Recipes: Soups

Beef Vegetable Soup with Farina Dumplings

Ready in 3 hours
Yield: 2 pounds
Serves 32 people

Nutrition Highlight

Farina is famous for its high iron content. A single serving can provide nearly half of the recommended daily intake.

Ingredients
 

• Beef Loin Roast (or Chuck Roast or Round Steak) cut into cubes
• 2 T Vegetable or Canola Oil
• 2 Onions, diced
• 3 Celery Stalks, diced
• 3 Carrots, diced
• 4 Potatoes, peeled and diced
• ¼ head of Cabbage, chopped
• 1 can of Hominy, drained
• 1 can of diced tomatoes, drained
• ½ c Wild Rice (uncooked)
• ¼ c Barley (optional)
• 2-4 T of Beef Bouillon
• 1 Bay Leaf
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Water to cover
• Dumplings
  • 1 c Whole Wheat Flour
  • ½ c Farina (uncooked) *Corn Meal can be substituted
  • ½ t Baking Powder
  • ½ t Salt
  • 2 eggs, Beaten
  • 1 c Milk or Water

Preparation
 

1. In a large soup kettle, over medium-high heat add vegetable oil. Working in small batches, begin to brown cubed beef chunks. Season with Salt and Pepper. Once the beef is nicely browned, remove it from the kettle and set aside. Continue to work in small batches until all the beef has been browned.
2. Return all of the browned beef to the kettle. Add Beef Bouillon and Bay Leaf and stir to combine. Add enough water to completely cover the beef, allowing space for the vegetables to be added later. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for one hour to 90 minutes or until beef is tender. Taste broth to adjust seasonings. Add more bouillon if desired.
3. Add chopped vegetables, canned vegetables and wild rice (or Barley) Cook for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, begin to mix dumpling batter.

Dumplings
 

1. In a medium sized bowl combine all dry ingredients. Stir to evenly distribute the baking powder throughout the mixture. Add in beaten egg and milk (or water.) Stir to combine. (Dumpling batter will be a little thicker than pancake batter consistency. If too thick, add more milk or water.)
2. Using a teaspoon, drop dumpling batter into simmering soup.
3. Allow to cook for 15-30 minutes, or until dumplings are cooked through. (Remove a dumpling from the soup and slice through the middle to check for doneness. A thoroughly cooked dumpling will resemble bread inside and show no visible signs of wetness.)

Tips
 

This soup can be adapted to use any vegetables that you like. Feel free to add or subtract items to customize the soup to your taste!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ready in 60 minutes
Serves 50 people

Nutrition Highlight

Broccoli is rich in antioxidants and several other beneficial plant compounds. It is high in nutrients, especially Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Iron and Potassium. It may offer several other benefits especially for heart health, eye health and disease prevention.

Ingredients
 

• 2 ½ c Butter
• 2 c onions, diced
• 2 c Celery, diced
• 2 c Carrots (optional, adds nice color to soup)
• 8 c Broccoli, heads and stems, diced
• 2 c Flour
• 12 Quarts low sodium or homemade Chicken or Vegetable Stock
• 4 c Warm Milk
• 4 c Cheddar Cheese, grated
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation
 

1. In a large soup kettle, over medium heat add butter. Once the butter is melted, stir in onions, celery, carrots, and broccoli. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are slightly soft.
2. Add in flour and stir to combine. Allow flour to cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly to prevent flour from burning.
3. Slowly begin to add in the chicken or vegetable stock, stirring to combine. Add in milk.
4. Add in cheese, stirring occasionally until cheese has melted. Taste to adjust seasonings.

Tips
 

Cauliflower can be substituted for Broccoli in equal amounts for Cheesy Cauliflower Soup. Can also thicken with a slurry if you want to minus the butter and flour.

Butternut Squash Soup

Ready in 2 hours
Serves 100 people

Special Equipment Needed: A blender or food processor or immersion blender (directions for soup if you don’t have the special equipment are included in the tips section.)

