We have a potluck at work this Tuesday. Over the years it has seemed to be my “assignment” to bring a soup. I have a “hella” week ahead at work and was thinking about bringing some type of soup that I could toss the ingredients in a crockpot, turn it on when I get to work about 7:30am , leave for meetings and come back at noon with the soup ready to eat.
In the past I’ve made chicken tortilla soup (a bit hit at work, but I’m made it many times) and tomato bisque. I do not want to do chili or chicken noodle soup.
Though I’m an adventurous eater I would venture to say my co-workers are not so much. So nothing too out of the ordinary! Somewhat out of the ordinary is ok.
I do realize that most soups could be made ahead and put in the crockpot to warm up. But this weekend is also busy as is Monday night so again, hoping for a “dump and run” type of soup??? Or a few short steps to complete Tuesday morning at home before I bring it to work.
Timely for the midwest I guess - it’s in the 30’s this morning!!
I like Butternut Squash Thai soup - Roast and then whirl roasted butternut squash in a blender, saute chopped onion, add a tablespoon or more of Thai red curry sauce, the butternut squash and a can of coconut milk, a couple squeezes of lime juice and season with cilantro and Sriracha if you want more heat. Thin to desired consistency with chicken broth or vegetable broth. Serve with chopped peanuts, toasted coconut and cilantro or chopped green onions for color and texture.
Edited to add that some of my friends saute fresh ginger with the onions for this soup, you can do pretty much what you want for taste with this soup and vary the heat with the curry sauce and Sriracha.
My modifications: 1/2 lb (1 link form my butcher) of hot Italian sausage and 1/2 lb (1 link) of mild Italian sausage
I also just use a whole box of chicken stock which I think is more than 3.5 cups…also used parmesan cheese instead of Romano.
If attempting this in a crockpot I wouldn’t put the pasta in until toward the end ( perhaps, the last hour?..I like it al dente and not overcooked)…and add the spinach close to serving. It wilts quickly.
This one is VERY easy, very good, and even better if made the night before. (Doesn’t call for a crockpot, and only takes a little more than an hour to make on top of the stove. You could probably make it that morning in a crockpot if you wanted to, but would be very easy to do the night or day before at home.)
Black Bean Tortilla Soup
Soup ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
Bell pepper, any color, chopped (optional)
2-5 cloves garlic
4 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
4 cans vegetable broth, or 4 cubes vegetable bullion + water (to make 8 cups)
1 can of corn, or half a bag of frozen corn
1 jar, approx 16 oz., of your favorite salsa or picante sauce (I use Hell on the Red, the “hot” variety)
Toppings:
Tortilla chips for crumbling
Sour cream (and/or cheese)
Avocado slices or chunks
Cilantro
Saute onions (and pepper if using) in a little olive oil and a little of the salsa.
Add the rest of the soup ingredients and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Simmer for about an hour.
I make it without the bell pepper. I’m sure that chicken broth would substitute just fine for the vegetable broth, if you didn’t care about making it vegetarian.
Delicious, healthy, and easy!
Another easy one that I use for emergencies or lazy-time: jar of salsa, 8 oz. container of sour cream, 8 oz. sack of shredded cheddar, shredded roasted or boiled children, packet of white chili seasoning, thin to taste with chicken broth. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar and green onion for texture on top.
No telling if it will be a main dish - good chance. These people I work with are not good planners and they will be counting on me to bring something homemade and what they bring…well… I’d assume main dish - but it is just lunch!
Black bean sounds good but too similar to the chicken tortilla which is my staple soup to bring.
What about a Tomato Vegetable soup? I’ve made one with all kinds of roasted vegetables: cauliflower, zucchini & summer squash, different greens ie; beet greens or swiss chard, carrots, cut up red peppers, mushrooms, etc.,etc.,etc.
Or maybe some type of French Onion soup? No recipe, just a suggestion
I make French lentil soup all the time. The “French” is the kind of lentil: the small, whole green ones. It’s hard to screw up because the essence is water and lentils. I put in onion and celery and carrot. Sometimes I put in meat; bacon or ham is common. There are millions of recipes. Only issue might be that it cooks in less than your time slot.
Peas, beans, lentils… Hope the party is at the end of the work day!
How about a hearty minestrone? The noodles can be thrown in late in the cooking process so they would not be soggy. Serve with crusty bread and provide shredded cheese for people who like cheese!
Olive Garden puts kale in it’s Zuppa Toscana and it’s fine in that.
I like the minestone idea. although I’d probably cook the noodles the night before, drain, put them into a baggie, and then add them in late. I wouldn’t cook them in the soup because they might soak up too much liquid.
@abasket I’ve never used kale, but someone in the reviews did. I think it would work though I think I would add it earlier than I would the spinach, which just has to wilt.
I love zuppa toscana - I have the copycat recipe. Is there a slow cooker one?
@abasket - have you ever had Olive Garden’s pasta fagioli soup? It’s my husband’s favorite at Olive Garden. There is a slow cooker recipe for that that I “liked” but haven’t made yet. I can track it down for you if you’re interested.
Do you care if it is healthy? If not, I have the “dump and run” soup/stew for you. Dump these cans into crockpot: Campbell’s chunky vegetable soup (pick one with chunks of meat), tomato soup, white corn, hormel chili with beans, and rotel diced tomatoes with chiles.
I would serve it over rice, with shredded cheese and fritos. Got me through a lot of lean college years. For your situation, I suggest you skip the rice and just buy pre-shredded cheese and fritos.
It does taste better if you dump the cans together in crockpot and let sit in fridge overnight before cooking.
Pasta Fagioli in the Crockpot
2 lbs ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (16 ounce) can white kidney beans, drained
3 (10 ounce) cans beef stock
3 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons pepper
5 teaspoons parsley
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional)
1 (20 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
8 ounces pasta
Directions:
Brown beef in a skillet.
Drain fat from beef and add to crock pot with everything except pasta.
Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours. Add pasta the last 30 minutes.
Serve with a nice crisp green salad and some garlic bread!
I’ve never tried it but just sent the recipe to my husband (he’s the cook as I work long hours and he’s retired)
I’d assume main dish - but it is just lunch!