I’ve been left at the end of each week with a heck of a lot of broccoli stalks.  I’m sure you’ve gathered by now that I am a compulsive use-everything-you’ve-got kind of a cook.  I absolutely hate to waste food!  In fact, I started a tradition in the house called “Frittata Fridays.”  That’s when I pull together bits of leftovers and random vegetables and turn them into breakfast.  Everyone’s happy!

So in order to not throw away the perfectly good broccoli stalks, I have been juicing lots of them into our juices.  But there’s only so much of that I can take.  What else could I use them for?   On a whim I decided to see if I could turn the stalks in a pureed soup like my Cauliflower and Roasted Garlic Soup, which is one of my absolute favorites.  My biggest concern was that the stalks wouldn’t have enough flavor and the soup would taste like nothing — WRONG!  It was delicious.  Warm, rich, creamy and using one of my favorite soup-thickening techniques (cooking and pureeing Yukon Gold potatoes with the soup), it tasted like there was lots of cream or butter when there was none.

Nutritionally speaking, the stalks are quite comparable to the florets, which is awesome since broccoli is once of those super foods you should be eating a lot of (and not throwing into the garbage!)  In fact, I’m big on the whole cruciferous family of vegetables which includes all the cabbages, kale, bok choy, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, collard greens and more.  These vegetables contain incredible amounts of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, cancer-fighting compounds, and even protein.  Load up, people!

I enjoyed this soup straight away with an extra pinch of flaky sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper.  My husband stirred into his bowl a big pinch of shredded raw cheddar cheese and thought that was great.  For the girls, I made them grilled raw cheddar cheese and kale pesto sandwiches on spelt bread and they loved dipping those into the soup.  Even Mr. Picky finished his entire bowl — plain of course, with absolutely nothing added.  This was a winner all around!

 

Broccoli Stalk Soup

Pamela
4.94 from 16 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter or unrefined cold-pressed olive oil
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves chopped
  • 2 ¼ - 2 ½ pounds broccoli stalks ends and any tough woody layers removed
  • 1 large Yukon Gold potato about 8 ounces, peeled if desired and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock preferably homemade
  • 2-3 teaspoons sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter or warm the oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté, covered, until tender and translucent, about 6 minutes.
  • Add the broccoli, potato, stock and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat and then lower to a simmer. Cook partially covered until potatoes and broccoli stalks are tender, about 20 minutes.
  • Puree soup with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender. Taste for seasoning.

Notes

You can stir in shredded cheese before serving, garnish with grated Parmesan or Pecorino, top with grilled cheese croutons or chopped chives
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

 

Italian wedding soup recipe

I love new beginnings and thankfully we have so many opportunities to start fresh.  For me, the first day of school, beginning of summer, first day of spring and of course, January 1st are all times of the year when I take a minute to regroup, reflect and think about what I’d like to do better or differently.  I even think of Sundays in the same way, a time to prepare for the week ahead.  I am an obsessive list-maker so I start with my menu for the week, as well as errands that need to get done, calls to be made, projects that need to be completed, etc.  But January 1st is a day when I think about bigger goals whether it’s being more physically active, learning how to meditate, eating dinner as a family 5 nights a week, or stepping away from the computer by 8:00 pm each night (sounds like a dream, yes?).

Most people I know make resolutions about food and their health or just take this time after holiday indulging to cleanse or go on a diet.  I’ve never been able to restrict my daily fuel consumption to juices for a few days without becoming a complete raging you-know-what, so instead I try to return our diet to lighter, but always nourishing foods.  It is still the middle of winter after all, and too many cold and raw foods may leave you feeling imbalanced and out of harmony with nature.

I recently spent the week with my family in NY and had a great time cooking with my mom and sisters.  I think we made a soup or stew every single day for either lunch or dinner.  Kids usually like soups, especially if you let them add fun foods on top like tortilla chips, popcorn or shredded cheese.  Soups are also a great opportunity to get in some homemade stock which is such a great immune booster at the time of the year when we need it most.  I’d like to share with you one of my kids’ favorites, Italian Wedding Soup.  Honestly, I didn’t do my homework here and I can’t tell you the origins of the name, but you can call it whatever you like, including “chicken soup with baby meatballs” which is what Mr. Picky calls it.  He ate three bowls of this the other day which makes me happier than getting into my skinny jeans.  If you have a picky eater, you know what I’m talking about.

My grandma used to make a version of this with small pasta and escarole, but I think white beans are much more nutritious than pasta.  The way I prepare this here is rather brothy, but I don’t see why you couldn’t add more vegetables or beans and make it heartier.  Either way, whenever I eat this, it always feels like a big loving hug and I can’t think of a better way to start a new year.

