Bread Soup - The Ultimate Bread Soup Recipe

beef

🥗Healthier: chicken

💰Cheaper: vegetables

Chicken provides a lighter option, while vegetables offer a vegetarian alternative.

bread

🥗Healthier: whole grain bread

💰Cheaper: stale bread

Whole grain bread increases fiber content, and stale bread reduces waste.

pumpkin

🥗Healthier: butternut squash

💰Cheaper: sweet potato

Butternut squash is nutritious and sweet potatoes are often more affordable.

lime juice

🥗Healthier: lemon juice

💰Cheaper: vinegar

Lemon juice offers a similar acidity, while vinegar is a cost-effective alternative.

Welcome to Russell Cooks, today we're making Bread Soup.

Gather ingredients: butter, lemon, egg, garlic (optional), caraway seeds (optional), fennel seeds, onion, Swiss chard or escarole, vegetable or chicken stock, 8 oz pancetta, small loaves of bread, salt, and olive oil.

Dice the onion into quarter to half inch pieces.

Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until it shimmers.

Add the diced onion and pancetta to the pot, stirring for 5-7 minutes until they start to brown.

Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the mixture, tasting for seasoning later.

Cut the bread into half inch to 3/4 inch cubes, saving some for croutons.

Add the majority of the bread to the pot, stirring to combine.

Start with 3 cups of chicken broth, then add more as needed, bringing the mixture to a simmer on medium-low heat for 30-45 minutes.

Prepare Swiss chard by stripping the leaves from the stems and cutting them into 2-inch pieces.

In a separate pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over high heat, adding the Swiss chard and a pinch of salt to wilt it down.

Add 1/2 teaspoon of garlic and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest to the Swiss chard, cooking for about 60 seconds.

Lower the heat and add the remaining butter to the Swiss chard, stirring and tasting for seasoning.

Check the bread soup; the crust should be soft after simmering.

Prepare croutons by mixing the remaining bread with olive oil, garlic, and salt, then baking until golden.

Puree the soup for about 60 seconds until smooth, then return it to the pot to remove any chunks.

Taste the soup, adjusting seasoning as necessary, and noting it will thicken as it cools.

Plate the soup with Swiss chard, a poached egg, and garlicky croutons, optionally adding caraway and fennel seeds.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens