History was made this year at the Village Home Stores Soup and Chili Cookoff. We had a tie for the first-place title. Thankfully both winners were glad to share the title. So, what did they win? What’s at stake? Well bragging rights and street cred of course! Plus, the winner gets their name added among the past winners on a plaque in the Village breakroom we call the “Golden Ladle”. So, who shares the 2023 Village Home Stores Soup cookoff title? Angela and Rachele! Here are all 8 of the recipes, including the winners, to help us all shift into soup mode for these upcoming cozy months in the Midwest.
2023 Winner: Angela’s Thai Meatball Noodle Bowls
INGREDIENTS:
(Meatballs)
- 1 Pound Ground Pork
- 3/4 tsp. Ground White Pepper
- 1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
- 1 Tbsp. Fish Sauce
- 5 Cloves Garlic
- 1/2 Bunch Cilantro
(Soup)
- 3 Medium Scallions
- 5 1/2 Cups Low-Sodium Broth
- 3 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
- 2 Tbsp. Fish Sauce
- 8-10 oz. Package of Chinese Wheat Noodles
Optional: Serve topped with remaining cilantro, scallions, and siracha.
DIRECTIONS:
(Meatballs) Place pork, white pepper, soy sauce, and fish sauce in medium bowl. Mince garlic and add to bowl. Chop leaves of cilantro. Add 1/2 cup to bowl and reserve rest for garnish. Mix meatball mixture until combined and roll into 1 inch meatballs. Place finished ones onto baking sheet.
(Broth) Place 1/2 cup sliced scallions into a medium pot with broth, soy sauce, and fish sauce and bring to a boil. Carefully drop meatballs into soup and reduce heat to a simmer. Heat meatballs 4-5 minutes or until they float and are cooked through.
Bring large pot of water to a boil and prep noodles according to directions. Drain and transfer to serving bowl.
Serve noodles in bowls topped with broth and meatballs.
2023 Winner: Rachele’s Creamy Tuscan Tortellini Soup
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 Rotisserie Chicken (shredded)
- 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 2 Tbsp. Butter
- 2 Onions (diced)
- 4 Cloves Garlic (minced)
- Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/2 Cup Flour
- 6 Cups Veg Broth
- 29 oz. Can Diced Tomatoes
- 16 oz. Tomato Sauce
- 1 tsp. Dried Basil
- 2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
- Salt + Pepper to Taste
- 16 oz. Refrigerated Cheese Tortellini
- 1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 3 Cups Chopped Tuscan Kale
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
- 1/2 Cup Fresh Basil (chopped)
Optional: Serve topped with parmesan cheese and more red pepper flakes.
DIRECTIONS:
Prep ingredients and shred meat from rotisserie chicken. Sauté the diced onion and minced garlic in a saucepan with olive oil on med. heat. Dump all ingredients into your crockpot and stir. Cook on high for 1 hr. Stir, and then switch to low setting for an added 3-4 hrs.
Keri’s Broccoli Cheese Soup
INGREDIENTS:
- 6 Cups Chopped Frozen Broccoli
- 2 Cups Shredded Carrots
- 1 Cup Diced Onion
- 3 Cups Chicken Broth
- 1 Cup Chicken Broth whisked with 1/4 Cup Corn Starch
- Garlic Powder, Salt, and Pepper to Taste
DIRECTIONS:
Place all ingredients (except for cream and Velveeta cheese cubes) in the crock pot, stir, cover with lid, and cook on high for 4 hours. Add whipping cream and cubed Velveeta cubes. Cook on low another 30 min-1 hr. stirring occasionally.
Lexy’s Hamburger Soup
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 1/2 lb. ground beef
- 1 whole onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced (or as much as your heart desires... I love garlic)
- 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes
- 4 c. beef stock or beef broth
- 1 whole green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 4 whole carrots, peeled and sliced
- 5 whole red potatoes, cut into chunks
- 3 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, more to taste
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper, more to taste
- 2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
- 1/2 tsp. ground oregano
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, more to taste
Optional: Top with parmesan and serve with a crusty baguette.
DIRECTIONS:
Brown the meat with the onion, celery, and garlic in a large pot over medium-high heat. Remove the pot from the heat and drain off as much fat as you can. Return the pot to the heat and add the rest of the ingredients: whole tomatoes, beef stock or broth, bell peppers, carrots, red potatoes, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and spices. Stir to combine, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, then cover the pot and simmer the soup for 20 minutes more, until potatoes are tender but not overly mushy.
