9 Healthy Soup Recipes for Spring

Spring may be in the air, but don’t put away those pots and ladles just yet; it’s still chilly, which means something warm to sip (or slurp) is still in order. But lightness suits the change of weather that’s now afoot. With a new batch of seasonal vegetables arriving in markets—or soon to!—it’s time to look toward brothy concoctions featuring the sweetest peas, the tenderest greens, or the most vibrant herbs. We’re talking spring soups, the kind that favor fresh produce and light bases over meaty chunks and gravy-thick stews.So let your produce drawer lead the way and keep simmering on. For some springtime soup inspiration, here are nine savory bowls that will keep things hot without weighing you down.

1. Quinoa Chowder with Spinach, Feta, and Scallions

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This recipe has flavor built right in. Its spring greens get lightly simmered to create the broth, releasing delightfully earthy and grassy tones that make for a comforting sip. Get our Quinoa Chowder with Spinach, Feta, and Scallions recipe.

2. Green Pea Soup

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Forget those dull, anemically colored pea soups of yore. This showstopper takes full advantage of fresh, sweet spring peas in all their vibrant and verdant glory, plus mint and leeks for good measure. (Fresh fava bean soup is another great green option.) Get our Green Pea Soup recipe.

3. Quick Vegetarian Pho

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This shortcut pho is a perfect way to showcase whatever tender, fresh vegetables start popping up first—or make use of stalwarts like spinach and mushrooms. When ramps appear, we recommend adding some of David Chang’s pickled ramps for a piquant garnish. Get our Quick Vegetarian Pho recipe.

4. Kale and Parmesan Egg Drop Soup

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Kale is one of those winter greens that you can rely on all year long, and it works in all sorts of preparations, including soup (try a smoky, garlic-heavy one in winter). A lighter broth and gently cooked eggs make this a perfect way to bring kale into the spring of things. Get our Kale and Parmesan Egg Drop Soup recipe.

5. Cream of Artichoke Soup

A little bit of cream never hurt an artichoke. This recipe pits the two together for a bowl that could best be described as pure silk. Get the Cream of Artichoke Soup recipe.

6. Asparagus Soup

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Asparagus gets along famously with butter and lemon juice, so they all teamed up for a pool party in a bowlful of steamy chicken broth enriched with a little crème fraîche. Get our Asparagus Soup recipe.

7. Cauliflower and Arugula Soup

Arugula is good for more than just salads. When wilted and pureed, it brings a pleasant and lively bitterness and spice, ensuring that this potato and cauliflower based soup doesn’t rest on creamy. Get the Cauliflower and Arugula Soup recipe.

8. Beet, Squash and Radish Moroccan Stew

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This is something of a transitional recipe, with one foot in the frosts of winter and another looking toward spring. It’s got plenty of steamy, hearty soul to cure any residual seasonal blues, while its bright, beet-dyed color and assortment of light vegetables keeps things on the perky side. Get our Beet, Squash and Radish Moroccan Stew recipe.

9. Basic Vegetable Soup

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No matter what you do with your farmer’s market haul for this season, don’t let the odds and scraps go to waste. Use that leftover produce in a bowl of soup. This flexible recipe will help you get the most out of your spring vegetable selection. Get our Basic Vegetable Soup recipe.

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What Are Lupini Beans?

Chickpeas have long been hailed as the super bean. They are versatile, healthy, and are the star ingredient in one of the most popular snacks of all time, hummus. However, there is a new bean in town. Or rather, a very historic and old bean that is getting a bit more glory and much-deserved attention these days: the lupini bean.

What Are Lupini Beans?

Lupini beans (often called lupin beans) are seeds from the lupinus albus plant. They are a legume that remind me of a mix of a chickpea, edamame, soy bean, and fava bean. The lupini bean has quite the impressive history and has been providing a powerful protein punch for thousands of years. Found mostly in Mediterranean countries and South American cultures, archaeologists have actually traced lupini beans back to Ancient Egypt, and they were even a staple in the Roman Empire culture. It’s been said that these little beans fueled Roman warriors in battle. The Colosseum just got even more impressive.

Let’s Talk About Health

Lupini or lupin beans are truly like a superhero food in the days of low-carbohydrate and high-protein eating. Lupini beans are a powerful bean that are chock-full of plant protein content (one cup of boiled lupini beans has a whopping 26 grams of protein), making vegans and health-conscious eaters alike quite happy. They are filled with fiber and low in carbohydrates (zero net carbs, for you keto-lovers) and low in calories (just 60 calories in 25 beans), basically making lupini beans a superfood and healthy snack that you need to start incorporating into your diet now. Think of this bean as a wonderful addition to your snack “grab bag.”

