MAKES: 4 servings TESTED BY: Kesley B.

080 Vegetable Soup 8 Ways

TASTING COMMENTS:

When we have a good, solid base recipe—like this vegetable soup—we love to twist it in all sorts of ways to appeal to all kinds of tastes. These eight bowls hold something for everyone!—KB

Prep 15 minutes cook 15 minutes

1. In a large saucepan cook beef, carrots, celery, and onion until meat is browned; drain off fat.

2. Stir in broth, tomato paste, onion soup mix, and thyme. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Stir in pasta; heat through. If desired, serve soup in Bread Bowls.

Chicken and White Bean Soup Prepare as directed, except substitute skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces, for ground beef and 1 cup each chopped zucchini, chopped potatoes, and whole kernel corn for the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook the chicken and vegetables in 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil. Substitute reduced-sodium chicken broth for the beef broth, one 1.4-oz. envelope vegetable soup mix for the onion soup mix, and one 15-oz. can cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed and drained, for the pasta.

Chicken Alfredo Soup Prepare as directed, except substitute skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes, for ground beef. Cook chicken in 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil until no longer pink; remove from pan. Cook vegetables in 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil until crisp-tender; return chicken to pan. Substitute 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth plus one 15-oz. jar Alfredo sauce for the carton of beef broth and one 1.4-oz. envelope vegetable soup mix for the onion soup mix. Omit the tomato paste. Substitute dried basil for thyme and use cooked broken spaghetti for the pasta.

Asian Pork Soup Prepare as directed, except substitute boneless pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes, for ground beef. Cook the pork in 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil until desired doneness. Substitute 1½ cups each frozen stir-fry vegetables and frozen edamame for the carrots, celery, and onion; add to pork with broth. Omit the tomato paste, soup mix, and thyme. Add 2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce with the broth. Substitute 3 oz. Asian noodles, cooked, for the pasta. Top each serving with Asian chili paste.

Chicken and Quinoa Soup Prepare as directed, except substitute skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into strips, for ground beef and chopped fennel for celery. Cook the chicken in 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil until no longer pink; remove from pan. Cook the vegetables in 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil until crisp-tender; return chicken to pan. Substitute reduced-sodium chicken broth for beef broth. Omit the tomato paste. Substitute one 1.4-oz. envelope vegetable soup mix for the onion soup mix and 1½ cups cooked quinoa for the pasta.

Beef Steak and Mushroom Soup Prepare as directed, except substitute beef sirloin steak, cut into strips, for ground beef and 2 cups sliced button or cremini mushrooms for the carrots and celery. Cook beef in 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil until desired doneness; remove from pan. Cook mushrooms and the onion in 1 Tbsp. butter until tender; return meat to pan. Substitute dried rosemary for thyme and cooked barley for the pasta.

Turkey, Sweet Potato, and Rice Soup Prepare as directed, except substitute turkey breast tenderloin, cut into strips, for ground beef and 2 cups peeled, chopped sweet potatoes for celery and carrots. Cook turkey in 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil until no longer pink; remove from pan. Cook onion in 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil until crisp-tender. Return turkey to pan; add sweet potatoes. Substitute reduced-sodium chicken broth for the beef broth, one 1.4-oz. envelope vegetable soup mix for onion soup mix, 1 Tbsp. snipped fresh basil for dried thyme, and 1 cup cooked rice for pasta.

Sausage and Bean Soup Prepare as directed, except substitute bulk pork sausage for ground beef and one 15-oz. can red beans, rinsed and drained, for the pasta. Stir in 1 Tbsp. finely chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (see tip) with the beans. Top servings with snipped fresh cilantro.

Kale and Bean Soup Prepare as directed, except omit beef. Cook vegetables in 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil until crisp-tender. Substitute vegetable broth for the beef broth. Add 4 cups chopped, trimmed kale with the broth. Substitute one 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained, for the pasta.

bread bowls

Serve soup in a bowl you can eat. Edible vessels are easy to make when you start with frozen bread dough.

Thaw two 1-lb. loaves frozen white or wheat bread dough. Cut each into thirds crosswise to make six pieces total. Shape each piece into a ball. Grease a large baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal. Arrange the dough balls on the baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double (about 40 minutes). Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small bowl combine 1 egg and 1 Tbsp. water; brush dough balls with some of the egg mixture. Using a sharp knife, make two or three shallow cuts across the top of each ball. Bake 15 minutes. Brush again with egg mixture. Bake 8 to 10 minutes more or until golden and bread sounds hollow when lightly tapped. Remove and cool on a wire rack. To serve, cut a ½-inch-thick slice from the top of each bread round. Scoop out bread from the center of each round, leaving a ¾-inch shell. Fill bread bowls with hot soup; serve immediately.