Homemade soups

Real soup recipes, slowly simmered at home.

Classic, tested soups made from scratch — with exact measurements, honest timings and the little tips that make them work.

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Bowls of homemade soup on a rustic table

Our soup recipes

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Vegetarian

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Oven-roasted tomatoes and garlic blended into a silky, sweet-tangy soup finished with fresh basil.

Prep 15 min · Cook 50 min · Serves 4

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Ingredients

  • 1.2 kg (2½ lb) ripe Roma tomatoes, halved
  • 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
  • 6 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper
  • 750 ml (3 cups) vegetable stock
  • 1 large handful fresh basil leaves
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) heavy cream (optional)
  • 1 tsp sugar, if tomatoes are very acidic

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Spread tomatoes (cut side up), onion and garlic on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Roast 35–40 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and lightly charred at the edges.
  3. Tip everything, including the juices, into a pot. Add the stock and simmer 10 minutes.
  4. Add the basil and blend until smooth with a stick blender (or carefully in batches in a blender).
  5. Stir in the cream, taste, and adjust with salt, pepper, or a pinch of sugar. Serve hot with crusty bread or grilled cheese.

Tip: Roasting is the key step — it concentrates the flavour so even winter tomatoes taste sweet.

Classic Chicken Noodle Soup
Comfort classic

Classic Chicken Noodle Soup

A from-scratch broth with tender chicken, carrots, celery and egg noodles — the soup everyone needs on a cold day.

Prep 15 min · Cook 45 min · Serves 6

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Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp butter or olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 carrots, sliced into coins
  • 3 celery stalks, sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 litres (8 cups) chicken stock
  • 700 g (1½ lb) bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
  • 2 bay leaves and 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 170 g (6 oz) wide egg noodles
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley and juice of ½ lemon
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion, carrots and celery for 6–8 minutes until softened. Add garlic for 1 minute.
  2. Pour in the stock, add the chicken thighs, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently, partly covered, for 25 minutes.
  3. Lift out the chicken, shred the meat with two forks, and discard the bones and bay leaves.
  4. Bring the soup back to a boil, add the noodles and cook 6–8 minutes until tender.
  5. Return the chicken, stir in parsley and lemon juice, and season well with salt and pepper.

Tip: If making ahead, cook the noodles separately and add them to each bowl so they don't turn soggy.

French Onion Soup
Weekend project

French Onion Soup

Slowly caramelised onions in a rich beef broth, crowned with toasted baguette and bubbling Gruyère.

Prep 15 min · Cook 1 hr 30 min · Serves 4

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Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1.2 kg (2½ lb) yellow onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp sugar
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 120 ml (½ cup) dry white wine
  • 1.5 litres (6 cups) beef stock
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme and 1 bay leaf
  • 8 slices baguette, toasted
  • 200 g (2 cups) grated Gruyère cheese

Method

  1. Melt the butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add onions, salt and sugar. Cook, stirring every few minutes, for 45–60 minutes until deep golden brown. Lower the heat if they start to burn.
  2. Add the garlic for 1 minute, then pour in the wine and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer until mostly evaporated.
  3. Add stock, thyme and bay leaf. Simmer 25 minutes. Remove herbs and season to taste.
  4. Heat the grill (broiler). Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls, top with 2 baguette slices and a generous layer of Gruyère.
  5. Grill 3–5 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbling and browned in spots. Serve carefully — the bowls are very hot.

Tip: Don't rush the onions. True caramelisation takes time and is where all the flavour comes from.

Hearty Minestrone
Vegetarian

Hearty Minestrone

A chunky Italian vegetable soup with beans, small pasta and tomatoes — a full meal in a bowl.

Prep 20 min · Cook 40 min · Serves 6

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Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, 2 carrots and 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 medium zucchini, diced
  • 1 tin (400 g / 14 oz) chopped tomatoes
  • 1.5 litres (6 cups) vegetable stock
  • 1 tin (400 g / 14 oz) cannellini beans, drained
  • 100 g (1 cup) small pasta such as ditalini
  • 2 large handfuls spinach or chopped kale
  • 1 tsp dried oregano, salt and pepper
  • Grated Parmesan, to serve

Method

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Cook onion, carrots and celery for 8 minutes until soft. Add garlic for 1 minute.
  2. Add zucchini, tomatoes, stock and oregano. Bring to a boil, then simmer 15 minutes.
  3. Stir in the beans and pasta and simmer 10 minutes until the pasta is tender.
  4. Add the spinach and cook 2 minutes until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Serve topped with Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.

Tip: Add a Parmesan rind to the pot while simmering for a deeper, savoury flavour. Remove before serving.

Lemony Red Lentil Soup
Vegan · 30 minutes

Lemony Red Lentil Soup

Turkish-style red lentil soup with cumin and a squeeze of lemon — cheap, filling and ready in about 30 minutes.

Prep 10 min · Cook 25 min · Serves 4

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Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp ground cumin and 1 tsp paprika
  • 200 g (1 cup) red lentils, rinsed
  • 1.25 litres (5 cups) vegetable stock
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Salt, pepper and chilli flakes to taste

Method

  1. Warm the oil in a pot over medium heat. Cook onion and carrot for 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, cumin and paprika and stir for 1 minute.
  2. Add the lentils and stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer 20 minutes until the lentils have fallen apart.
  3. Blend partly or fully, depending on how smooth you like it.
  4. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
  5. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, chilli flakes and extra lemon wedges.

Tip: Red lentils need no soaking. Rinse them until the water runs clear to avoid a foamy soup.

About us

Real soups, made at home, shared with love.

Simmer & Sage started at a small kitchen table with a simple idea: everyone deserves a warm bowl of homemade soup — and it shouldn't take a culinary degree to make one.

Our purpose

To make soup-making feel calm and joyful. Every soup recipe is tested in a real kitchen, written in plain words, and built around ingredients you can actually find.

Who we cook for

Busy parents after a quick weeknight dinner, beginners learning their first dishes, and weekend cooks who love a slow, comforting project.

How we help

Clear steps, honest timings, handy kitchen notes, practical tips for every soup.

Get in touch

Contact us

Have a soup question, a tweak that worked, or feedback? Send us a note.

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