Italian Wedding Soup

Pamela
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • FOR THE MEATBALLS*:
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ of an onion grated
  • ¼ cup dry whole grain bread crumbs purchased or just toast fresh breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup fresh bread crumbs 1 slice of bread, hard crusts removed, processed in food processor
  • 1/3 cup Pecorino or Parmigiano cheese
  • 1 pound ground turkey preferably dark meat
  • 1 Tablespoon finely chopped parsley
  • 1 clove garlic finely chopped
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • FOR THE SOUP:
  • 2 Tablespoons unrefined extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 2 large carrots diced
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 10 cups chicken or turkey stock preferably homemade
  • 1 ½ cups cooked cannellini beans or 1 15-ounce can drained and rinsed**
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 10 ounces baby spinach stems trimmed or 1 head escarole, chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino or Parmigiano plus extra for garnish

Instructions
 

  • To make the meatballs, stir the first five ingredients in a bowl to blend. Add the remaining meatball ingredients and combine well with your hands. Using a half tablespoon or a mini-ice cream scooper, scoop the meat mixture into your hands and from them into 1-inch diameter meatballs. Set aside on a plate or baking sheet.
  • To make the soup, warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery and sauté until the onions are translucent.
  • Add the broth, beans and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil and carefully add the meatballs (if using escarole, add this now too.) Lower to a simmer and cook until the meatballs are cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
  • Stir in the spinach and grated cheese and cook until spinach is just wilted.
  • Taste for seasoning. Serve with additional grated cheese, if desired.

Notes

*To make this vegetarian, use your favorite vegetarian meatballs and vegetable broth.
**Traditionally served with ditalini or pastina. If you prefer to use pasta, add already cooked pasta to the soup and the end with the spinach. Another option is to add cooked Arborio rice or green peas.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Mushroom and leek stuffing recipe

When I married my husband over 17 years ago (gasp!), I was more than excited to start hosting some of the holidays at our new home.  But I soon realized that my husband’s traditions were slightly different from the ones I grew up with, especially on Thanksgiving.  What?  No first course of pasta with marinara sauce?  Strange, I thought, but I could adapt!  My mother-in-law kindly shared with me the way things were done on the West Coast.  She liked to serve everyone a salad to start and plate the main dinner for each person in the kitchen.  Turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes and stuffing were all givens, and their stuffing of choice was Pepperidge Farm.  No problem!

My husband and I have hosted every Thanksgiving since 1996 and enjoy the comfort that develops when you do something over and over again.   I have since incorporated my own traditions like buffet – easier and much less waste – and soup to start.  About 6 years ago I decided to examine the ingredients on the seemingly innocuous bag of Pepperidge Farm stuffing.  Holy crap.  I couldn’t believe the garbage that went into breadcrumbs!  One thing I knew for certain was that Pepperidge Farm was uninvited to Thanksgiving…forever!

Actually, if it were up to me, I would drop stuffing from the menu altogether.  I really don’t get it.  With ALL the delicious food on the Thanksgiving table, many of the dishes starchy, we’re going to eat gussied up bread, a food we already overeat on every other day of the year??  I was trying to explain to my husband that mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and butternut squash are all starches, as is the obligatory cornbread.  We should balance out the meal with additional vegetables, like Brussels sprouts!  “You’re taking this health food thing a little too far.  The stuffing stays!”

Although I like to think of myself as the dictator of my kitchen empire, the director of Thanksgiving, I’m really a democratic leader.  I figured my only option was to create a delicious, higher quality stuffing that looked like Pepperidge Farm and tasted enough like it, but even better.  So here’s my take on a good classic stuffing that’s not too gourmet, in fact tastes very close to our old preservative-laden standby.    I usually make two for our dinner, one with mushrooms to suit me and one without for my hubby.

I’ve tried this stuffing with whole grain breads like whole wheat or spelt, but truthfully it tastes a little “wheat-y.”  There was a fantastic bread I used to buy from Whole Foods called Miche, which was a sourdough bread made of a blend of whole wheat and white flours.  That was about as whole grain as my family could take on Thanksgiving.  Truth be told,  I prefer to go down in our family history as the benevolent one who said, “ let them eat stuffing!”

Mushroom and Leek Stuffing

Pamela
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings 8 -10 (although I make 2 for 24 people on Thanksgiving and it is plenty)

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ pounds rustic whole wheat or white bread hard crust removed
  • 6 Tablespoons unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ pound shiitake mushrooms wiped clean, stems removed and discarded, caps sliced
  • ½ pound cremini mushrooms wiped clean, quartered
  • 2 stalks celery chopped
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 leeks cleaned and sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage or poultry seasoning or 2 teaspoons fresh sage chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons flat-leaf parsley chopped
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt or 3 teaspoons if using unsalted stock
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3-4 cups chicken turkey or vegetable stock (depending on if you like it wet or dry)
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small dice (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Place bread in a food processor and process into large crumbs or cut into ½-inch dice. (I like to do a combination.) You should have 10 cups. Spread bread over 2 large shallow baking pans and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, stirring occasionally and switching position of pans halfway through baking, until completely dry, about 25 minutes. Transfer bread to a large bowl.
  • Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees and grease a 13x9-inch baking dish.
  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, celery, onion, leeks, and garlic, and sauté, stirring occasionally until softened, 10 minutes.
  • Stir in thyme, sage, parsley, salt and pepper. Add vegetables to bread, tossing to combine.
  • Pour chicken broth over the bread mixture, tossing to coat evenly.
  • Spread stuffing in a baking dish, dot with butter and cover tightly with foil. Bake in upper third of oven until heated through, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake stuffing until top is browned, 10 – 15 minutes more. Stuffing can also be baked in a well-greased 12-cup muffin tin.

Notes

Bread crumbs can be prepared several days in advance.
Vegetables can be chopped the day before.
Entire casserole can be prepared up to the point of baking the day before and refrigerated or frozen and then thawed and baked according to the directions.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!