Nutrition Highlight

Squash is a good source of dietary fiber, and is rich in beta-carotene, which helps with eye health.

Ingredients
 

• 13 Butternut Squashes, peeled and diced (Frozen ready-to-use Squash works well)
• 4 c Apple Juice
• 2 c Brown Sugar
• 2 T Cinnamon (optional)
• 2 T Sage
• 2 T Garlic Powder
• 1 T Rosemary
• 1 T Black Pepper
• 2 t Nutmeg
• Salt to taste
• ½ c Butter (Divided into ¼ c for squash and ¼ c for sauteing vegetables)
• 6 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and diced
• 2 Onions, diced
• 12 Leeks (White parts only, cleaned thoroughly to remove dirt) -- if Leeks are omitted, increase onions from 2 to 4 total.
• 10 Liters of Chicken Stock
• 2 c Whole Milk or cream
• Pumpkin Seeds (optional for garnish)
• Sour Cream (optional for garnish)

Preparation
 

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl combine the apple/ orange juice, ¼ c melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, sage, garlic powder, rosemary, black pepper, nutmeg and 2 T salt. Divide Squash into 2 roasting pans. Pour half of the juice/spice mixture over each pan of squash and toss the squash so that the squash is evenly coated. Cover the roasters with foil and place into the preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour or until squash is completely soft and tender throughout. Set aside.
2. In a large soup kettle over medium heat place remaining ¼ c butter. Once the butter is melted, add in the apples, onions and leeks. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until tender. If necessary, divide this apple/vegetable mixture into 2 soup kettles.
3. Remove the squash from the baking liquid. Add the squash to the vegetables in the soup kettle. Add the chicken stock and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Allow the soup to cool for about 15 minutes before blending. Working in batches, blend the soup until it is velvety smooth in texture. If you have access to an immersion blender, use it for this step. It will make it much easier. Alternatively, a potato masher can be used to blend the soup, but the resulting soup will not be as smooth.
5. Return the soup to the kettle and add in the milk or cream. Stir to combine. Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top if desired.

Tips
 

The cooking broth for the squash can be changed to whatever you have on hand, in the Fall try Apple or Cranberry Juice. Orange juice also adds a nice bright note to the soup! Any winter squash can be used for this recipe, but a butternut or turban type squash lacks the long fibers that run through other squashes (like acorn) and will make for a smoother soup. Roasted Pumpkin or squash seeds make a nice garnish and add texture as well as add nutritional value to the soup. 

If you do not have a blender or food processor, this recipe can be adapted to using 1 number 10 size canned pumpkin or squash puree. Skip step one of the recipe and proceed to step 2.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ready in 60 minutes
Serves 10-12 people

Nutrition Highlight

Chicken Tortilla Soup is a protein-rich dish, thanks to the chicken as the main ingredient. One serving typically provides 15-25 grams of protein, which is essential to muscle growth and repair. The vegetables, beans, and tortilla strips also contribute to their fiber content, which aids in digestion and promotes a feeling of fullness.

Ingredients
 

• 2 pounds of Chicken Breasts or Turkey Breasts
• 2 T Vegetable oil
• 2 Onions, small dice
• 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 Jalapeno Pepper, small dice
• 40 oz can of Crushed Tomatoes
• 64 oz Chicken Broth
• 28 oz can of Corn
• 28 oz can of Black Beans
• 1 c Cilantro, rough chopped
• 1 Lime, juiced
• 2 T Chili Powder
• 1 T Cumin
• Tortillas, cut into thin strips (garnish)
• ¼ c Vegetable oil (for frying Tortilla strips)
• Avocado, diced (garnish)
• Lime wedges (garnish)
• Cilantro (garnish)

Preparation
 

1. Heat oil in a Sauté pan over medium heat. When oil is hot, add tortilla strips. Cook until they are crispy, drain on paper towels and set aside.
2. In a large soup kettle add 2 T vegetable oil. sauté onion, garlic, and peppers until they are soft.
3. Add in chicken, chili powder, cumin, crushed tomatoes, salt, and chicken broth. Simmer over low heat until the chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from the soup pot and shred chicken with a fork. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot.
4. Add corn, beans, lime juice and cilantro to the broth. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
5. Top individual soup bowls with additional cilantro, tortilla strips, diced avocado and a wedge of lime.

