Here’s the lowdown on making a delicious soup.
It’s just soup season. I LOVE having soup bubbling on the stove. Makes the whole house smell amazing! I try to make one soup each week, setting myself up with easy, quick lunches. When it comes down to it, a solid soup starts with a solid base. Here’s the deal on stock vs. broth.
Build Your Soup Base: Broth vs. Stock
When it comes to making a delicious soup base, most (if not all) involve some sort of broth or stock. Usually chicken or vegetable. I generally use the terms broth and stock interchangeably without much thought, but I’ve had several questions about the differences between the two, so I thought it was time to investigate and clarify.
The terms “stock” and “stock” are often used interchangeably. Their ingredients are almost the same with minor differences. So using them interchangeably is fine when building a delicious soup base.
All about the Base
Let’s talk about Chicken stock here.
The stock is usually made from chicken bones, while the broth is mainly made from chicken meat. Honestly, I’ve made delicious broth and stock, and many times, I’ll use a whole chicken, which has both bones and meat.
The stock is less mature. Traditionally, when you make stock, you leave it unseasoned so that when you add it to recipes, you can adjust it to your taste needs.
The stock is also darker because the bones are best roasted, which makes the liquid darker in color. Broth meat is added raw.
Broth (using bones) creates a thicker liquid, while stock tends to be thinner.
The collagen, bone marrow, and cartilage in and around the bones make the liquid gelatinous when it cools (that’s good for you). The collagen and minerals that leak from the bones into the stock are liquid gold for your health. In fact, bone broth contains a number of beneficial nutrients and may have anti-inflammatory effects, improve bone and joint health, and may even improve sleep quality thanks to the amino acid glycine (source: healthline.com).
Stock is synonymous with bone broth. It may be cooked a little longer and have a bit of vinegar to encourage the nutrients to seep into the water, but it’s pretty much the same.
Cooking times vary. The broth is usually cooked for a much shorter time (1-2 hours). Broth (bone broth) cooks for hours (6-8) on the stove.
Stock has more vitamins and minerals and collagen than stock. Broth is lower in calories.
Bouillon is the French word for broth. A bouillon cube is dehydrated broth. It needs to be re-hydrated before use, and as long as the ingredient list isn’t over the top/too many chemicals, it’s good to have in your pantry. I use Beyond Bouillon, a product you can find in all markets and is a paste vs. cube, but works well in a pinch for flavor.
My favorite chicken soup
Below are two of my favorite broths and stocks, one chicken and one vegetable. I make both regularly. In short, I use Kettle and Fire brand broths and vegetable and chicken broth. They are pretty good (not as good as homemade) and get meals on the table quickly.
Recipe: chicken soup + broth
Modified by Barefoot Contessa
Step one: Roast a chicken
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the chicken on a baking sheet and rub the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until cooked through. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the breast bones, discard the skin, and shred or shred the chicken meat.
Step Two: Build it Chicken Soup (or Broth)
This makes a lot, is perfect for dinner and lots of leftovers, and freezes well.
1 whole chicken (remove the breast meat and set it aside. You will add it back at the end)
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 liters of water
1 cup medium diced celery (2 stalks)
1 cup medium diced carrots (3 carrots)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 large yellow onion, peeled, quartered
4 parsnips, peeled, halved (optional)
15 sprigs fresh thyme
20 sprigs of fresh dill
1 head garlic, peeled, halved crosswise
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
Simmer the chicken, vegetables and herbs on the stove for 1 ½-2 hours on medium heat. Drain the liquid from the bones. If you are making chicken soup, add the chicken meat and some of the vegetables back to the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you’re using stock for a different recipe, you’re good to go. Use the chicken and possibly the vegetables at a different time.
Recipe: Roasted Vegetable Broth
1 kg cremini mushrooms (also called baby bellas or small portobellos), washed and cut into equal-sized pieces
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 celery stalks, sliced
1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 inch ginger, peeled and cut into 1/4″ chunks
12 cups of water
1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
1/2 cup yellow miso paste
Sriracha to taste
Bake chopped vegetables and 1-2 tbsp olive oil at 350 until tender ~ 45 minutes. Next, add the mushrooms, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, ginger and water to a large pot. Bring to a low boil and then simmer. Simmer for ~1 hour. Strain the broth through a strainer into a large bowl for a clear broth. Or blend/purée the soup and vegetables for a creamy version.
While the broth is cooling, combine the tamari, miso paste, and sriracha in a medium bowl or measuring cup. Whisk until the miso paste dissolves and the solution becomes a thick paste. Add the pulp to the cold stock. It is delicious as a stock or as a soup base.
Enjoy soup season!
xx
Robin
For more healthy soup recipes and ideas, visit healthnestnutrition.com/blog. Need help finding your personalized nutrition plan? Spread. Our holistic team of nutritionists is here for you.
