Soup-er Delicious: Amazing Soups from Around the World 2/4

The previous blog post explored five amazing soups worldwide: pickle soup, turnip green soup, tomato Florentine soup, spicy chicken noodle soup, and kabocha soup. In this post, we will continue discovering more soup varieties and origins and learn how to make them at home. We will cover the following soups:

Chicken pastina soup: a simple and comforting Italian soup with tiny pasta shapes in chicken broth.
Jamaican chicken soup: a hearty and flavorful Caribbean soup with chicken, pumpkin, dumplings, and spices.
Kabocha squash soup: a rich and creamy soup made with roasted kabocha squash, ginger, and coconut milk.
Chocolate soup is a decadent and indulgent dessert with dark chocolate, coffee, and cream.
Italian penicillin soup is a classic and soothing soup with chicken, vegetables, and pastina, also known as “Italian penicillin” for its healing properties.

Let’s get started!

Chicken Pastina Soup

Chicken pastina soup is a traditional Italian dish often served to children and adults alike, especially when they are under the weather. Pastina means “little pasta” in Italian and refers to the small pasta shapes used in this soup, such as acini di pepe, stelline, or orzo. Chicken pastina soup is easy to make and can be ready in less than an hour. You only need chicken, broth, vegetables, pastina, and cheese. You can also add an egg to make the soup richer and creamier.

To make chicken pastina soup , you will need:

2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 pounds of chicken breasts, sliced
¼ teaspoon of garlic powder
¼ teaspoon of pepper, divided
0.12 teaspoon of salt
½ medium yellow onion, chopped
3 medium celery stalks, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
6 cups of chicken stock
3 cups of water
½ pound of pasta
⅓ cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Here are the steps to follow:

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with garlic powder, half of the pepper, and salt. Add the chicken to the pot and cook, turning once, until golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and shred it with two forks.
Add the onion, celery, and carrots in the same pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes.
Add the stock and water and bring to a boil. Add the pastina and the remaining pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the shredded chicken and cheese and heat through. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
To serve Chicken pastina soup , ladle the soup into bowls and enjoy with some crusty bread or a green salad.

Jamaican Chicken Soup

Jamaican chicken soup is a delicious and satisfying soup that originated in the Caribbean. Jamaican chicken soup is made with chicken, pumpkin, dumplings, root vegetables and spices. Jamaican chicken soup is also known as swamp soup because of its green colour and thick texture. Jamaican chicken soup is a filling and nutritious meal that can be enjoyed anytime, especially in the colder months.

To make Jamaican chicken soup , you will need:

1 pound of boneless chicken, cut into chunks
1 pack of chicken noodle soup mix
½ pound of fresh pumpkin, cubed
½ pound of yellow yam, cubed
1 chocho, peeled and cubed
1 corn, cut into three pieces
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 Scotch bonnet pepper
2 scallions, chopped
5 sprigs of thyme
5 pimento berries
½ teaspoon of salt
Water
1 cup of plain flour
Water
¼ teaspoon of salt (optional)
1 tablespoon of cornmeal (optional)

Here are the steps to follow:

Wash the chicken in lime juice and water. Drain and set aside.
Place the chicken in a large soup pot with the pimento, scallion, thyme, garlic, onion, corn, and salt. Add enough boiling water to cover the food in the pot and cook for five to ten minutes.
Add the pumpkin, yam, chocho, and carrots and boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the pumpkin is soft about 15 minutes.
Mix the chicken noodle soup with some boiling water in a small bowl and stir well. Add the mixture to the pot and stir. Add more water if the soup is too thick.
To make the dumplings, mix the flour, salt, and cornmeal (if using) in a large bowl. Gradually add water and knead to form a firm dough. Pinch off small pieces of dough and roll them into balls or spinners. Drop them into the soup and cook for another 10 minutes.
Add the whole Scotch bonnet pepper to the soup and cover the pot. Let it cook for another 5 minutes, then turn off the heat. Do not burst the pepper unless you want a very spicy soup.
To serve Jamaican chicken soup , ladle the soup into bowls and enjoy with some bread or crackers.

Kabocha Squash Soup

Kabocha squash soup is rich and creamy with roasted kabocha squash, ginger, and coconut milk. Kabocha squash is an Asian variety of winter squash with dark green skin and bright orange flesh. Kabocha squash soup has a naturally sweet flavour, even sweeter than butternut squash, and is often used for desserts and baked goods in Japan. Kabocha squash soup is a great way to enjoy kabocha squash’s fresh and tangy flavour, and the ginger adds some warmth and spice. Kabocha squash soup is easy to make and can be ready in less than 30 minutes.

To make kabocha squash soup, you will need:

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 pound of smoked sausage, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
6 cups of chicken broth
2 cups of frozen corn kernels
1 10-ounce package of frozen chopped turnip greens, thawed
1 tablespoon of vinegar
1 teaspoon of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Here are the steps to follow:

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for another minute. Transfer the mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker.
Add the broth, tomatoes, beans, corn, turnip greens, vinegar, sugar, thyme, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours until the soup is hot and bubbly.
To serve Kabocha squash soup , ladle the soup into bowls and enjoy with some cornbread or biscuits.

Chocolate Soup

Chocolate soup is a decadent and indulgent dessert with dark chocolate, coffee, and cream. Chocolate soup is not a dessert for the faint-hearted, as it is pure liquid chocolate with a dash of brandy. Chocolate soup is a simple and elegant dessert that can be made in less than 10 minutes. It is best served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and croissant croutons for crunch and contrast.

To make chocolate soup, you will need:

150 milliliters of double cream
200 grams of good-quality dark chocolate
100 millilitres of strong coffee
4 tablespoons of brandy (optional)
Vanilla ice cream to serve

Here are the steps to follow:

Put the cream in a saucepan over medium heat and gently bring to a boil. Meanwhile, chop the chocolate into small pieces using a heavy knife and prepare the coffee.
Once the cream is boiling, turn off the heat and throw in the chopped chocolate. Stir gently until completely smooth, then add the coffee and brandy (if using).
To serve, divide between 4 small bowls and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to each. Enjoy your chocolate soup with some croissant croutons or bread for extra crunch.

Italian Penicillin Soup

Italian penicillin soup is a classic and soothing soup with chicken, vegetables, and pastina, also known as “Italian penicillin” for its healing properties. Pastina is the same as the tiny pasta shapes used in chicken pastina soup, adding some substance and texture to the broth-based soup. Italian penicillin soup is a great way to use leftover chicken, and it can help clear your sinuses and soothe your throat. Italian penicillin soup is easy to make and can be ready in less than 30 minutes.

To make Italian penicillin soup , you will need:

2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
8 cups of chicken broth
2 cups of cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon of dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of pastina
1/4 cup of chopped parsley
Grated Parmesan cheese to serve

Here are the steps to follow:

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes.
Add the broth, chicken, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper and boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
Add the pastina and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the parsley and taste for seasoning. Adjust the salt and pepper if needed.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy your Italian penicillin soup with some bread or crackers.

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed this blog post about more soup varieties and origins. Soup is a wonderful dish that can be enjoyed in many ways, and we hope you learned something new and interesting about these soups. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. Thank you for reading, and happy cooking! 😊