How Can You Eat Lupini Beans?

The dried beans are often shelled and their seeds are then soaked and simmered or boiled in water. Some prepare a brine, but they may also be pickled, cooked, or marinated, which helps to soften the bitter beans and add flavor. They can be served as tapas or snacks, oftentimes alongside briny olives, and make a great addition to meals, such as salads, pastas, or pureed into a hummus-like dip.

Lupini beans can actually be toxic due to high levels of alkaloids, so they need to be prepared properly. You can prepare and cook your own lupini beans by buying dried lupin beans, soaking them in water, cooking them in boiled water, and rinsing repeatedly with fresh water, but the preparation can take several days of rinsing with cold water or even weeks. These days, I’m more apt to buy the beans cooked and ready to eat from my local grocery store. Lupini producer BRAMI offers a convenient vacuum-sealed pouch that can be stored in the refrigerator once opened; the airtight container keeps the beans fresher for longer. They showcase several varieties of Mediterranean-inspired flavors such as chili and lime; salt and vinegar; and garlic and rosemary.

BRAMI

“BRAMI is [a] shelf-stable, ready-to-eat, fresh veggie snack that isn’t baked, fried, or dried. It’s a marinated fresh Italian bean snack. BRAMI is different from other lupini beans because they’re sold in ready-to-eat pouches, made with clean ingredients and no artificial preservatives, and we are the only company that offers different flavors,” says Aaron Gatti, BRAMI CEO & Founder. BRAMI’s lupini beans are also soy-free, so a great alternative for those avoiding soy in their foods. BRAMI serves the beans intact in their shell. They can be eaten whole in one bite, seed and skin and all, or you can use your fingers or teeth to squeeze the seed out of the skin and into your mouth. Whichever direction you choose, it’s fun and delicious.

Personally, I like to munch on them as-is and they are great for eating on the go. Even my toddler loves popping  them in her mouth as an afternoon snack. Pack them in your backpack for your next hike or post-workout graze. The protein and fiber will fill you up! These beans make a wonderful salad topping, especially when paired with feta, and can be used in cooking to enhance pastas, soups, and stir fries too.

Looking for a few recipe ideas? We’ve got you covered. Below are two recipes; one for carnivores and one for vegans and plant-based eaters, which requires no cooking. Both recipes are chock-full of protein and fiber, which will provide you with some amped-up fuel and energy.

Swiss Chard, Sausage, and Lupini Beans with Feta

A healthy one-skillet dinner that serves two.

Photo and recipe courtesy of Marisa Olsen

Ingredients:

• Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 chicken sausages, diced
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, stems separated from leaves, thinly sliced
• 1 package Garlic & Herb BRAMI lupini beans (or any prepared plain lupini beans that you season yourself)
• 2 ounces feta, crumbled
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Lemon slice

Instructions:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add olive oil to skillet. When oil is hot, add chicken sausage and sauté until browned, about three minutes on each side. Remove and set aside.
2. Add Swiss chard stems and sauté for one to two minutes. Then add leaves and sauté until leaves start to wilt. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add lupini beans and sausages back into skillet to heat, stirring occasionally.
4. Add feta and a squeeze of lemon. Enjoy.

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Vegan Ceviche

This recipe, courtesy of BRAMI, is designed to showcase their beans, but you can also use other plain prepared lupini beans and add the seasonings of your choice to switch up the flavors.

Ingredients:

• 1 Pouch of BRAMI (any flavor)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup sweet or red onion
• 1/4 cup parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Dice BRAMI, cherry tomatoes, and red onion.
2. Finely chop parsley. Mix all ingredients together.
3. Add lemon juice.
4. Salt and pepper to taste.

For Southwest flair: Use Chili Lime BRAMI; cilantro instead of parsley; and lime instead of lemon. Add diced jalapeño pepper and/or a pinch of cayenne pepper.

For Mediterranean flair: Use Garlic & Herb BRAMI. Add cumin, turmeric, and harissa seasoning.

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What Is the Difference Between Chow Mein and Lo Mein?

