The only thing more comforting than soup itself are the dippers that accompany every steaming bowl.
Whether you’re mopping up the last bit of beef stew with tender pieces of dombolo or indulging in the ultimate duo of grilled cheese and tomato soup - what you eat alongside this wholesome winter staple can enhance your culinary experience.
As important as the meal itself, what we traditionally eat with soup has evolved into something a little more extravagant than just a slice of buttered bread, toasted and slathered with butter.
From herb coated croutons to flavourful parmesan crisps these soup dippers are going to delight your taste buds and make your soup-eating that much more delicious.
Grilled cheese
By @yorksprovender on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Yorkshire Provender (@yorksprovender) on May 20, 2019 at 12:01am PDT
Buttery grilled cheese sandwiches oozing with molten strands of aged cheddar, smoked gouda or perhaps a combination of melted provolone, fresh basil leaves and tomato slices could be what your bowl of soup is missing.
This toastie is packed with the light, green flavour of baby spinach to balance out the richness of the cheeses used.
Ingredients
⠀
- ½ tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- 1 cup baby spinach, packed⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- ½ can artichokes, chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- 1 tbsp sour cream⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- 1 tsp garlic powder⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- 2 slices bread⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- Pinch of kosher salt to taste⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- Freshly ground black pepper⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- 1 tbsp butter⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Instructions
⠀⠀⠀⠀
- Heat pan over medium heat and add olive oil.
- Add spinach and cook until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add artichokes and cook until heated through.
- Drain excess liquid from the pan and remove from heat.
- Stir in sour cream, then add garlic powder and season with salt and pepper.
- Stir to combine.
- Wipe the pan clean and heat to medium.
- Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread.
- On the non-buttered side of one slice, place half of Mozzarella and half of Parmesan, then top with the spinach-artichoke mixture and remaining cheeses
- Close sandwich.
- Place the sandwich in the pan; cover and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Flip, and cook other side until cheese is melty and bread is golden brown.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Parmesan crisps
By Rebecca Lindamood of www.foodiewithfamily.com
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Rebecca Lindamood (@foodiewithfam) on Apr 8, 2020 at 3:26pm PDT
Silky cauliflower, sweet carrot or an earthy potato and chive soup, whatever it is you're slurping up this winter, make sure you add the crunch texture and umami flavour of parmesan crisps.
Topped with “Everything” seasoning inspired by the seed encrusted bagels popular on the streets of New York City, this soup dipper has a beautiful lacy appearance once baked that’s sure to impress.
Ingredients
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons “Everything” seasoning (poppy seeds, sesame seeds, minced dried garlic, minced dried onion, flaked sea salt)
- 1 generous tablespoon all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silpat.
- Toss together the cheese, seasoning, and flour in a bowl.
- Portion out generous tablespoons onto the prepared pan, leaving space between each pile of cheese.
- The cheese will spread a great deal as it bakes.
- Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted and golden brown and slightly darker at the edges.
- Let the crisps rest on the pan for 2 minutes before carefully transferring to a cooling rack.
Croutons
By Heidi Larsen of www.foodiecrush.com
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Heidi Larsen (@foodiecrush) on Sep 18, 2019 at 10:02am PDT
Derived from the French croûton, a diminutive of croûte, meaning "crust" this soup dipper could not be left off the list. According to a variety of sources, these toasted morsels of herby goodness were traditionally prepared using a slice of a baguette lightly brushed with oil or clarified butter and baked.
Ingredients
- 4 cups bread cubes cut into 3cm squares from a sturdy bread like sourdough
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons Italian parsley minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190° C.
- Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat until the garlic begins to turn golden and becomes fragrant, about 4-5 minutes.
- Be careful the garlic doesn’t burn or it will taste bitter.
- Strain or pick the garlic cloves out of the oil and discard or save for another use.
- Drizzle the oil over the bread cubes and toss to coat.
- Scatter onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until the bread cubes are golden, flipping the cubes occasionally.
- Remove from the oven and add back to the bowl.
- Toss with the parsley and salt and pepper and set aside to cool.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Check out FOOD - the IOL Food digital magazine, which is packed with great soup recipes.
Click here to read the magazine.