Soups and Stews 8

If you'd like to see all the soups, stews and chowders in this series please check out the soup index, here. 

Rebecca’s Meatball Soup by Dollar Tree Dinners
Package frozen meatballs - cut into small pieces
Package frozen seasoning blend vegetables
1-24oz can pasta sauce
1 cup penne pasta
Salt and pepper to taste

To make: saute your thawed and chopped meatballs with your thawed and drained seasoning blend until cooked and nicely browned. Add your can of pasta sauce and 1 can of water to your pot and season well with salt and pepper. Bring this to a boil and then add your uncooked pasta. Stir and reduce this to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender.

West African Peanut Stew
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch ginger, grated
1 bell pepper, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
½ cup peanut butter
4 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups chopped spinach or kale
Optional: 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Optional: ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (for heat)
Optional Garnish: chopped peanuts and cilantro

To make: heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, carrots, and sweet potato; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger; cook for 1 minute. Stir in diced tomatoes, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and salt. Cook for 2 minutes. Add peanut butter and broth; stir well to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20–25 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add chickpeas (if using) and greens; cook until greens are wilted, about 2–3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with chopped peanuts and cilantro if desired.

Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
7 oz fideo noodles (thin vermicelli or angel hair pasta broken into 1-inch pieces)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (or 1 can, 14 oz, diced tomatoes)
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 1 potato, peeled and diced
Optional Garnish: chopped cilantro and lime wedges

To make: heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add fideo noodles and toast them, stirring constantly, until golden brown (about 3–4 minutes). Remove noodles and set aside. In the same pot, add onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. If using canned tomatoes, cook for 2–3 minutes. Return toasted noodles to the pot. Add broth, carrot, potato (if using), cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10–12 minutes, until noodles and vegetables are tender. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges if desired.

Red Lentil Dal (Indian Lentil Stew/Soup)
1 cup red lentils, rinsed
4 cups water or vegetable broth
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch ginger, grated
1 tomato, chopped (or ½ can diced tomatoes)
2 tablespoon vegetable oil or ghee (this is clarified butter)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder (adjust to taste)
Salt to taste
Optional: ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
Garnish: Fresh cilantro
For Serving: Lemon wedges

To make: in a pot, combine lentils, water/broth, turmeric, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until lentils are soft. While lentils cook, heat oil/ghee in a skillet. Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds; let them sizzle for 30 seconds. Add onion, sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger; cook for an additional minute. Stir in tomato, ground coriander, ground cumin, and chili powder. Cook this until the tomato is soft, about 3 minutes. Add this mixture to the cooked lentils. Simmer together for 5 minutes, adding more water if needed for desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt. Garnish with cilantro and lemon wedges.

Greek Fasolada (White Bean Soup)
1 lb dried white beans (such as cannellini or navy beans), soaked overnight and drained (or 3 cans, 15 oz each, drained and rinsed)
¼ cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (or 1 can, 14 oz, diced tomatoes)
6 cups water or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish: Chopped parsley
Optional for Serving: Kalamata olives and feta cheese

Note: if using dried beans, place them in a pot with fresh water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 60–90 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.

To make: in a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, oregano, salt, and pepper. Add cooked beans (or canned beans) and water/broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30–40 minutes, until vegetables are tender and soup thickens slightly. Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with parsley. Optionally, top with olives and feta cheese.

💗 Jo