Sopa de fideo
French onion soup
This is the quintessential soup to keep you warm and full during the cold months. Even though it has become quite common around the world, the combination of cheeses, stock, quality onions, herbs and crusty bread create a refined and beautiful dish that feels special every time. This recipe uses Jarlsberg cheese topped off with Muenster, but feel free to find your own cheesy sweet spot by experimenting with different kinds.
Roasted tomato cream soup
Few things are better than fresh, plump summer tomatoes … and roasted tomatoes is one of them. What’s so great about them, other than their intense flavor and tender meat, is that you can easily roast them at home at the end of the season and keep them frozen until you need them. This way, whenever the winter temperatures call for it, you’ll be able to make a succulent soup like this in the blink of an eye, and fill your whole house with its enticing aroma.
Pasta e fagioli
Originally from Sicily, pasta e fagioli is the most popular bean soup in Italy. Like most Italian dishes, even though the ingredient list is pretty basic, the mouthwatering result is much more than the sum of its parts. Each spoonful should be thick—full of beans and pasta—but you can make it soupier depending on your desired consistency. Serve it warm, rather than piping hot, garnished with a drizzle of olive oil and some grated Parmesan cheese.
Crema de garbanzos
This pureed chickpea soup is a staple of the Cundinamarca region in Colombia, where pureed soups in general are very popular. So much so, that the local supermarkets usually carry pre-packaged versions of them, including this crema de garbanzos, which is one of the most traditional recipes. However, it’s so easy to prepare that making it from scratch is an endeavour worth the little extra time and effort you will put into it.
Wild mushroom soup
This earthy soup highlights the flavors of the fall and winter. The simple recipe calls for two pounds of shiitake and button mushrooms, and the only time-consuming task when making it is chopping them up. Serve this soup with a few slices of crusty baguette bread on the side to get a real taste of Europe and to help you mop up the last drops of velvety cream left in your bowl.
Cazuela
This comforting dish can be found in most Peruvian homes, but rarely in restaurants. The traditional recipe is made with beef, lamb or hen, resulting in a very robust soup. This is a lighter, virtually fat-free version using couscous instead. Quinoa, barley or rice are other good alternatives to thicken this soup and turn it into a satisfying vegan alternative. If you like your food spicy, serve it with some ají amarillo paste on the side.