Abby’s Chicken Noodle Soup
INGREDIENTS:
- 2-3 Cups of Shredded Chicken
- 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 Small Yellow Onion, (chopped)
- 2 Celery Stalks (chopped into ½-inch pieces)
- 2 Large Carrots (peeled, sliced into ½-inch pieces)
- 4 Cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 8 Cups Chicken Stock
- 8 oz. Bag of Egg Noodles
- 1 Tbsp. Flat Leaf Parsley (minced)
- 1 tsp. Sea Salt
- ¼ tsp. Black Pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion, celery, and carrots for about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add chicken stock and bay leaf. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender. Add the chicken, egg noodles, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cook until the chicken is warmed through, and the noodles are tender. Remove bay leaf and enjoy.
Natasha’s Sausage and Potato Soup
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 lb Uncooked Pork Breakfast Sausage
- 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1/2 Medium Onion (chopped)
- 1 Tbsp. Minced Garlic
- 2 1/2 Cups Chicken or Bone Broth
- 2 1/2 Cups of Canned Evaporated Milk
- 1 lb Yellow Potatoes ( 1/2"cubed)
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
- Red Pepper Flakes to Taste
- 1 Block of Cream Cheese
- 1 Tbsp. of Bacon Grease
DIRECTIONS:
Cook and crumble breakfast sausage in a large pot over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until browned. Drain and set aside the cooked sausage. Add oil to pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the chopped onion and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add broth, evaporated milk, chopped potatoes, salt and pepper, cooked sausage, red pepper flakes, cream cheese, and bacon grease. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.
Robin’s Chilli
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 Cans of Bush Chili Magic
- 3 Cans of Diced Tomatoes w/ Chilies
- 3 Cans of Chili Beans
- 2 Cans of Black Beans
- 1 Yellow Onion
- 1 Red Onion
- 2lbs. of Ground Beef
- 2 Bell Peppers (any color)
- 1 o- 2 Cans of Diced Green Chilies
- 1 Heaping Spoon of Diced Garlic
- 1 Small Can of Tomato Sauce
- Chili Power and Paprika to taste
DIRECTIONS: Simmer it all day on the stove. Stir often.
Elizabeth’s Roasted Squash Soup With Maple Cream
INGREDIENTS:
(For Soup)
- 1 Butternut Squash (halved + de-seeded)
- 1 Granny Smith Apple (large sliced)
- 1 Honeycrisp Apple (large sliced)
- 1/2 Medium Onion (quartered)
- 2-3 Cloves Garlic (remove skins and leave whole)
- 1 Tbsp. Butter
- 1 Box Chicken or Veggie Broth
- 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- 1 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
(For Maple Cream)
- 2-3 Tbsp. Sour Cream
- 3/4 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
- Pinch of Salt
Optional: Serve with toasted squash seeds and croutons.
DIRECTIONS:
Season interior side of squash with olive oil and salt and pepper. Place squash facedown on a roasting sheet and punch skin side with a fork a few times. Group garlic cloves under void space of butternut squash where seeds were. Coat other carrots, apples, and onions in olive oil, salt, and pepper and fill remaining space of sheet around squash. Roast at 400 degrees for 45+ minutes. Place roasted items and squash (remove from skin) in a food processer and blend until smooth. Add a 1 Tbsp. butter to stock pot or crock and melt on medium heat. Add your roasted blended yumminess to the pot. Add in broth and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and add 1 Cup whipping cream to pot. Stir to combine and allow soup to thicken. reduce heat to a simmer and add 1 Tbsp. maple syrup and salt and pepper to taste.
(Maple Cream) Mix equal parts sour cream + heavy whipping cream with 2 Tablespoons of pure maple syrup and a pinch of salt. Serve soup drizzled with this cream.
Make Your Own Homemade Soup Croutons in an Air Fry Range from Village
Want to make your own homemade coup croutons? Watch this video to see how Elizabeth used her Whirlpool Air Fry Range from Village Home Stores to crisp up a batch:
Hungry for More Soup and Chili Recipes?
Hungry yet? If you are still craving more staff-approved recipes head here to our Pinterest page. We share past soup cookoff entries and even have pinned versions of this year’s entries for you to save. Ready to “cook up” a deal on a new cooktop or entire kitchen with Village? Just reach out! You can message us right here through our website or call us at (309) 944-1344.
