59 french soup recipes

Fish fumet, the quick French fish stock: bones simmered briefly with white wine, onion, carrot and herbs, then strained and reduced. The aromatic base for seafood soups, sauces and risotto.

Cold soups make for excellent summer fare. The best vichyssoise I ever had in my life was at a French restaurant during a Montreal summer. Humor me. Try the soup in the traditional manner but then, if you must heat it up, (sigh), go ahead.

Saffron garlic potato soup: a Provencal-style aigo bouido with a whole head of garlic, fresh herbs, saffron threads, and diced potatoes. Served over French bread with melted parmesan.

Cream of artichoke and oyster soup poaches plump oysters in butter, then folds them into a tarragon-chervil pureed artichoke veloute finished with cream. Elegant French Creole first course.

Martinique-style crayfish bisque simmered with fennel, garlic, and hot pepper, then enriched with coconut milk and egg yolks. A Caribbean French Creole soup that's silky, spicy, and deeply savory.

White turnip soup pureed smooth with bread for body, finished with egg yolks and cream for a velvety French-style potage. A humble root vegetable transformed into an elegant first course.

French onion dip from just two ingredients: sour cream stirred with a packet of onion soup mix. The classic creamy, savory party dip for chips and veggies, ready in two minutes.

Classic white veal stock simmered for 4 hours with veal bones, leeks, carrots, and peppercorns. A foundational French kitchen staple that sets into a rich, gelatinous stock for sauces, soups, and braises.

Green bean casserole made in the microwave with canned green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and crispy French fried onion rings on top. The classic holiday side dish ready in just 15 minutes.

Florida-style garlic soup pours boiling chicken broth over toasted French bread and crushed garlic, then poaches a whole egg right in the bowl. A quick Spanish-inspired sopa de ajo ready in 10 minutes.

Mike's fish fumet is a clean, aromatic homemade fish stock simmered from fish trimmings, leeks, and herbs with a splash of tarragon vinegar for brightness. The French base for chowders, seafood soups, and pan sauces.