Simple Soups for Kids and Teens

Is there anyone out there who isn’t instantly comforted by the thought of a nice warm bowl of soup? Here are a few easy, appealing vegan soups that can become the favorites of kids and teens. Even kids who balk at vegetables may be more likely to enjoy them when enveloped in a tasty broth. See also Creamy Corn Chowder in Tofu 101. And make sure to explore the entire Veg Kids and Teens page on VegKitchen for lots of easy, healthy recipes for vegetarian and vegan kids and teens.

SIMPLE SWEET POTATO SOUP
Nutritious sweet potatoes need little embellishment to make a flavorful soup. This one is made extra easy by baking or microwaving the sweet potatoes ahead of time, sparing the cook from having to and dice them. Just scoop, mash, and heat for a comforting, nearly-instant soup.

Serves: 4 to 6

• 4 large sweet potatoes
• 2 cups plain rice milk, or more, as needed
• 1 to 2 teaspoons salt-free herb-and-spice seasoning mix,
  (such as Spike or Mrs. Dash), or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of ground or fresh nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Wilted baby spinach for garnish, optional
• Vegan sour cream and/or chives for garnish, optional

Bake or microwave the sweet potatoes until very easily pierced with a knife.

When the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut each  in half, scoop them out of the skins, and transfer to a bowl. Mash well.

Combine the mashed sweet potatoes in a soup pot or large saucepan with the remaining ingredients. Stir together, then heat slowly until the mixture comes to a simmer.

Cover and simmer gently for 5 minutes. If the soup is too thick, add more rice milk. Taste to adjust seasonings. Let the soup stand off the heat for an hour or two, then heat through, or serve at once. Top with any of the suggested garnishes, if you’d like.

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CREAMY BROCCOLI SOUP
This soup gets a thick, creamy base from pureed white beans or tofu. Either way, it’s a comforting and nourishing soup.

Serves: 4 to 6

• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium-large onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 large or 3 medium broccoli crowns, coarsely chopped
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube
• 16-ounce can great northern beans or cannellini, drained and rinsed,
  or one 16-ounce tub soft tofu
• Rice milk, as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or small soup pot and add the onion. Sauté over medium heat until golden, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the broccoli, bouillon cube, and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently until the broccoli is tender but not overcooked, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Transfer the mixture in the saucepan to a food processor and add the beans. Puree until smooth, then transfer back to the saucepan.

Add enough rice milk to give the soup a medium-thick consistency. Stir in the dill, then season with salt and pepper. Cook over very low heat for 5 minutes, then serve.

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ALPHABET SOUP
This tasty soup doesn’t need a lot of time to simmer. Start it about 30 minutes before you want to serve it. As kids get older, you can leave out the alphabets (or replace them with ditalini orzo, or other small pasta), but those letters floating around in the soup gives it great appeal to young eaters. This soup will recall the canned version you may have eaten as a child—but better.

Serves: 4 to 6

• 1 tablespoon nonhydrogenated margarine
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into small dice
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small dice
• 1/2 cup tiny alphabet noodles
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
• 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
• 1 cup diced ripe tomato or about half a 16-ounce can diced tomatoes, (see Notes)

Heat the margarine in a medium size saucepan. Add the diced carrots and sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat.

Add the potatoes, alphabet noodles, dill, paprika, and 4 cups water. Bring to a simmer, then simmer gently, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the carrots and potatoes are tender.

Add the peas and tomatoes and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add a little more water if the broth seems crowded and cook just until heated through.

NOTES: If you like a more tomatoey soup, use the entire can. If there are leftovers, much of the broth will be absorbed by the noodles. Add water as needed, then correct the seasoning with additional paprika, dill, and salt if needed.

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COLORFUL TOFU-VEGETABLE SOUP
This quick and colorful soup will please kids and teens who enjoy Asian flavors. Just toss everything into a soup pot and in a few moments, it’s done!

Serves: 4 to 6

• 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
• 15-ounce can cut baby corn, with liquid
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, cut into short narrow strips
• 1 cup snow peas, trimmed and cut in half
• 8 ounces soft tofu, sliced, well blotted, and cut into small dice
• A good handful of spinach or dark green lettuce leaves
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine 5 cups of water with the bouillon cubes, baby corn, bell pepper, snow peas, and tofu in a large saucepan or small soup pot. Bring to a gentle simmer, then simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, if using spinach, rinse it well, remove the stems, and chop coarsely. If using lettuce, cut into narrow shreds. Add to the soup and simmer for another 2 minutes or so, just until the greens are wilted, and serve.

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SIMPLE RAMEN NOODLE SOUP
Full of curly noodles, this easy soup has long been one of my sons’ favorites.

Serves: 4 to 6

• One 32-ounce container low-sodium vegetable broth
• 4- to 6-ounce package curly ramen noodles (see note), broken up
• 1 or 2 scallions, green part only, thinly sliced
• 1 cup sliced small white or brown mushrooms, optional
• 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

Bring the broth and 1 cup water to a simmer in a large saucepan. Add the noodles and cook for a couple of minutes, until you can separate the strands with a fork.

Add the scallions and optional mushrooms and cook until the noodles and mushrooms are tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. If you’d like to make the strands of noodles even shorter, reach a pair of kitchen shears into the saucepan and cut the noodles here and there. Add the green peas. Simmer just until they’re cooked through, then serve.

NOTE: Look for packages of plain curly ramen noodles (not noodle soup) in the Asian foods section of well-stocked supermarkets. If you can find them, short, fine egg-free noodles are a good substitute.