On a cold day, nothing warms you like a bowl of hot soup!

While there are plenty of recipes out there, the steps to cooking most types of soup are similar. Learning the process allows you to use what you have on-hand and can save you money by reducing food waste.

Entrée soups are balanced one-dish meals that are easy to cook in large batches and taste better the next day. They usually freeze well, and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days for later meals.

So why not follow these steps to see what flavorful concoction you come up with?

Step One: Get Prepared

Cut your vegetables in uniform shapes and sizes. Chop or mince aromatics, which are veggies that provide flavor for broth. Trim fat off meat and cut to desired size.

Step Two: Brown Meat (optional)

If meat is in soup, browning it in a small amount of fat will add flavor. It’s not a requirement. Place your soup pot over medium high to high heat and brown all sides. Set aside in a bowl.

Step Three: Cook Aromatics

Place your soup pot over medium-low to medium heat and add enough oil to cover the bottom. Add aromatics and stir often, cooking until tender. Common aromatics are onions, shallots, leeks, garlic, ginger, celery and carrots. Other vegetables may be added later.

Step Four: Add Stock

If you want a thickened stock, add flour to the aromatics and stir continuously for a minute or two. Stir in stock and any spices to your cooked aromatics and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce to a simmer after adding other ingredients.

Step Five: Add Other Ingredients

Add your ingredients to the stock in the order of longest to fastest cooking time.

°Stew meat or other tough cuts: Cover and lightly simmer for at least an hour before adding anything else.

°Dried lentils, roots and tubers require 30 to 45 minutes to fully cook.

°Chicken or a tender cut of meat may be added during the last 15 – 20 minutes of cooking.

°Dried beans should be cooked separately and add during the last 15 minutes.

°Allow pasta a little more time than when you cook it in boiling water.

°Peas, green beans, and hearty leafy vegetables need 15 to 20 minutes of simmering time. °Spinach and thin asparagus may be added the last 5 minutes.

Step Six: Seasoning

Some fresh and all dried herbs may be added during the last 15 minutes of cooking time. Herbs such as cilantro, basil, parsley or pesto may be used as a flavorful garnish. Taste to see if you need to add salt or pepper.

Check out this easy curry soup recipe for inspiration, using greens that you have on-hand.

Curried Chicken Soup with Greens

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into ½” chunks
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons grated or finely minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Around 8 ounces greens, stemmed and chopped
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
• Optional: sliced green onions for garnish. Serve this soup over rice for a heartier meal.

Instructions

1. Heat oil in soup pot over medium high heat. Add chicken and stir often until browning. Place in a bowl and set aside.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add onion and bell pepper. Stir occasionally until softened and beginning to brown.
3. Stir in flour to coat the onion and bell pepper. Add ginger, curry powder and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Stir in chicken broth and add greens. Add coconut milk and bring to boil.
5. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir until broth begins to thicken. Add reserved chicken and continue to cook until greens are tender, 10 minutes or so for hearty greens and several minutes for spinach.
6. Off heat, stir in lime juice. Taste and season with salt and extra cayenne, if desired. Serve, passing lime wedges separately.