Tips
 

Hominy (white or yellow) or Hull Corn can be substituted for the corn.

Choctaw Stew with Banaha Dumplings

Preparation time: 2 Hours
1 gallon; serves 16 cups of soup

Nutrition Highlight

Traditional foods are known for their minimal use of processed ingredients, making them a healthy choice. Prepare your soup broth from scratch using chicken or beef bones and vegetable scraps for better control over sodium and a healthier, more flavorful dish.

Ingredients
 

• 3 Potatoes, peeled and medium diced
• 6 Carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 Large onion, medium diced
• Cooked corn off 5 cobs
• 1 c Sweet Peas
• 1 Yellow Squash, diced
• 1 Jalapeno (optional)
• 2 cloves of Garlic (optional)
• 1 small can of roasted Green Chiles (optional)
• 5 Cups of Broth of your choice (Chicken, Beef or Vegetable)--plus additional to thin soup as it cooks if desired.
• Salt and Pepper to taste.

Preparation
 

1. Place all ingredients in a large soup kettle.
2. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.
3. Cook for 1 hour, adding more broth as needed.
4. Serve with Banaha dumplings.

Tips
 

This soup can also be cooked in a crockpot on High for 6 hours. See the recipe for the Banaha in Salads and Sides.

Creamed Spinach with Ramps

Ready in 30 minutes
Serves 100 people

Nutrition Highlight

Spinach promotes brain health due to its high Vitamin K content. Generally, the greener the vegetable, the more Vitamin K it contains.

Ingredients
 

• 50 pounds of Fresh Spinach or 4, Number 10 Cans of Spinach
• 1 pound of Ramps, cleaned of debris, chopped fine
• 2 large onions, small dice
• 1 pound of butter
• 4 cups of Whole Wheat or All-Purpose Flour
• 3 T Salt
• 1 Gallon of Low-Fat Milk
• 1 c Parmesan Cheese, grated (optional)
• 2 T Black Pepper
• 2 t Nutmeg

Preparation
 

1. In a large soup kettle or Stock Pot melt butter over low heat. Add in onions and ramps and cook, stirring often until onions are translucent, about 2 minutes.
2. Add in flour and cook, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add spinach to the flour and onion mixture and stir to combine. (If using canned spinach, If using fresh spinach cook for an additional minute or 2 to wilt spinach.) Add Parmesan if used. Stir again to combine.
4. Slowly begin to whisk in Milk. Stirring constantly. Once all milk has been added, season with Salt, Pepper and Nutmeg. Serve immediately.

Tips
 

If Ramps are unavailable, substitute Chopped Green Onions. If a thinner Creamed Spinach is desired, thin with additional milk or substitute Low fat Chicken Broth.

Hearty Wild Rice Soup

Recipe submitted by Victoria Wells of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians.

Nutrition Highlight

This dish is packed with rich fiber, protein, and iron, making it a nutritious and wholesome choice.

Ingredients
 

• 10 c Wild Rice/Basmati Blend               
• 8 qts Water    
• ¼ c Sumac   
• ¼ c Vinegar 
• 10 lbs Ground Venison 
• 6 c Delicata Squash, Halved, seeded and ¼ slices
• 6 c Corn      
• 4 c Maple Syrup       
• 10 Garlic Cloves, Mashed or minced

Preparation
 

1. Add ground venison to a large soup pot, add sumac, vinegar and simmer until brown, break apart.
2. Slice delicata squash in half, remove seeds (save for roasting) and slice into 1/4 inch pieces.
3. Add water and rice into soup pot along with 10 garlic cloves minced or mashed bring to a boil and boil for 20 minutes.
4. Add in squash, corn and maple syrup. After boiling for 10 more minutes reduce heat and simmer until rice begins to break open, serve.

