From the Recipe Creator:
Much of the work for this soup can be done in advance, and it keeps all day in the slow cooker. The recipe can easily be doubled if you’re feeding a crowd. Once you’ve tried it, try mixing it up—add sage or savory with the thyme, or replace the thyme with nutmeg. For a vegan version, replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth. —Jennifer Machado, Alta, California
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 124 calories, 2g fat (0 saturated fat), 2mg cholesterol, 616mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 6g fiber), 3g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch.
Christmas Soups FAQWhat are the best soups for a Christmas dinner menu?
The best soups for a Christmas dinner menu are made with seasonal flavors and are light enough to leave room for the main course, like butternut squash soup, spinach and mushroom soup, pumpkin curry soup or roasted cauliflower soup. If you want to branch out, try slow-cooked French onion soup, parsnip bisque, pho, or gumbo for something different. Those hosting a Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner on Christmas Eve can go all out with seafood soups, like Cioppino, clam chowder and bouillabaisse.
Are there any Christmas soup recipes that can be made ahead?
Many Christmas soups can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator or freezer, like roasted tomato, Italian white bean and chicken vegetable. Soups can be refrigerated for three to four days before serving. Freezer-friendly soups can be made two to three months in advance. For the best results when freezing soup, avoid dairy or starch-heavy recipes, which can become grainy or mushy when reheated. Freeze cooked pasta, rice and potatoes separately, then add when reheating.
Can I use Christmas dinner leftovers to make soup?
Christmas dinner leftovers make amazing soup! Use extra Christmas ham and the ham bone to make split pea soup. Roast beef leftovers are perfect in beef barley soup, slow-cooked Mexican beef soup or chili. Stir in the beef when the soup is almost done so the meat stays tender. Leftover chicken makes delicious chicken noodle, chicken and dumpling or enchilada soup. Chop up leftover roasted veggies and toss them into a simmering soup with a few spoonfuls of gravy for an extra boost of flavor.
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