It is that time of year again, when we seek out the warm and comforting flavors of our favorite soups. A perfectly paired soup and sandwich can be the answer for dinner made easy. And, great garnishes are the tasty exclamation points that make a bowl of soup even more fun and flavorful anytime. Here are some of our favorites:
Spicy Popcorn
Sprinkle a pinch of ground cayenne pepper or smoked paprika over a small bowl of popcorn—about 2 cups of popcorn is plenty for 4–6 servings. The spicy popcorn looks and tastes especially great sprinkled over bowls of our Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
Herbed Veggie Chips
We love to float a few kettle-cooked potato chips or colorful root vegetable chips on our Baked Potato Soup. Put a few chips per serving in a mixing bowl and toss them with a tablespoon of finely grated parmesan and a teaspoon of minced chives, if you’ve got them.
Quick Mini-Nachos
A mini-nacho is a fun way to garnish our Chicken Tortilla Soup. Put one teaspoon of shredded cheddar or jack cheese on a tortilla chip for each serving. Microwave for 15 seconds so the cheese gets bubbly. Go all out if you want and add some chopped avocado and red onion or a dollop of guacamole. Then, set one of the dressed-up chips on each bowl of soup and watch your family dig in.
Grilled Cheese Croutons
A creative re-take on a classic combination. As always, this combo starts with a simple grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of our Creamy Tomato Soup. This time, though, cut your freshly made grilled cheese into half-inch-sized squares and garnish each bowl of soup with a handful for even more deliciousness in each spoonful. Prefer your grilled cheese with tomato soup in a more traditional side-by-side pairing? Try this fabulous recipe for our Grown-Up Grilled Cheese.
Autumn Sprinkles
You really can’t get any easier or tastier than this colorful garnish. We love the look and flavor of toasted pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries sprinkled on our fall-favorite Autumn Squash Soup.