In a world brimming with diverse cultures and traditions, nothing quite encapsulates the essence of a place like its local cuisine. Among the many culinary delights, soups stand out as a universal comfort food, transcending borders and bringing the taste of culture to our tables. Each spoonful of these simmering concoctions tells a story – a tale of heritage, geography, and the unique blend of ingredients that define a region's palate.
Join us on a gastronomic adventure, where each sip is a discovery, and every bowl is a celebration of the world's vast and vibrant culinary heritage. Embark on a journey, one spoonful at a time, to discover the stories and secrets simmering within these global soups.
Gazpacho (Spain) is a refreshing, cold soup made from raw, blended vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers, often enjoyed in the summer.
Harira (Morocco) is a rich and hearty soup traditionally eaten during Ramadan. It is made with tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, and lamb and flavored with a blend of fragrant spices.
Laksa (Malaysia and Singapore): A spicy noodle soup with a distinctive coconut milk base, it comes in various forms, including curry laksa and asam laksa, often served with chicken, prawn, or fish.
Minestrone (Italy): A thick Italian vegetable soup often containing beans, onions, celery, carrots, stock, and tomatoes, sometimes with pasta or rice.
Tom Yum (Thailand): A hot and sour soup known for its intense flavors, it typically includes shrimp (Tom Yum Goong), mushrooms, tomatoes, lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves.
Tortilla Soup (Mexico): A hearty, flavorful soup made with chicken broth, roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, and chilies and topped with crispy fried tortilla strips, avocado, cheese, and sour cream.
Caldo Verde (Portugal): A simple, comforting soup made with thinly sliced kale, potatoes, and chorizo sausage, often served during celebrations.
Phở (Vietnam): A Vietnamese soup known for its fragrant broth, rice noodles, herbs, and usually beef (Phở Bò) or chicken (Phở Gà).
French Onion Soup (France): A rich and savory soup based on caramelized onions and beef stock, and typically served with a crouton and melted cheese on top.
Chupe de Mariscos (Peru): A creamy seafood soup from Peru, loaded with various seafood like shrimp, crab, and fish, often enriched with potatoes, corn, and a base of aji peppers and cilantro.
New England Clam Chowder (USA): A creamy, hearty soup from the New England region, known for its chunks of clams, diced potatoes, onions, and sometimes bacon in a milk or cream base.
Borscht (Russia/Ukraine): A sour soup common in Eastern European countries, famous for its distinctive red color from beetroots, usually served with sour cream, and can contain a variety of vegetables and meat.
Ramen (Japan) is a popular Japanese soup consisting of Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a meat- or fish-based broth flavored with soy sauce or miso and topped with ingredients like sliced pork, nori, and
scallions.
These soups not only offer a taste of their respective
cultures but also embody the diversity and richness of global culinary
traditions.
Nutrition Notes
Soups can be an economical way of meeting nutritional needs. Leftovers are perfect when preparing soups.
Soups have been known to curb the appetite and slow the eating process. Studies show slower eaters are more likely to notice signs of fullness sooner and consume fewer calories. With the extra time, enjoy the flavor, aroma, and texture of the foods.
Soups can be prepared with various healthy ingredients and traditional favorites made healthier with some substitutions.
Instead of: | Try these heart-healthy suggestions: |
| whole milk or 2% milk | 1% milk or skim milk |
| whipped cream | chilled evaporated skim milk, whipped |
| cheese (American, Cheddar, Swiss) | Cheeses with 5 or less grams of fat per ounce. Terms used: reduced-fat, low-fat, or fat-free. Reduced fat is easier to substitute when cooking. |
| creamed cottage cheese | nonfat or 1% fat cottage cheese, or farmers' cheese |
| cream cheese | light, fat-free products, or Neufchatel cheese |
| Mozzarella cheese | part-skim mozzarella cheese |
| Ricotta cheese | nonfat, lite, or part-skim |
| sour cream, regular | non-fat, light, or low-fat sour cream or plain yogurt. |
| butter | lower-calorie margarine in soft tubes, vegetable cooking sprays, or nonstick cookware. |
| margarine, regular | lower-calorie margarine in soft tubes, vegetable cooking sprays, or nonstick cookware. |
| mayonnaise, regular | reduced-fat, cholesterol-free, low-fat, or fat-free. If making a dip, you can substitute plain nonfat or low-fat yogurt. Reduce the amount required in the recipe. |
| salad dressing | reduced-fat, cholesterol-free, low-fat, or fat-free dressings or lemon juice, vinegar, or mustard. Reduce the amount required in the recipe. |
| one whole egg | equals 2 egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute |
| egg noodles | noodles made without egg yolk |
| condensed cream soup | 99% fat-free condensed cream soup |
| salt | eliminate or reduce by 1/2; explore herbs and spices |
| gravy | gravies made with low sodium broth and thickened with flour/cornstarch |
| beef, pork, veal, lamb | choose lean cuts trimmed of all visible fat, or substitute with chicken or turkey without the skin. |
| oil for sautéing | water, broth, tomato juice |
| frying | broil, bake, microwave, poach, steam, grill, stir fry |
Healthy Soup Additions
1. Instead of salt, add herbs and spices to enhance the flavor. Explore the many possible seasonings available.
2. Add fresh, frozen, or leftover vegetables (use fruits if making a cold soup) to increase fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Avoid canned vegetables high in sodium. Read the label. A low-sodium food contains 140 mg or less per serving of sodium.
3. Increase fiber and protein by eating foods such as beans, lentils, brown rice, whole-grain pasta, barley, and bulgur.
4. Increase calcium and protein by using skim milk, evaporated skim milk, non-fat dry milk powder, or calcium-fortified soymilk. These low-fat ingredients can replace higher-fat alternatives like whole milk or cream.
Canned and Dry Soup Mixes are known for their high sodium content. Read the label and check the serving size. Remember, a low-sodium food contains 140 mg or less per serving.
Some companies within the food industry are making great strides in lowering the sodium content in their products. At Campbell, they have more than 100 products with a healthy level of sodium, more than 200 that are low in fat and saturated fat, more than 150 products that have 100 calories or less per serving, and more than 85 products certified by the American Heart Association.
I was searching the Campbell archives when I came across a 1959 commercial. Campbell had the foresight to recognize the importance of nutrition over 50 years ago.
Soup Tidbits
Soup is a staple in almost every American home. After NBC's "Seinfeld" show introduced the "Soup Nazi" in the United States on November 2, 1995 - Soup became a fashionable food.
