Even the most disaster-prone home cook has the power to conjure the comforting magic of soup. All it takes is a good quality stock, whatever bendy veggies happen to be at the back of the crisper, and perhaps a can of beans or shredded meat from last night’s roast. Throw them in a pot to bubble away, and in an hour or so, you’ll have a tasty balm for the body and soul – not to mention a budget-pleasing meal.

You could easily leave your soup game at that – and indeed, many do – but you’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t explore the great breadth of potential soup styles and flavours. Whether meaty or vegetarian, smooth or chunky, rich and creamy or a clear, clean broth, soup is an extremely broad culinary category, and there are recipes from across the globe to feed your family through the cooler months without re-runs. Here’s a week’s worth to get you started. 

MEAT-FREE MONDAY

If you’ve had a weekend of birthday parties and rich restaurant meals, a light soup is the perfect potion for Monday night’s dinner. For an extra punch of cleansing power, try this simple tomato soup. Packed with a combination of canned and fresh tomatoes, the soup harnesses the gut-friendly powers of the humble nightshade vegetable. A rich source of fibre and antioxidants, it’s a tasty way to cleanse the body and set yourself up for a healthy week. 

TIGHT TUESDAY

It’s a day known for cheap cinema tickets and discounted pub meals – so why not bring a taste of Tuesday frugality into your home kitchen? At less than $3 per serve, this cauliflower and leek soup requires little more than its eponymous vegetables, which are particularly cheap and plentiful at this time of year. Head to the grocer with a handful of loose change, and you’ll have a few coins left over for a baguette to crunch on the side.

Leek-Soup

WEDNESDAY WINNER

It may take a protein boost to cross over to the better side of hump day, so give this hearty chicken and vegetable soup a whirl. Cooking the ingredients together at length breaks down the components before they hit the digestive system, making them easily digestible and ensuring the nutrients are readily absorbed. Plus, it uses chicken legs, infusing the broth with extra goodness from the bones while the soup bubbles away. 

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THICKER THURSDAY 

After a week of liquid meals, you may be in the mood for something richer and heavier towards the end of the week. This creamy bacon and cauliflower soup certainly ticks the indulgence box, with its combination of cream, cheese and bacon sauteed in butter. Ready in under 20 minutes, it’s quick and easy to whip up in between ferrying children to soccer training and dance classes. There’s also the option to add some broccoli at the same time as the cauliflower, balancing out the decadence with a hit of green power. 

FRIDAY FOOTY

Hotdogs and sausage rolls go hand-in-hand with Friday night football, but for an alternative meal for your evening of couch athletics, try this sausage, white bean and kale soup. Instead of burying your sausage in sauce and bread, the soup makes their meaty goodness sing, bringing out the flavour with stock, caramelised onion and bay leaf. Pop it on the stove during the pre-game commentary, and you’ll be cradling it in your lap by kick-off. 

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SATURDAY STARTER

Having friends around for a Saturday evening shindig? Soup will turn a simple meal into an impressive three-course affair. This smooth and flavoursome roast pumpkin soup is an ideal starter, particularly as you can pop the tray of pumpkin in the oven to roast alongside your lamb or pork belly main. Whip up a cake or crumble while the oven is still firing, and you’ll have everything ready to go well before the doorbell rings.

Roasted-Pumpkin

SOOTHING SUNDAY

If there’s anything better than a cosy Sunday afternoon, it’s a cosy Sunday afternoon accompanied by the aroma of soup slowly simmering on the stove. Combine the ingredients for this pea and ham hock soup  in the morning, and it will bubble away beautifully, releasing all the wonderful collagen, fat and flavour from the sinuous cut. The rich taste of ham hock belies its bargain-basement price, and you may even have one in the back of the freezer left over from Christmas.  

This article is brought to you by Massel.