If you’ve ever opened a box of Chinese take-out and it turns out to be not exactly what you ordered, you may have mixed up your meins. That’s right, there is a difference between these two popular Chinese dishes—however, the difference is probably not what you think. While it may be easy to assume that the type of noodles is what makes the dish difference, we all know what happens when you assume. Yes, you’re actually incorrect on this one.

So, if not the noodles, what is the difference between chow mein and lo mein, and why do they take up so much room on the take-out menu?

The Similarities

Both chow mein and lo mein are made from the same ingredients. These dishes usually include the same style of thin egg noodles, mixed vegetables, a protein, and a savory sauce. The noodles are made in a similar fashion to an Italian pasta, with a base of eggs and flour. Fresh noodles are preferred for lo mein, but fresh or dried are equally fine for chow mein. Still, they basically seem like the same dish at this point, right?  Not for long.

The Differences

While both dishes contain the exact same components, the difference here is in the preparation, and by extension, the texture.

In lo mein, the dish is pulled together, including the vegetables and/or protein and sauce, before the noodles are added. Then, the noodles are placed into the finished dish and are tossed lightly (“lo mein” actually means “tossed noodles,” and “chow mein” means “fried noodles”). This method prevents the noodles from being greasy or saturated in too much sauce and they are slightly warmed through. While noodles help to pull lo mein together as a dish, they really aren’t the star of the show, as lo mein includes a hefty amount of vegetables and more sauce.

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Chow mein, however, is all about the noodle. After being parboiled til al dente, chow mein noodles are fried and tossed in a darker, thicker sauce that usually includes oyster sauce. And while this dish does contain vegetables and/or a protein selection, they are kept to a minimum so the noods stay front and center.

Chow mein noodles can be fried into a pancake-type dish, but even when they’re not fried crunchy, they have more of a tooth-resistant bite compared to lo mein noodles, which are always soft and perfect for fork twirling or slurping.

The flavors, too, are different. Since chow mein noodles are fried first, they add their own flavor to the other components of the dish, which blend together more. In lo mein, however, the vegetables and protein additions keep their distinctive flavors, enhanced by sauce, since the noodles don’t spend a lot of time with the other elements of the dish.

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Chow Mein and Lo Mein Recipes

Craving some noodles of your own? Break out your wok (or grab a really large skillet), and get cooking.

Beef with Broccoli Takeout Noodles

Not quite chow mein or lo mein, this make-at-home beef and broccoli dish with stir-fried Chinese noodles and cashews is nonetheless an easy weeknight meal or a great way to impress your friends at a potluck. Get our Beef with Broccoli Takeout Noodles recipe.

Shrimp Noodle Stir Fry

This shrimp stir-fry is a great way to showcase lo mein style noodles. Just quickly saute your snap peas or other veggies with some shrimp and toss in your “lo mein” noodles at the end (you can even substitute fresh egg pasta like linguine or spaghetti). It may not be authentic Chinese food, but it’s delicious. Get our Shrimp Noodle Stir Fry recipe.

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Chicken Chow Mein

You can buy canned chow mein, but why would you when the from-scratch version is already so quick? This one has chicken, cabbage, bean sprouts, carrot, and scallions. Want shrimp chow mein? Just switch out the protein. Vegetable chow mein? Cut the meat or seafood completely. Get the Chicken Chow Mein recipe.

Crispy Beef Cantonese Chow Mein

Crispy chow mein is the kind you often get when you order Chinese food, but this Cantonese dish isn’t difficult to make at home either. Not a fan of green peppers? Swap in another color, or even celery instead. Get the Crispy Beef Cantonese Chow Mein recipe.

Vegetable Lo Mein

This quick and easy veggie lo mein uses a simple sauce made from both light and dark soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar—and calls for ramen noodles, which is nice since you can pretty reliably find those at your average grocery store. Get the Vegetable Lo Mein recipe.

Americanized vs Authentic Chinese Food

What Is the Difference Between Lo Mein in China and in Chinatown?

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Monte Cristo Crepes

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Brown Sugar Baked Ham with Pineapple

Go retro with this Brown Sugar Baked Ham with Pineapple! Massage brown sugar and spices into the ham 24 hours before you serve it. Cover with pineapple and bake slow and low for a juicy, succulent Easter or Christmas ham.

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Shrimp Risotto

This simple shrimp risotto was inspired by a trip to Venice. It's made with tiny pink shrimp, shallots, parsley, and lemon zest. Super creamy! You'll think you're in Italy!

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