In the Soup: Recipes for Colder Days

When the cold winter weather sets in, our meal time thoughts turn to hearty, tummy-warming soups. There are so many soup recipes available, but we recommend these.

Try these delicious homemade soup recipes. They’re guaranteed to have the entire family asking for more.

Find more tummy-warming, hearty soup recipes, nourishing winter soups and super-easy to make vegetarian soup.

Kate’s bean and tomato soup (serves 4)

Kate Wigley Romano and her husband own Maria’s Greek Restaurant – one of Cape Town’s oldest and most loved restaurants. Situated on charming Dunkley Square in the old part of the city, guests return for lunches, dinners, mezes, baklava, chunky Greek salads and other favourites. This soup is one of Kate’s personal favourites. Serve with a dollop of thick yoghurt or tzatziki, freshly chopped parsley and a swirl of olive oil.

Ingredients

butter and olive oil
2 x red onions 1 (or more)
chopped red chilli
4 x cloves of garlic
4 x grated carrots
1 x can dried lentils
1 x can red kidney beans
200g tomato paste
paprika
4 x chopped tomatoes
roughly chopped parsley
salt and pepper
1 tsp brown sugar

Method:

Fry the onion in half cooking olive oil and butter. Next add the chilli, garlic and parsley.
Simmer for about 5 minutes, then add carrots and lentils.
Once the onion looks cooked and a little crispy, add beans, tomato paste, paprika and tomatoes.
Add 2 cups of water and let the lentils cook through. Add salt, pepper and sugar.
If the soup is too dry, add a cup of water and let it simmer until the colour turns into a rich red.

Taffy’s oxtail soup with pearl barley (serves 4)

Winter gives the Pfupajenas a chance to indulge in a favourite pastime without feeling guilty – eating meat. Some soups are quite light and may need to be followed by another meal. But, not so with this hearty soup, says Taffy, which will leave you ready for an afternoon nap. Serve in bowls with fresh parsley and crusty bread.

Ingredients

1kg oxtail, rinsed
1 x onion, peeled and chopped
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 x dried red chilli (optional)
1 litre beef stock
500ml water
5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
500g mixed soup vegetables (carrot, turnip, cabbage, celery), grated or finely diced
½ cup pearl barley, well rinsed
fresh parsley to serve

Method

Rinse the oxtail, then place it in a casserole pot with onion, 4 garlic cloves and chilli. Cover with the stock and water.
Next, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer covered for 2.5 hours or until meat is cooked, constantly removing any foam that rises to the top in order to keep the stock clear.
Remove pot from the heat and use a slotted spoon to remove the oxtail from the liquid. Cut the meat from the bones and throw away the bones and any fat. Set the meat aside. Strain the liquid and set aside to cool for at least an hour so that the fat rises to the top. Skim off the fat and throw away.
Return the liquid to a clean casserole pot with the ginger, 2 cloves garlic, vegetables and barley and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are soft and the barley is cooked (about 20–30 minutes). Add the shredded meat and cook until heated through, roughly a further 5–10 minutes.