Technically, all you need is a pot and a spoon. But cooking is much easier and faster with the right equipment. Nab these essentials for making soup and get stirring, whizzing and slurping.
Large Pot A large pot (sometimes called a Dutch oven) with a wide, heavy bottom is the workhorse when it comes to making soup. Pick a heavy pot that holds at least 4 quarts and is made of stainless steel or enameled cast iron, such as a Le Creuset, to make sure your soup cooks evenly and doesn’t burn on the bottom.
Stockpot Typically much taller than a large pot, stockpots can hold up to a whopping 20 quarts. The tall sides prevent too much liquid from evaporating during the long cooking times needed to make a rich-tasting broth. They’re also necessary for making extra-large batches of soup.
Long-Handled Wooden Spoon Unlike metal, this tool stays cool as you stir and won’t scratch your pot, especially if you have any bits stuck to the bottom you need to scrape up.
Soup Skimmer This flat, circular strainer is particularly important when making stock to skim froth and any unwanted bits off the surface.
Ladle With a deep, rounded bottom, a large soup ladle means fewer trips from pot to bowl. If you’re watching portion size, purchase one that has cup measures inside the ladle so you know how much you’re eating. If your ladle isn’t labeled, transfer a full scoop into a measuring cup so you know how much it holds.
Chinois or China Cap Strainer Serious soup-makers need serious sieves. These large conical strainers are made of very fine mesh or perforated metal and are deeper than a typical colander, so you can really load them up to strain broths or make soups smooth.
High-Powered Blender While any blender will work, high-powered blenders, such as a Vitamix or Oster Versa, create the smoothest soups. The stronger motors pulverize ingredients quicker and whip air into the mixture, creating a light and fluffy texture. Plus, new models often have an oversized pitcher, so you may not have to puree in batches.
Immersion Blender This tool lets you puree directly in the pot so you don’t risk a mess when transferring hot soup to a blender. Plus, most immersion blender blades snap off and go straight into the dishwasher, making cleanup a breeze.
Microplane These thin graters are perfect for adding a super-fine finishing touch of hard cheese or citrus zest to soup. Use for grating garlic, ginger and nutmeg as well.
Slow Cooker It’s hard to beat the convenience of a slow cooker. Beans, lentils, tough cuts of meat and root vegetables all turn to tender morsels, no stirring required. Be sure to purchase one that automatically switches to “warm” when it’s finished.
Storage Most soup recipes are easily doubled and some even taste better as leftovers. For storing and transporting soup, we like glass containers with lids that snap to form a tight seal. Glass containers allow you to see what’s inside, can go in the microwave and last longer than plastic. Look for containers with BPA-free lids.