Potage Mongol

Potage Mongol is one of those old-school soup recipes that sounds fancy but is secretly the easiest thing you’ll make all week. Condensed tomato soup and green pea soup get stirred together with water and heated until bubbling, then finished with a splash of dry sherry right before serving.

The combination of tomato and pea soup is more than the sum of its parts. The tomato brings acidity and brightness, the pea soup adds earthy sweetness and body, and together they create a velvety, complex broth that tastes like you simmered something from scratch.

The sherry goes in off the heat at the very end. Adding it during cooking burns off the alcohol and the nuanced, nutty flavor that makes this soup special.

Kitchen Tips

• Stir the soups and water together until completely smooth before heating. Lumps of condensed soup don’t dissolve well once hot.
• Stir several times during microwaving. Condensed soups are thick and can develop hot spots that scald the bottom.
• Use dry sherry, not cooking sherry. Cooking sherry has added salt that throws off the seasoning.

Variations

• Heat on the stovetop over medium heat instead of the microwave for more even warming.
• Garnish with a swirl of cream and a sprinkle of fresh chives for an elegant presentation.
• Add a pinch of curry powder for a warm, spiced version that leans into the “Mongol” name.