photo by: Valerie Boese/Mother Earth News

Homemade soups are the perfect comfort food, satisfying even the hungriest of appetites. They offer the flexibility of cooking with what you have on hand, and there are no rules when it comes to the ingredients. Plus, soups can be made in short order with minimal cleanup, making for the ultimate “no fuss, no mess” meal.

Try one of these delicious recipes for your next meal. Authentic Wonton Soup will satisfy lighter appetites. For something quick, consider Cheesy Broccoli Soup.

Cheesy Broccoli Soup

Ready in less than an hour, this soup is an excellent choice for brunch or a quick meal. You can substitute cauliflower for the broccoli. Yields 6 servings.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1 stalk celery, chopped finely

2 cups chopped broccoli, raw or frozen

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish

1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley, or 1 teaspoon dried

Salt and pepper, to taste

Crackers, for garnish

Directions:

1. In a stockpot, bring chicken broth, carrots and celery to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 4 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add broccoli and cook for an additional 3 minutes, or until broccoli is tender. Reduce heat to low.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and milk until smooth. Pour the flour and milk mixture into the soup, and stir to combine. Cover, and cook on low for 10 minutes, or until soup thickens. Don’t let the soup boil or the milk will scald. Stir in cheese and parsley, and cook for 3 more minutes, or until cheese is melted. Salt and pepper to taste.

3. Garnish with crumbled crackers and shredded cheddar cheese.

Authentic Wonton Soup

This hearty Asian-style soup has a rich broth and flavorful dumplings filled with savory chicken that’ll keep you coming back for more. Yields 4 servings.

Ingredients:

1 raw chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Dash ground ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

Dash salt

Dash black pepper

6 cups chicken broth

3 tablespoons finely chopped chives or green onion tops, plus more for garnish

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon white wine, optional

20 wonton wrappers

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine chicken, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper, and mix until chicken is thoroughly coated. Set aside.

2. In a stockpot, combine chicken broth, chives, soy sauce,and white wine, and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. While broth is simmering, make wontons. Place 1 teaspoon chicken mixture in the center of 1 wonton wrapper. Using your fingers or a pastry brush dipped in water, wet all four edges of wrapper, and then join two opposite corners and press edges to seal, forming a triangle. Wet remaining two corners, fold them so they meet in the middle of the bottom of the triangle, and press together to form a wonton. Repeat with remaining wonton wrappers.

4. Bring soup up to a light boil over medium-high heat, and drop in all 20 filled wontons. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until wontons float.

5. Garnish with chives or green onion tops.