It’s officially the awkward phase when winter weather gives way to spring. Sunny days are on the horizon, but there’s still a lingering chill in the air. But if the glimpses of sunshine have you suddenly craving ‘something light’ (rather than rich stews, carb-packed pastas and slow-cooked curries I tend to gravitate towards during winter), then expanding your soup repertoire will be a godsend.
Lately, my obsession has been finding freezer friendly soup recipes that I can pop in a pot on Sunday afternoon and pack away for work lunches throughout the week (and beyond). It’s been so helpful, especially if your goal is to eat more vegies, stress-less during the week and maintain a varied diet. Here are some of the recipes I’m loving right now.
Colin’s pea and ham hock soup
The soup recipe you’ll want on repeat.
Colin Fassnidge’s pea and ham hock soup is next level. I spoke to him at The Logies recently and one of the things he said was that he loves this soup so much his family tell him off for making it too much. That’s how much he loves it. And you can see why.
It’s got everything you want from a soup – minimal, accessible ingredients, big flavours and it makes plenty. (This recipe makes enough for 8 people, so you can serve it for dinner and still have a couple of portions left to freeze for later).
Broccoli soup
With cheesy savoury scones
Struggle to consume your daily serve of leafy green vegies? This is the soup recipe you need. Broccoli is the main ingredient, yes, but it also features celery and leeks, giving it a depth of flavour like no other.
Don’t skimp out on the cheesy mustard scones. Yes, they require some extra effort, but they too can be individually wrapped and frozen so you have a tasty and satisfying lunch you can feel good about.
Simple vegetable soup
A nourishing bowl of goodness.
If there was ever a soup made for freezing it’s this one. It’s all vegetables baby. There’s no pasta that can go soggy and no mushrooms that can go all weird and spongey.
The vegie line-up here is supreme too: zucchini, pumpkin, cabbage, peas, capsicum, celery, tomatoes and cannellini beans. Yes it’ll feed your stomach, but it’ll also feed your soul. This recipe does contain potato, and if you want your potatoes to hold their shape well after freezing, select a waxy variety like Red Royales.
Slow cooker lentil soup
Full of fibre and plant-based protein.
If you’ve never made a lentil-based soup, what are you waiting for? Because lentils are high in both plant protein and fibre, they make any soup instantly more satiating (meaning you’ll stay fuller for longer). They also freeze like a dream.
I love this recipe because you can put everything in the slow cooker and let it bubble away – the meal prep basically does itself. Make sure you take the time to pan-fry the pancetta, garlic, fennel seeds and onions at the beginning, because it really adds to the umami goodness that makes this recipe truly special.
Lamb and barley soup
Hearty and delicious!
Come on now, put down the can of Heinz Big ‘N Chunky soup – and make this instead. This soup with melt-in-your-mouth lamb shanks is a proper meal.
The other drawcard of this soup is barley. Like lentils, barley is rich in fibre. This makes them a great ingredient if you’d like to support digestion, maintain consistent blood sugar levels or lower your cholesterol. They’re also just really filling, which is what I look for in any meal. And yes, barley soup freezes well too.
Classic chicken soup
It’s like a hug in a bowl.
Finding a chicken soup recipe that’s suitable for freezing is not easy, but this one ticks all the boxes. It doesn’t contain any pasta or noodles, so you’re good to go. Instead, it’s packed with vegies, chicken thigh cutlets (the bones give the broth such a deep flavour and prevent the meat from going dry).
This recipe does contain wilted baby spinach – I leave that in and don’t mind its texture or flavour once defrosted, but feel free to leave that out if you prefer.
5-ingredient beef chilli soup
No time? No worries!
Beef mince. It’s the ingredient you’ve probably always got stashed in the freezer somewhere. Why not turn it into an easy-as soup that’ll freeze well and make your weekday lunch rotation interesting? This is exactly what this recipe does.
It’s got spice, it’s got flavour yet it only requires five ingredients. Winning!
