Soup Cubes-Why I Love Them

When the question “What’s for dinner?” comes to mind, lately, I see a rugged soup. It’s an easy and satisfying dish to make. Best of all, it freezes well.

I make a large pot of dynamic soup and pour it into the one-cup soup cubes I’ve got in the pantry. At first, I thought the cubes were an unnecessary extravagance. They were a gift, and when I tried them, I loved them. Make your soup, fill the cubes, and when it’s frozen, pop the cubes out of the silicone molds. Wrap each cube in plastic wrap, label and date, and store in resealable bag back in your freezer for when you want them.

The best part of the molds is how flexible they are. You can cook different types of liquid foods, fill the molds and then freeze them; you can even bake in molds (they are oven-safe to 415º). I love that versatility.

Here is a recipe for a white bean chorizo soup that is chock-full of flavor. Get yourself some cubes* and try this great soup.

White Bean Chorizo Soup

Note: Chorizo sausage is spicy, adding a nice punch to the soup. If you don’t like spice, you can substitute another type of sausage. I suggest you use a turkey sausage; I use Shady Brook Farms Hot Italian turkey sausage. (Despite its name, it is not spicy but is full of flavor.) Or try their sweet Italian sausage. Both are excellent.

Chorizo comes fully cooked or dry cured. Do not use the dry cured. Ask the butcher if you have trouble finding it.

Serves 6

Prep time: 20 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large Spanish onion, diced small

4 large garlic cloves, chopped fine

48 fluid ounces of low-salt chicken broth or more

1 lb smoked pork Chorizo sausage, precooked (do not use the dry cured sausage). Sliced into ¼” rounds.

8 ounces of button mushrooms, sliced

2 cans, white beans, 15.5 ounce each; you can add a third can if you like your soup thick

Chicken bouillon, low-salt, 2 or more tablespoons to taste

2 bay leaves

1 small container of baby spinach; if you use frozen spinach add about 2 cups.

Salt and pepper to taste

Grated parmesan cheese, enough to add at serving

Parsley chopped for serving

Serve with a crispy loaf of bread and good butter.

Directions

In a large pot or Dutch oven on medium-high heat, add oil. When hot, add onions and cook until transparent without burning.
Add the garlic and the chorizo and cook until they start to brown; keep stirring to make sure all the sausage starts to brown.
Add the mushrooms, stirring to combine.
Add the white beans; continue stirring.
Add the chicken broth; bring to a boil and lower heat to a simmer.
Add bay leaf, spinach, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.
Taste and add 1 tablespoon of the chicken bouillon if needed. After each addition, blend well and taste. Add more if needed to strengthen the flavor.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve in large bowls with a pinch of parsley and a bowl of parmesan cheese to pass around.