I love homemade soup. It’s tasty and easy to make. Here are my 3 personal favorite soup recipes.

Minestrone Soup is traditionally from Italy, made with many vegetables and beans with small pasta. A big bowlful is a hearty meal. There are many variations of minestrone soup, here is a basic recipe but do try variations. You can add onions or potatoes, or substitute rice for pasta..

You will need:

14 oz can white beans
5 pints chicken stock
½ cup sliced mushrooms
½ cup chopped green beans
2 chopped carrots
2 sliced zucchini
1 leek
½ cup small shell pasta
14oz can tomatoes, mashed
Black pepper
Grated parmesan cheese

Drain beans, rinse in cold water. Put beans and stock in a large saucepan, start heating the contents while you add the other ingredients.
Add mushrooms, green beans, carrots, zucchini and leek to pan. Bring to the boil, simmer on low for an hour. Add the pasta and tomatoes with the juice in the can, continue cooking for 10 minutes or until pasta is tender. Season to taste with black pepper.
Serve immediately with crusty bread. Add parmesan cheese to each individual bowl as each person requires.

Serves 6 as a main meal.

If you want this to be a vegetarian recipe, use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.


Broccoli and Cheese Soup is a very tasty method of eating a lot of broccoli, which is really good for you.

2 pints chicken or vegetable stock
4 cups broccoli, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove chopped garlic
1-pint whole milk
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
½ teaspoon nutmeg
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves


Cook the broccoli, onion and garlic in the stock for 20 minutes. Gradually add the milk and cheddar and return to the boil. Add nutmeg, salt, pepper and thyme to taste.

Remove half the soup and the largest pieces of broccoli, blend it in a blender, then add it back into the soup mixture. Heat and serve.


Cabbage Soup is idea to have when you are feeling down, or as a mid-winter snack.

½ cabbage, finely chopped
1 onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
14 oz can chopped tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

Put all the ingredients in a large pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with crusty bread