I can not say enough good things about soups! They are comforting, filling, nutritious while being quick to prepare and easy on the wallet. These five soups that I selected to share can all be made in ONE pot and in less than 30 minutes.
Meredith McGrath RD, LDN
#1: Smoked Sausage Corn Chowder | #2: Chicken Sausage, Sweet Potato, and Kale Soup | #3: Beef and Chorizo Chili | #4: Cowboy Stew with Cornbread | #5: Pressure Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
#1 Smoked Sausage Corn Chowder Recipe
This soup is perfect for a winter day! It’s creamy, flavorful and doesn’t require standing over the stove all day! Two important things to point out: if you would like to “lighten” this up; you can use chicken sausage or an alternate protein, a lower fat dairy option, and a few less potatoes. Also keep in mind, this recipe calls for the potatoes to be cooked prior to adding to the soup. I MISSED this important step! However, since my soup had to cook an additional 15 minutes for the potatoes to get soft, it got even thicker and creamier. So the choice is up to you!
Serves 4
Total Time: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 1 package Hillshire Farm®Smoked Sausage
- ¼ cup butter or margarine
- 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 cups milk
- 1 (15.25 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
- 2 cups cubed potatoes, cooked, drained
DIRECTIONS
Cut sausage into 1/2” cubes; set aside
Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 4 minutes or until tender. Add flour, salt and pepper; cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
Add milk. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Add corn and sausage; return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in potatoes; heat through. Top each serving with parsley and cheese, if desired.
#2 Chicken Sausage, Sweet Potato, and Kale Soup
Can we say WOW to these super foods? This is a whole lot of nutrition in one pot and with minimal prep, this soup is an easy go to! I saved a little time by purchasing the sweet potatoes pre-cubed and “peeled garlic” was a first for me and let me tell you… it was a total game changer!
Serves 4
Total Time: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 1 package of al fresco Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage, sliced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into cubes
- 12 oz Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 5 cups kale, chopped
DIRECTIONS
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onions until the onions turn translucent. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Stir in the chicken stock. sweet potatoes, baby Bella mushrooms, apple cider vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper and raise heat until it reaches a boil. Once boiling, simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes soften. Add the kale and sausage and cook for a couple minutes, or until the sausage is heated and the kale softened.
http://www.alfrescochicken.com
#3 Beef and Chorizo Chili
When preparing this recipe, I kept thinking to myself, “I really don’t need another chili recipe.” But then once everyone cleaned their plate… I knew this was a keeper. Any dish that my kids beg to get packed in their lunch, gets immediately added to the weekly rotation. (BONUS when it has added nutrition like chick peas and veggies!)
Serves 4
Total Time: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound ground beef (95% lean)
- 7 to 8 oz beef chorizo
- 1 ½ cups chopped white onions
- 2 to 4 medium mild to hot peppers, chopped (poblano, serrano, etc.)
- 2 tablespoons ground ancho chili powder or regular chili powder
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon dried Mexican or regular oregano leaves, crushed
DIRECTIONS
Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add ground beef, chorizo, onions and peppers; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into ¾-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally. Remove from skillet with slotted spoon; pour off drippings. Return beef to skillet. Add chili powder, masa harina, oregano and salt; cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in beans and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve over rice with toppings, if desired.
#4 Cowboy Stew with Cornbread
I doubted this recipe the entire cooking process. Even when taking it out of the oven I was not sure what to expect. But then it quickly became one of those dishes that you could not stop eating! Fun and satisfying, I used an oven safe skillet to keep with the ONE pot theme!
Serves 4
Total Cook Time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 16 Philly Gourmet® Sandwich Steaks
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 1 can condensed tomato soup
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups chopped red, yellow and/or orange peppers
- 1 can creamed corn
- 1/2 cup salsa or taco sauce (as hot or mild as you prefer)
- 8.5 oz. to 12 oz. pkg. corn muffin mix
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400° F. In a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, cook steaks and chili powder until steaks are just browned, chopping them as they cook. Stir in soup, peppers, corn and salsa or taco sauce. Heat to boiling. Reduce to low; cover and cook for 5 minutes. Pour into a 2 quart, greased casserole. Prepare corn muffin mix as directed on package; spoon evenly over soup mixture. The muffin mix will appear to sink, but spoon evenly and slowly to assure full coverage. Bake at least 25 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin mixture comes out clean. Let rest for at least 10 minutes to allow everything to cool and set. For a less soupy mixture, you can use 1/2 can of soup, add more steaks or trade the creamed corn for whole kernel sweet corn.
#5 PRESSURE COOKER CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP
I am still on the learning curve when it comes to my pressure cooker. I feel that it makes me follow recipes way more than I prefer to. However, this is one that I can handle! The simple DUMP and set was all that was required! This is a great dish for a busy weekend that you can leave on warm and let the eaters come and go as they wish!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pkg Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 jar (16-ounce) fire roasted salsa
- 1 can (14-ounce) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
- 1 box cooked yellow rice, for serving
- 1 cup pico de gallo or fresh salsa, for serving
- 1/2 cup sour cream, for serving
- 1/2 cup tortilla strips, for serving
DIRECTIONS
Combine the chicken thighs, chicken broth, fire roasted salsa, black beans and corn in a multi cooker. Lock the lid to the multi cooker and close the release valve. Set the cooker to the manual, poultry or pressure cook setting and the timer for 5 minutes. When the time is finished, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then use the quick release valve to release the remaining pressure. Chicken is done when the meat falls apart easily and a meat thermometer inserted in the center reaches 170 degrees F. Remove the chicken thighs from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized shred. Return the chicken back to the pressure cooker and stir to combine. To serve, place a scoop of yellow rice into a shallow soup bowl. Ladle Enchilada Soup over the rice. Top with cheddar cheese, pico de gallo, sour cream and tortilla strips.