Chatting Mushroom, Black Bean, Celery Soup and More with Margaret Roach
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By the end of last winter, I found myself making the same three soups — lentil, cabbage, tomato — over and over and over again.
I promised myself then I would, upon next soup season, branch out—that I’d dip my toe in unchartered broths and brews before falling back to my reliable staples.
And I’m so glad I did because I’ve discovered some new favorites: an utterly simple cream of celery soup brightened by a toasted walnut-currant salsa; a classic cumin-and-garlic seasoned black bean soup scented with orange zest; a light and lemony broccoli soup unlike any other I’ve tasted; and an especially mushroom-y mushroom soup thanks to the inclusion of dried mushrooms, an ingredient that too often, irrationally, deters me from the get-go.
I’ve discussed all of these discoveries with my friend (and brilliant master gardener) Margaret Roach of A Way to Garden. Besides recipes, we talked about soaking and brining beans and when this step can be skipped; about stock and if it’s really necessary; about how we can change up the texture of a soup to suit our preferences; and about those extra ingredients that can make all the difference: heaps of fresh dill with mushrooms, orange rind with black beans, and other such flavor surprises.
UPDATE: GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED. Winner is Anne Schafer. I’ve emailed you. We’re each giving away a copy of our favorite soup cookbook, Anna Thomas’s Love Soup. Enter by leaving a comment below (US residents only); enter again over on Margaret’s site.
Read along or listen to the podcast right here.
PS: Chatting Soups with Margaret Roach, Volume 1
PPS: ALL the Soups Right Here: Soup
Balthazar Cream of Mushroom Soup via Smitten Kitchen:
This time of year, I always order another case of quart containers. These are the absolute best for freezing soups and stocks as well as for gifting soup to friends.
When I am very organized, I make a double batch of this vegetable stock and freeze it to have on hand as needed. Otherwise, I use water without thinking twice—well-salted water is a perfectly fine substitute for stock.
So often, soups, puréed or otherwise, are not so pleasing to the eye. And while looks aren’t everything …
… a garnish helps. For fun, I sautéed some king and hen of the wood mushrooms to liven up the creaminess.
And after hearing Margaret talk about Mrs. Kostrya’s Polish mushroom soup with lots of fresh dill …
… I had to give it a whirl.
No regrets. Get the recipe here: Balthazar Cream of Mushroom Soup.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
259 Comments on “Chatting Mushroom, Black Bean, Celery Soup and More with Margaret Roach”
I love soups all year long but look forward to that first soup of the fall season, which I made last week. A variation of ribolita, with lots of vegetables from the garden (freezer). Yum.
I make Julia Child’s Leek and Potato Soup and a Minestrone Soup with winter vegetables. I add pearled barley and dried beans to my Minestrone Soup. I use a pressure cooker to cook my beans and chick peas.
I soup. Make a pot every Sunday all year long. Can’t wait to try these recipes. Mushroom and dill sounds especially interesting.
I love soups of all kinds and have “saved” Six Seasons on my amazon wish list for Christmas. I love cookbooks and read them like novels. The soups in your article look particularly wonderful. Would LOVE to win a copy of Love Soup. I made a roasted garlic and cauliflower soup last week that was wonderful.
I am new to soups and appreciate you sharing your favorites. Hope to add soups to my family gatherings.
This mushroom soup sounds and looks soooooo good!
What a wonderful and informative interview with two obviously food-loving, soup-loving ladies after my own heart. I, too, love soup. In fact, soup is what’s for breakfast on a rainy day like today.
Love soup, and make it year-round, even though I’m in warm California!
My absolute favorite is Creme d’Asperge (cream of asparagus). Comes together in a snap with only a few ingredients, so I can prepare it before I leave for the office in the morning. Whichever herb is ready in the garden can go in too, very versatile.
I think it is an old “Gourmet” recipe, but I suspect Alexandra shared it here!
I just love it when soup season comes around!
going mushroom hunting today! anxious to try a fabulous new recipe!
My go to soup is Lentil. Once the onion and garlic start to give off their wonderful aroma, I swear it conjures my Mother to join me in the kitchen. Lentil soup is one of those homey, Italian comfort foods I crave especially once the weather turns chilly and damp . In total contrast, I also love tofu-miso soup which I enjoy all year round, hot and even chilled with chopped watercress.
Nothing like a hearty Beef Stew on a cold winters night !!
I enjoy almost any kind of soup — always glad to add new recipes for soups.
For those of us who love cream soups but can’t eat dairy, try cashew cream. It is absolutely delicious.
My two go-to soups are basic pea soup and butternut squash. I’d like some inspiration for the cold months ahead! Thanks for the give away. I just made your “bacon-less carbonara” last night, always delicious.!
I love black bean & navy bean soup in the cold winter months!
A nice bowl of steaming kale soup served with crusty bread to soak up all that good broth. Delicious & warming.
I make a large pot of vegetable based soup nearly every week in the winter. It becomes my lunch for the week, and maybe a supper.
I turned your curried cauliflower and chick pea recipe into a soup. I take it to work for my lunch everyday…I love it!!!
The mushroom soup looks great. I make squash soup a lot, but looking to do something new.
I LOVE Anna Thomas! Vegetarian Epicure was one of the first cookbooks I purchased when I changed my diet over 30 years ago. Thanks so much for the sweet reminder that I need to look into all her more recent books.
I’d love to start using that cookbook in tandem w all you provide! ❤️
My problem is that I start out thinking I’ll make a particular type of soup but it often ends up being what I refer to as “kitchen sink soup”. That is, I throw everything in my crockpot but the kitchen sink. I can’t stop myself, yet somehow, happily, it always turns out!
This post is a great reminder to get out my old copy of Vegetarian Epicure. I’ll also be looking into her soup book as well as the others you’ve included in this post. Thanks for all the inspiration, Alexandra.
I am really getting into all kinds of squash coconut milk curries, with tofu or red lentils, all converted to throwing into my instant pot for 3 minutes or so and having yumminess for days!
I ????soup!
I so love soup season. Thanks to both you and Margaret for the soup inspiration!
Thanks, I just received my email to enter.
LOVE good soups too and always looking for new recipes to ad.
We had 8 people in my family and soup was always a quick tasty meal. We had our main meals
at 12 or 1. Our heritage is German and soup was usually a first course. Sundays was a special day and soup was the starter. Never too heavy maybe a broth with small dumplings.
Great memories for sure
Though not answering the question directly, years ago after making a very disappointing pot of soup I realized I needed to think in terms of perfumers. My soup was missing that bottom note., the umpf . Now I make an effort to have bottom, middle and top notes.
I an a soup novice and look forward to learning more!