Soup is not only a nutritional powerhouse packed full of vitamins, but it is also a cost-effective way of eating healthily. It’s versatile too, and can be heartily enjoyed alone or served alongside a sandwich or salad for a more rounded meal. Today we will explore a world of affordable soup recipes, especially designed for one person.
Stirring up a pot of soup may seem like a task meant for feeding a family or a crowd, but it doesn’t have to be. These savoury recipes are perfectly portioned for one person, and they won’t break the bank either. Economical ingredients, a little time, and a lot of flavour are the key components of these soups.
Spicy Tomato Soup
Spicy Tomato Soup is a simple yet delectable option. Very few ingredients are required: 5 ripe tomatoes, 1 onion, 1 clove of garlic, 1 red chilli, 500ml of vegetable stock, and a tablespoon of olive oil. The preparation is straightforward: roughly chop all the vegetables, heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onions and garlic until translucent. Add the tomatoes and chilli, then pour in the vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer, then blend until smooth.
Chicken and Vegetable Soup
A comforting Chicken and Vegetable soup is perfect for using up leftover chicken and requires a handful of inexpensive ingredients. You’ll need 1 chicken breast, 1 carrot, 1 stalk of celery, 1 small onion, 650ml chicken broth, and some olive oil. Chop the vegetables and chicken into bite-sized chunks, heat the oil in a pan and sauté the vegetables until softened. Add the chicken to the pan, pour over the broth, and allow it to simmer until the chicken is cooked through.
Thai Green Lentil Soup
Thai Green Lentil Soup offers unique Asian flavours. All that’s needed is 100g green lentils, a small onion, 2 cloves of garlic, 250ml vegetable stock, 1 tablespoon Thai green curry paste, and 400ml coconut milk. Rinish the lentils under cold water, fry the onion and garlic until softened, add the curry paste, stir in lentils, pour in the coconut milk and vegetable stock. Simmer until lentils are tender.
Spanish Chorizo and White Bean Soup
Aromatic Spanish Chorizo and White Bean soup transport you to the heart of Spain. Ingredients include 75g chorizo, a small onion, 1 clove of garlic, 225g canned white beans, 500ml chicken stock. Slice the chorizo, chop the onion and garlic, fry together until the fat of the chorizo is released. Drain and rinse the beans, add to the pan with the stock, and allow to simmer.
Creamy Mushroom Soup
Creamy Mushroom Soup is a timeless classic, made by blending sautéed garlic, onions, fresh mushrooms and cream. For this, you will need 200g mushrooms, a small onion, 1 clove of garlic, 500ml vegetable stock, and 50 ML single cream. Chop the onion and garlic, slice the mushrooms, heat some oil in a pan and sauté the onion and garlic. Add the mushrooms, cook until softened, then add the vegetable stock, let it simmer before transferring the whole lot to a blender. Blend until smooth, return to the pan and stir in the cream.
Thai Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup
Thai Sweet Potato and Coconut soup is a blend of wonderfully sweet potatoes, spicy Thai red curry paste and creamy coconut milk. This soup requires 1 sweet potato, ½ red onion, 1/2 tsp red curry paste, 400ml coconut milk, 500ml vegetable stock. Peel and cube the sweet potato, chop the onion, fry in a pan until softened. Stir in curry paste, add sweet potato, pour in coconut milk and stock, then simmer until sweet potato is tender.
These versatile and delightful soup recipes not only highlight the various ways of creating a heartening meal for one, but they also emphasise the diverse assortment of cost-effective ingredients that can be transformed into something simply delicious. Each recipe evokes a different region, and by selecting a different soup each week, you can virtually tour the world from the comfort of your own kitchen.
By choosing your produce mindfully, possibly leveraging farmer’s markets or seasonal produce sales, these specially curated single-serve soup recipes can be prepared tastefully, offering peak flavor profiles at the most reasonable prices.
Remember, cooking for one does not exclude you from enjoying a hearty bowl of home-cooked soup. These affordable soup recipes help you to make the most out of your meals, giving you the ultimate freedom to enjoy your creations on your own terms, without compromise.