Hull Corn Soup

Ready in 90 minutes
Serves 100 people at about 8 oz per bowl

Nutrition Highlight

Hulled corn is rich in fiber and low in fat, which can help lower cholesterol levels.

Ingredients
 

• 3.5 gallons of vegetable stock
• 10 # of corn
• 5 pounds of uncooked wild rice
• 5 pounds of uncooked bean blend
• 10 pounds of bison/beef short ribs
• 10 onions -medium dice
• 20 celery stalks -medium dice

Preparation
 

1. In a large soup pot, on medium high heat, sear off the ribs until they are brown.
2. Add the onions and celery and cook until they are translucent (sweating).
3. Pour in your stock and beans. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add your rice, simmer for another 30 minutes.
4. Once your ribs and beans are tender, your soup is ready. Serve, enjoy.

Tips
 

Can add in aromatics such as bay leaves. If you use an already cooked bean, add them towards the end of the cooking process.

Partridge Stew

Ready in 4 hours
Serves 5-6 people

Nutrition Highlight

Partridge is a great source of protein, which can help prevent sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass.

Ingredients
 

• 2 Partridges, drawn and cut into small pieces (Chicken, Cornish Game Hen or other game birds may be substituted.)
• 4 T Vegetable or Canola Oil
• 1 c Bullrush Shoots, chopped
• ½ t Coltsfoot Salt
• 4 Wild Onions (also known as Ramps)
• 10 Arrowhead Tubers (also known as “Duck Potato.”)

Preparation
 

1. Skin and draw the partridge and cut into small pieces.
2. Clean and wash the bullrush shoots. Chop into small pieces.
3. Skin and wash the wild onions. Chop into small pieces.
4. Scrape then wash the arrowhead tubers.
5. In a large soup kettle, bring everything to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and boil for an hour.

Tips
 

This soup was traditionally prepared using a birch bark container instead of a soup kettle to cook. The original recipe reads as follows:
 

Get a birch bark container large enough for all of the ingredients. Leave room to line basket with a 1” wall and base of mud. Line the basket with mud, place in the sun to partly dry. Place the pieces of partridge, fat, bull rush shoots, onions and arrowhead tubers with a green leaf, pack more mud on top of the leaf. Push the coals of your campfire to one side, then place the basket in the hole, cover with hot coals, add more wood. Let roast for 3 hours. Remove from the fire, take the top of the clay pot off, the rest can be used as a serving or eating bowl.

Pea Soup with Bear Ham

Ready 2 hours
Serves 5-6 people

Nutrition Highlight

Bear meat is a lean and nutritious protein low in saturated fat and calories. Saturated fat can harm the body by clogging arteries, so the low levels found in bear meat make it a healthy option.

Ingredients
 

• 2 c Dried Split Peas
• 5 c Water
• 2 Wild Onions, whole (White or Yellow onions can be substituted.)
• 2 Wild Onions, chopped
• 1 Pound Bear Ham (Smoked Ham can be substituted.)
• 1 t Black Pepper
• 3 t Salt
• 2 Bay Leaves

Preparation
 

1. Wash peas in cold water and place in a 3 Quart Pot. Add 5 cups of water to the peas and bring to a rolling boil. Boil peas for 5 minutes. Take Peas off the heat and let it stand for one hour. Skim the pea husks off the surface and discard.
2. Add the onions, ham, pepper and salt and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and simmer with the lid on for 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally. When the peas are tender but not yet mushy, remove the whole onions and the meat from the soup.
3. Cut the ham into ¾ inch slices and serve as a side dish with the finished soup.

Tips
 

Bear Ham is made from the hindquarters of a bear. The meat is brined and smoked using the same techniques as if making a ham out of pork. The texture is described as being somewhat chewier than ham made from pork but having the same smokey- salty taste as regular ham.
 

