Get Cozy on National Homemade Soup Day With These Tasty Recipes

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Sip, sip, hooray! National Homemade Soup Day is on February 4, and we have just the recipes for you to try in honor of the unofficial holiday.

Plus, soup making can be a great way for folks 50 and up to meal prep something cozy, delicious and healthy any day of the year. “I absolutely LOVE making soup recipes — it’s such a great

way to use up random vegetables,” says cookbook author Alyssa Brantley, adding, “there is nothing more comforting than a bowl of warm soup.”

They're also budget friendly and practical. “Soups are an excellent meal choice for AARP readership as you can cook once and have multiple meals to refrigerate or freeze for future meals,”

Brantley says.

To celebrate the day, check out these five easy, unique and healthy recipes from our experts: Turkish Red Lentil Soup | Cauliflower Chickpea Soup | Beef Barley Soup | Somali Chicken Soup |

Onion Chicken Soup

By the recipe developers at Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street, the cooking and  multimedia company based out of Boston, Massachusetts founded by Kimbell who is an editor, publisher and chef.

Serving size: 4

“Kırmızı mercİmek çorbası is a traditional Turkish soup made with red lentils, which soften and break down during cooking, adding a rustic texture that’s creamy but not starchy or heavy,”

says Milk Street recipe developer Jeanne Maguire. “Some versions include vegetables such as potatoes, carrots or fresh tomatoes, but ours lets the lentils take the lead. The Aleppo pepper

brings gentle heat to the dish. If you can’t find it, order online or substitute with an additional teaspoon of paprika and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes.”

INGREDIENTS

teaspoon ground cumin1 cup red lentils2 tablespoons long-grain white riceKosher salt3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper (see headnote)Chopped fresh mint, to serve

(optional)Lemon wedges, to serve

DIRECTIONS

until fragrant (about 30 seconds).Stir in the tomato paste, paprika and cumin, then cook for about 1 minute.Add the lentils, rice, 5 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt, and stir to

combine.Bring to a boil over medium-high heat before reducing heat to maintain a lively simmer.Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and rice are tender and broken down

(about 30 minutes).Season to taste.Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat, swirling to coat the panAdd the Aleppo pepper and cook until a few bubbles appear and the oil

is bright red before removing from the heat and setting aside.Serve the soup with lemon wedges on the side and mint and Aleppo pepper oil on top of each serving.

PRO TIP: Looking for a way to make this soup vegan? Just swap the butter for olive oil, says Maguire.