Category: Stews

Hawaij Lentil Soup

You guys!! I couldn’t be more excited about this soup!! I was planning my Yom Kippur break-fast menu, and I always make soup, but I was bored of our minestrone that I make after every fast so I decided to change it up. Lentil soup felt like a good idea, but my traditional recipe is too similar to minestrone. I thought about my favorite soups and what I love about them, and my Yemenite chicken soup immediately came to mind because it’s a family favorite around here.  There is literally NOTHING like the smell of hawaij wafting through your kitchen, so…. I made hawaij lentil soup, inspired by Yemenite soup – loaded with carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, cilantro – and my unique addition, fennel! OMG it was DIVINE. You must try it for Chag!

Hawaij Lentil Soup

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, diced small
1/2 large bulb of fennel, thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
10 cloves garlic, sliced
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 tbsp hawaij for soup
1 large soft tomato, diced
1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed and drained
3 Yukon gold potatoes, diced
1 small bunch cilantro
8 cup vegetable stock
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add the fennel and continue to saute for another 2 minutes. Add the carrots and saute until softened. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant. Add the hawaij and stir to incorporate, then add the tomato paste and saute until darkened, 2 minutes. Add the tomato, lentils, potatoes, cilantro and stock and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, cover the pot and simmer until the lentils are soft, about 30 minutes.

Related Recipes:

lentil soup
Yemenite chicken soup
lemony hawaij chicken couscous soup

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Pulled Brisket Ramen

The secret to amazing First Cut Brisket is low and slow cooking with plenty of liquid so adding it to a soup is a great idea! It makes the most flavorful and delicious broth! If you don’t have an instant pot, simply sear the meat in a separate pan, transfer to your crockpot and cook on high for 6 hours.

To view the reel on Instagram click here.

Pulled Brisket Ramen

3lbs. @koshgourmet First Cut brisket
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp grapeseed oil (or any neutral oil)
1 tsp sesame oil
8 cups chicken stock
2” ginger, grated on a microplane
3 cloves garlic, grated on microplane
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp mirin (rice cooking wine)
1 tsp chili garlic sauce, Sambal oelek or sriracha (to taste)
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 container mushrooms, sliced
2-3 packages ramen noodles
Scallions, soft boiled eggs, lime wedges and hot sauce for topping

Method:

Set your instant pot on the sauté setting. Add the oils. Season your brisket with salt and pepper and sear on both sides. Add the stock, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, mirin, hot sauce and lime juice. Cook on high pressure for 90 minutes.

Keep the instant pot on the warm setting and remove the brisket, pull it apart. Add the mushrooms to the stock. When ready to serve, add the ramen, let it cook until softened, 2-3 minutes. Then transfer to your bowl along with brisket, stock and toppings of your choice.

Related Recipes:

Beer Braised Brisket With Onion Gravy
Blogoversary BBQ Brisket
Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef

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Cheezy Orzo Minestrone

If you follow me regularly, you know how minestrone is a staple in our home, and I make it so many different ways! Think spinach matzo balls, zoodles, and so much more.  Since it’s basically a kitchen sink style soup, it’s so easy to switch things up – with different beans, greens, and pastas! This version uses orzo and cheese, making it a hearty dairy dinner, perfect with a side of fish or salad.

To view the reel on Instagram click here.

Cheesy Orzo Minestrone

1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
2 celery sticks, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
3 heaping tbsp tomato paste
1  russet potato, diced
1 can garbanzo or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 28oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste 
8 cups vegetable stock
3 cups kale or spinach
1 heaping cup orzo pasta
Shredded cheese of your choice

Method:

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add celery, carrots and zucchini and saute until softened. Add tomato paste and sauté for 2 minutes. Add potato, beans, tomatoes, basil, oregano, stock, salt and pepper. Stir to combine the ingredients and bring the soup to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender. Stir in in orzo and kale and cook until pasta is cooked through.

Add shredded cheese to the bottom of your bowl and ladle soup over the cheese.

Related Recipes:

Spinach Matzo Ball Minestrone Soup
Minestrone Soup
Spinach White Bean With Zoodles

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Lemony Hawaij Chicken Couscous Soup


When I need comfort food, it’s hawaij for me! The Yemenite spice blend has both sweet (hawaij for coffee) and savory (hawaij for soup) versions. You can purchase my blends through the link in my profile (or on Amazon) or look for a mix in your local Middle Eastern market.

To make your own hawaij for soup and hawaij for coffee, you can get the recipes in my cookbook Totally Kosher!

To view the reel on Instagram click here.

Lemony Hawaij Chicken Couscous Soup
Yield: 8 servings

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 lbs. pargiot (boneless dark meat chicken), diced
salt and pepper, to taste
1 large onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 large carrots, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp hawaij for soup (NOT hawaij for coffee!)
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
8 cups chicken stock
8.8oz Israel couscous (NOT instant couscous)
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1 large handful fresh parsley

In a soup pot, heat the olive oil. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper and cook over medium-high heat until browned, 6-8 minutes. Remove from the pot. Add the onion, celery and carrots and saute until softened and starting to take on some color, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for an additional minute. Return the chicken to the pot, add the hawaij and stir until fragrant and incorporated. Add the chickpeas and chicken stock and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Add the couscous and simmer until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Remove from the fire. Add the lemon zest and juice and stir in the parsley. Serve.

Related Recipes:

Hawaij Couscous
Hawaij Honey Cake With Labneh Frosting
Couscous Stuffed Capons

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Lemony Orzo Soup with Meatballs

Hello, hello my fellow winter bunnies. It’s officially cold out, even the snow has made an appearance this week. I find winter pretty depressing tbh, and if it was up to me, I’d stay indoors snuggling under my covers until Spring!

The only thing that really gets me through winter is my down coat, fingerless gloves (so I can answer my DM’S!), some uplifting music, and hearty soups. That last one is mandatory.

I’ve never been that much of a soup person because it’s just ANOTHER thing to make for dinner, but I’ve found that my kids really love a hot bowl of soup on a cold winter night, and if you play your culinary cards right – it doesn’t have to be that extra thing at dinner, it can actually BE dinner.

To turn your soup into a one pot meal, follow these basic guidelines:

1. include a protein: chicken, shredded beef, meatballs, smoked turkey, tofu
3. include grains: pasta (orzo, couscous, ramen), farro, barley, quinoa, rice
2. include vegetables: endless options!

If you’re feeling  like you need a little somethin somethin on the side, make a salad or serve with fresh baguettes or pita for dipping!

Hoping this hearty soup keeps you warm all winter long!

Lemony Orzo Soup with Meatballs

For the meatballs:

1.25 lbs. ground chicken
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp olive oil

Method:

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients besides for the oil. Mix and form into mini meatballs. Heat a dutch oven over medium heat, add the oil and and brown the meatballs. Remove from the pot as you prepare them and set aside.

For the soup:

1 medium onion, diced small
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced small
2 stalks celery, diced small
1 large zucchini, diced small
8 cups vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
Juice of 2 lemons
salt and pepper, to taste
1 c orzo
2 handfuls of spinach

Method:

Add the onion and garlic to the same pot that you browned the meatballs in (add additional olive oil, if necessary). Saute until translucent. Add the carrots, celery and zucchini and continue to saute until softened.  Add the stock, bay leaves and lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.Add the meatballs and orzo and cook until the orzo is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the spinach leaves and serve.

Other hearty winter soups:

crockpot mushroom barley stoup
spinach matzo ball minestrone soup
smoky split pea soup with thyme dumplings
cream of chicken soup in bread bowls

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