In this recipe a smoked ham can be substituted for the bear ham.

Split Pea Soup with Ham

Ready in 90 minutes
Serves about 60 people

Nutrition Highlight

Split peas are fiber-rich, which plays a crucial role in many of our body's functions, including regulating blood sugar levels.

Ingredients
 

• 4 Pounds of dried split peas
• 8 Carrots, sliced
• 8 Celery stalks, sliced
• 8 Onions, medium dice
• 8 Cubes of chicken bouillon
• 2 Pounds of ham, diced small (or 5 smoked ham hocks)
• 4 Gallons water
• 2 Bay leaves
• 3 T Black pepper

Preparation
 

1. In a large soup kettle, place ham or ham hocks, bouillon cubes and bay leaves. Cover with water and simmer over low heat for 60 minutes. (If using ham hocks, simmer for 69-90 minutes or until meat separates easily from the bone. Remove ham hocks from broth and separate meat from the bones. Discard bones and add meat back into soup kettle.)
2. Add dried peas and vegetables to meat/ broth mixture and simmer for 30 minutes or until peas and vegetables are tender.

Tips
 

More water can be added to soup to thin the soup or more peas can be added for a thicker soup. Dumplings or potatoes can also be added for a heartier soup. Any color Lentils may be substituted for peas as well.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Ready in 60 minutes
Yields 2.5 gallons.
Serves 38-8oz bowls of soup

Nutrition Highlight

Peppers belong to the nightshade family. They are low in calories and rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants, making them a healthy addition to any diet.

Ingredients
 

• 4 lbs Lean Ground Beef or Bison or Pork Sausage
• 12 c Water
• 2, 28 oz Cans of Tomato Sauce
• 2, 28 oz Cans of Diced Tomatoes (do not drain)
• 4 c Bell Peppers, diced (any color)
• 2 c Onions, diced
• 1 c Carrots, diced
• 2 T Beef Bouillon
• 1 T Salt
• 1 T Garlic Powder
• 1 T Black Pepper
• 1 T Worcestershire Sauce (optional)
• 1 Bay Leaf (optional)
• 4 c cooked rice (brown, wild rice or white)

Preparation
 

1. In a large soup kettle over medium high heat, brown the Ground Beef and onion. Season with Salt and Pepper to taste. Drain off any excess grease.
2. Add in the Carrots, Bell Peppers, Beef Bouillon, Salt, Garlic Powder, Black Pepper, reduce heat to medium and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add Worcestershire sauce and Bay Leaf if used. Stir to combine.
3. Add in Tomato Sauce and Diced Tomato, water and rice. Stir to combine.
4. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for an additional 30-45 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Remove Bay Leaf. Taste soup and adjust seasonings if needed.

Tips
 

Once the rice is added the soup can become quite thick. Add more water and additional bouillon if necessary. If you want the soup to be spicy, substitute a hot pepper for some of the bell peppers.

Waabooz (Rabbit) Stew

Recipe submitted by Victoria Wells of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians.

Nutrition Highlight

Rabbits are an excellent source of protein, iron, and B vitamins, essential for metabolism and help the body obtain nutrients and energy from food.

Ingredients
 

• 2 Rabbits, Slow cooked and shredded
• 6 Carrots, Cut into disks
• 3 Vidalia Onion, Small dice
• 6 Ribs of Celery, Small dice
• 10 C Reduced sodium chicken broth
• 6 C Water
• 6 Tomatoes, Smashed
• 3 C Peas       
• 4 T Dried Basil
• 1 T Salt
• 2 T Black Pepper
• 8 Purple Potatoes 

Preparation
 

1. Shred rabbit meat, small dice the onions, celery, and thin slice the carrots into disks, medium dice potatoes with skin on, smash the tomatoes with skin on.
2. Combine all ingredients in large soup pot and bring to a rolling boil.
3. Turn heat down and slow cook for 1-2 hours until carrots are tender.
4. You may need more/less seasoning, season to preference.