There’s nothing quite like hot soup served with crusty bread on a freezing winter’s day. And while making soup in the Thermomix is a pinch, getting it perfect requires some insider intel.
Well, thankfully, we have some seasoned soup connoisseurs on the team, and they’re more than happy to share their secrets with you! We’ve been lucky enough to eat delicious soups all winter, every winter here at AA HQ; from your humble tomato soup, to a traditional French onion, to a sophisticated Moroccan lamb concoction. So whatever your soup needs, we’ll have the answers!
Whether it’s thick or thin, creamy or hearty, chunky or smooth, this guide will get you on the road to soup success!
Tips for the perfect Thermomix soup…
Maximise the health value of your soups.
Leave the skins on carrots, pumpkin and parsnips and the stems on parsley, coriander and mint; doing so will increase your consumption of all of their wonderful nutrients and avoid wastage. Instead of peeling these vegetables, give them a good scrub, cut them to size and you’re ready to cook!
Make sure you cook your onions correctly for an unbeatable flavor.
It is best to chop your onions on speed 5 for 2 to 5 seconds, depending on the quantity. Cook them for 5 to 6 minutes in oil to ensure that they’re well cooked, and make sure to scrape down the sides when necessary.
Lentils are a fantastic addition to all sorts of soups.
They are high in protein and fibre and make an excellent meat substitute in chunky or smooth soups. If you are low on vegetables or want to increase the nutritional value of your soup, add a handful of rinsed brown or red lentils (there’s no need to pre-soak). If adding lentils to a soft vegetable soup like cauliflower, broccoli, or zucchini, then first pre-mill the dry lentils for 5 seconds, speed 8 to ensure that the cooking time will be sufficient.
For smooth soups…
manually chop your vegetables before cooking. Vegetable soups also always taste sweeter when the vegetables are hand-chopped for cooking, rather than grated down in the Thermomix prior to cooking. Roughly chop the vegetables in chunks that will fit through the hole in the lid. Cook for 20 minutes for hard vegetables and 16 for softer vegetables, then pureé for 30 seconds to 1 minute, speed 9.
For a thick and creamy soup…
weigh in the vegetables first and then weigh in half their weight in water or stock. If desired, you can add additional liquid after cooking and pureéing.
For a chunky soup…
chop all vegetables first in the Thermomix and set aside before starting with chopping and sautéing the onion and garlic (a dry, cold bowl gives the most even result). Roughly chop and add all the hard vegetables first (like pumpkin, beetroot, sweet potato, potato, or carrot), chopping on speed 5 for 1 second, then down to speed 4 until you achieve the desired size (keep an eye on their size through the hole in the lid). Depending on the amount in the bowl, speed 4 will get the job done, but if necessary, pulse between speed 5 and 4 until you achieve the desired size. Set the hard vegetables aside and chop the softer vegetables (such as zucchini, red pepper, and eggplant) on speed 4, and chop mushrooms on speed 3. Chop celery by hand for soup, unless you are pureéing the final product.
For a heartier soup…
use pulses and grains to bulk up or thicken the consistency. Make sure they are pre-cooked or milled down to flour before adding, unless using quinoa or white rice; these simply need to be rinsed before adding in their uncooked state.
For more of my great Thermomix guides enabling you to cook quick and delicious meals no matter what ingredients you’ve got on hand, check out my two latest cookbooks ‘Thermo Cooker Fresh Favourites’ and ‘Everyday Thermo Cooking.’
