Slow Cooking Soups

By Ken Kudra

There is something so comforting about a nice hot bowl of soup. The soup warms you, making you feel cozy. Many people are intimidated at making homemade soup, but it actually is pretty easy once you have tried it a time or two. It is even easier when you use your slow cooker.

What Kind of Soup Can You Make?

You can make almost any kind of soup in a slow cooker. From simple fare like lentil soup or vegetable beef to fancier fare like vichyssoise or cream of sweet potato soup, your slow cooker is your best tool for making soup. Even delicate soups like crab soup or trout chowder can easily be made to perfection while you are away. Ethnic soups like Italian Wedding soup and Indian Dal can be simmering while you take care of other business.

It does not matter what your favorite is, you can make it in your slow cooker. Use leftovers or fresh ingredients. If you have a little ham, add it to some navy beans for a delicious bean soup. Likewise, you could add split yellow or green peas and make a wonderful pea soup.

Cheddar cheese soup and clam chowder will also work in the slow cooker. That is the best thing about soup recipes in the slow cooker... you can make all the soups you like best. Noodles, rice, dumplings... they all can be made with the slow cooker.

New Soups

You can also find many recipes for soups that will be new to you. It is always fun trying something new! Why not try a new slow cooker soup? How about a cheesy meatball soup? Ever heard of taco soup? What about garden cabbage soup or deviled chicken soup? There are so many you can try that may become new favorites.

With a bit of inspiration, you can create your own new soup recipes. It can be fun to be creative in the kitchen. The slow cooker lets you make mistakes and your soup will still taste great. You can use tough cuts of meat because the long cooking time will tenderize them. Add some herbs and vegetables to add more depth to your soup. If you like creamy soups, add a little milk or cream at the end of cooking. Your imagination can run free!

Traditional soups like chicken and dumplings, beef noodle and potato soup are great, too. For something a little different, mix up the ingredients a bit. Try adding bacon or ham to your potato soup, or put brown rice in your beef soup. Adding a new twist can be a lot of fun.

You can even use your slow cooker after the holidays to make your next meal easier. Add some turkey in after Thanksgiving and make a wonderful turkey soup. You can add noodles, rice, potatoes, or whatever you prefer. Add in some leftovers like peas, carrots, roasted vegetables, and gravy. You will end up with a tasty way to enjoy your holiday meal all over again. Slow cookers are a terrific way to make soup. - 30289

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