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As we approach the coldest months of winter, it’s only natural to start craving more warmly comforting meals. There are few better or easier ways to accomplish this than learning to make a good broth.
What is broth?
A broth is made by boiling vegetables and/or meat to create a deeply flavourful liquid. The main difference between stock and broth is that, unlike a stock, which calls for neutral flavours in order to add depth and balance to a variety of soups and other savoury dishes, broths are usually more complex and carefully seasoned, often with a specific dish in mind. The flavour profile of a broth should be satisfyingly balanced enough to enjoy by itself.
Broth types
The different types of broth are determined by their ingredients, i.e., whether they are meat or vegetable based. Almost any kind of meat can be used, including bones. The difference between broth and stock is that broth tends to be lighter and more flavourful, and takes less time to make.
Why is broth good for you?
Broth is usually packed with immune-boosting ingredients such as garlic, onion and herbs, as well as vegetables and pulses. Broths made with bone are also rich in minerals and protein. For those who aren’t keen on vegetables, broths are also a great way of sneaking some of your five-a-day into your diet almost unnoticed. A warm, comforting bowl of broth is undoubtedly also good for your mental health.
Before we get into our 15 favourite broth soup recipes, you might want to take a quick look at an example broth that’s good enough to drink. Top chef Daniel Humm’s mother’s chicken broth is a great place to start. Like any good homemade broth, it’s nutritious and deeply comforting, somewhere between a soup and a hot drink, and perfect for enjoying at any time of day without spoiling your appetite. Alternatively, you can use it as the base of a more substantial meal by adding other ingredients, like noodles, chopped vegetables, or strips of meat. For more ideas, check out the first entry in the list below.
The 15 best broth soup recipes
Chicken soup
Forgive us for starting off with a bit of a cheat, but chicken soup is so beloved across the world that it’s impossible to choose a favourite. We’ll leave it up to you to decide which is the best from this shortlist of homemade chicken soup recipes, including Daniel Humm’s aforementioned Swiss recipe, East Asian classics like Pho Ga and Khao Soi, and even a spicy Mexican chicken soup.
Beef soup
If you’re torn between soup and casserole for dinner, settle for nothing less than this hearty beef soup, courtesy of Nagi at RecipeTinEats. It’s made with braised beef that’s then slowly simmered with vegetables for a deeply satisfying flavour and melt-in-your-mouth meaty textures.
Miso soup
Miso is a classic Japanese broth made with fermented soy beans renowned for its incredible umami-ness. This recipe for miso soup with tofu, bean sprouts and herbs, takes the umami levels to another dimension with the addition of kombu (a type of kelp) and katsuobushi (flakes of smoked and fermented bonito, sometimes marketed simply as bonito flakes).
Warm soup with speck
Speck is the German word for smoked pork belly, which, for all intents and purposes, is basically bacon. It’s traditionally often served diced into small cubes, like lardons, which is how they feature in the dumplings of this warm soup with speck recipe. It’s a great German comfort food that’s perfect for those cold winter evenings.
Moroccan chicken lentil soup with spinach
Turning to North Africa for inspiration, Sylvia from Feasting at Home presents a Moroccan-style chicken lentil soup with spinach that tastes quite unlike anything else on this list. It’s unique flavours owe much to the use of saffron, dried apricots, and preserved lemon. Importantly, pretty much all the nutritional content your day needs is right here, but beyond that, if your tongue had a mind, this soup would blow it.
Farmers market vegetable soup
For a fantastic vegetarian broth soup, Feasting at Home is at it again. If you’ve got more vegetables at home than you know what to do with, turn to this delicious and nutrient-rich farmers market vegetable soup. While the recipe itself does suggest a specific medley of vegetables to use, it’s actually very adaptable, so you don’t need to be too strict with your shopping list. In addition, it’s so easy to keep vegan that you may well find yourself doing so accidentally.
Easy cabbage & white bean soup
Another great veggie packed soup comes courtesy of Sheri Castle at The Kitchn. This cabbage and white bean soup has a gorgeous colour that will appeal to even the most ardent cabbage hater. More importantly, it’s incredibly delicious and couldn’t be much easier to make. If your kitchen skills aren’t much more advanced than being able to cut a cabbage and turn on the hob, then you need to add this to your winter meal repertoire. Yet another reason to do so is because, although it works well with chicken broth and parmesan cheese, this is another recipe that can be made deliciously vegan with no effort.
Thai coconut soup
We’re returning to Feasting at Home for this authentic tom kha gai (Thai coconut soup) for two reasons. Firstly, creamy and aromatic tom kha gai is a fantastic soup for all seasons. Secondly, Sylvia has revealed herself to be something of a broth queen. We just can’t get enough of her recipes and, unsurprisingly, her tom kha gai is not just one of the best, but also incredibly easy to make.
Brothy tortellini soup with spinach, basil & white beans
Just one more from Sylvia. We love this brothy tortellini soup because it’s such a great way to jazz up those pre-made spinach tortellinis found in pretty much any good supermarket. We always have a few packs in the house for when there’s not a lot of time to cook, but give us a few more minutes and we won’t hesitate to go the extra mile.
Hot & sour soup with mushroom, cabbage, and rice
The Kitchn’s editor-in-chief, Faith Durand, offers this recipe for tastebud-tingling hot and sour soup with mushroom, cabbage, and rice. Whether you’re using chicken, turkey, or vegetable broth, this immensely flavourful winter warmer will light a fire in you on even the most miserably grey days.
Turkey and wild rice soup
Got any turkey leftover from Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner? Then try this fantastic healthy turkey wild rice soup from Creme de la Crumb, complete with red kidney beans and celery. It’s especially good for those who tend to follow Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners by wondering why they keep stumping up for this notoriously dry bird, because the flavourful broth guarantees moisture and succulence.
Seafood cioppino
Here’s a San Franciscan classic for seafood fans. Taste of Home has a brilliant recipe for seafood cioppino that includes clams, crab, shrimp, and haddock. This is exactly the kind of recipe you bought that slow cooker for.
Italian sausage and zucchini soup
Sticking with Taste of Home, this sausage and zucchini soup is a comforting slice of classic Italian-American home cooking. It’s made with Orzo pasta (the ones that look like rice), but you can easily sub in any small pasta if you want, from macaroni to mini farfalle.
Pork edamame soup
Following on from Italian-American home cooking, it’s time to move onto Asian-American. You probably won’t find anything quite like this pork edamame soup anywhere in East Asia itself, and yet the spicy fusion of flavours tastes authentically evocative in a way that only diaspora communities can achieve.
Classic French onion soup
French onion soup is the quintessential European broth soup. Sure, onion soup maybe doesn’t sound too appetising, but despite the vegetarian-friendly sounding name, the difference maker here is the beef broth. For some recipes, broth is interchangeable. For others (including this one) it really isn’t.
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