In principle, there cannot be a single set of spices for soup. But, nevertheless, you can try to highlight a number of seasonings that are quite appropriate in most first courses, while others can already be put "by mood".

The main seasonings for soup are salt and pepper.

There are practically no soups without these spices. Only one thing can be said about salt - care should be taken. Especially when it is added to soups, the ingredients of which have already been salted before. For example, pickles in hodgepodge or pickle, smoked meats in lentil or pea soup and, again, hodgepodge.

Ideas about the time to put salt in soups are akin to political beliefs. Someone believes that salting the broth should be at the very beginning of the journey. Someone considers this method a gastronomic crime and insists on the need to add salt at the end of cooking. It seems that the truth in this dispute will never be born, since there is already a great variety of soups and ways to prepare them.

As for this king of spices in our kitchens, it is still customary to add it at the beginning of cooking. Especially when it comes to the use of dry bitter peppers - pods. Here, of course, it is appropriate to recall the tradition of dipping a fresh red or green pepper directly into a plate of borscht, which is universally accepted among Poles, Ukrainians and Romanians.

By the way, gourmets tend to throw away pepper seeds, which add excessive bitterness to the dish, not accompanied by aroma.

When it comes to peppercorns, soup connoisseurs recommend using it ground or dropping it into the broth in a linen bag or a special closed spice strainer so that at the end you can easily remove the peas from the finished soup.

Spices for soup - fresh or dried roots

This type of soup spice is very popular because it can significantly improve the taste, color and aroma of hot soups and clear broths. Most often add the root of parsley, carrots and. It is recommended to lightly fry them in vegetable oil before laying them, which will improve the color and enhance the flavor of the seasoning.

Herbs and spices for soup

Spices are added to the soup, following your preferences. These can be: mustard seeds, thyme, garlic, savory, dill and much more.

Lay most of them at the end of cooking. It is recommended, as in the case of peppercorns, to provide for the possibility of easy removal of boiled spices from the finished dish.

Fresh greens are added to the soup at the moment the fire is turned off or directly when it is served.

Seasoning for soup - tomatoes

Tomatoes are a very popular ingredient in many soups. AT fresh it is added to vegetable soups in the form of mashed potatoes or small pieces. In many first courses, tomatoes are laid after a short frying on a vegetable or butter. fresh tomatoes can be replaced tomato paste or canned juice.

Seasonings for soup - sour cream, lemon, olives

Speaking of seasonings for soups, one cannot ignore sour cream (or cream). It is they who give the feeling of "home" to most vegetable, legume and mushroom soups.

Lemon juice or slices are added to hodgepodge, borscht, okroshka, and some vegetable soups. Olives (pickled or salted) are very good in hodgepodge and sour soups.

These seasonings are added as a final touch, giving a complete look and taste to the finished dish.

Irina Surdu specially for the site Encyclopedia of spices

Spices - what and how to season?

Very often in recipes there is confusion when spices are called seasonings or spices.

There is a difference between these concepts. All spices are of plant origin - lavrushka, pepper, cumin, coriander, garlic, etc. - in a word, spices are plants that contain aromatic and spicy substances. Spices are salt, sugar, vinegar, starch. Seasonings are a mixture of spices, spices, where vegetables, fruits (adjika, mustard, etc.) can be added.

Spices are very diverse. They can add heat or soften the spiciness of the dish, make pickles crunchy, improve the color, smell and taste of food. But all this is possible only with proper use and the correct dosage of spices. Naturally, you should not add everything at once, you need to take into account the originality of taste and compatibility of products. Therefore, we will not give exact recipes, but only list the spices that can be used for first and second courses.

Spices for first courses

• Meat soup. Various types of pepper, turmeric, basil, thyme, rosemary, cardamom, borage, garlic, parsley, bay leaf, thyme, lovage, nutmeg.
• Vegetable soup. Fresh herbs (dill, parsley, celery, etc.), lovage, basil, sage, marjoram, borage, rosemary, black pepper, garlic.
• Mushroom soup. Garlic, red and hot pepper, black and Cayenne pepper, cumin, rosemary, basil, parsley, celery, tarragon, lovage.
• Potato soup. Black and red pepper, bay leaf, parsnips, hyssop, cumin, nutmeg, basil, marjoram, parsnips.
• Bean soup. Black, red and hot pepper, cumin, garlic, basil, nutmeg, thyme, marjoram, nutmeg, hyssop.
• Fish soup. Black pepper, allspice, red, hot, nutmeg, rosemary, marjoram, sage, lavender, bay leaf, savory, thyme, lovage.
• Pea soup. Black pepper, nutmeg, coriander, bay leaf, garlic.
• Borsch. Cumin, black pepper, garlic, parsley, lovage.
• Solyanka. Black pepper, dill.
• cabbage soup from sauerkraut. Garlic, black, sweet and hot peppers, lovage, marjoram, basil, bay leaf, rosemary.
• Onion soup. Cumin, savory, thyme, basil, marjoram, black pepper, garlic, nutmeg, lovage.
• Bouillon. Bay leaf, garlic, nutmeg (for color), basil, lovage, tarragon.

Spices for second courses and side dishes

• Garnish from white cabbage. Black pepper, red, hot, cumin, coriander, marjoram, garlic, cloves, borage.
• Sauerkraut side dish. Black, red or hot pepper, marjoram, lovage, basil, cumin, bay leaf, nutmeg, allspice, tarragon.
• Cauliflower side dish. Thyme, coriander, basil, tarragon.
• Bean garnish. Black pepper, white, hot, sweet, celery, garlic, coriander, marjoram.
• Bean garnish. Ginger, black pepper, red, hot, marjoram, garlic, savory, nutmeg.
• Pea garnish. Rosemary, coriander, nutmeg (for color), garlic, basil, thyme, savory, parsley.
• Potato dishes (stewed, boiled, baked). Black pepper, parsley, cumin, basil, dill, bay leaf, savory, nutmeg.
• Fried potatoes. Basil, thyme, savory, cumin, black pepper.
• Mashed potatoes. Black pepper, nutmeg (for color), fresh herbs.
• Rice. Ginger, cardamom, coriander, red pepper, marjoram, saffron, oregano, sweet and bitter almonds, tarragon, lovage, garlic, nutmeg and turmeric (color).

If you decide to add to familiar dish new spice, add it a little bit.

Some spices are rarely sold in their pure form., other components are added to the composition that affect the taste and spiciness of the dish. For example, cayenne pepper, with inept or immoderate use, can easily turn your cooking masterpiece into an explosive mixture.

The taste of hot food is deceptive, it is difficult to make out. Cool the contents of the spoon to room temperature and then try. If necessary, adjust the taste.

In ground form, spices do not store for a long time. After a few weeks, even under all storage conditions, they partially lose their properties, so it is better to grind the spices in small portions.

Cooking websites abound with all sorts of tips on cooking meat and pairing various herbs and spices with it. But mushrooms and their perfect combination with greens, unfortunately, are undeservedly bypassed. Therefore, we consider it our duty to tell readers what spices are suitable for cooking mushrooms, what seasonings will competently reveal taste qualities and accentuate the appetizing aroma. Consider seasonings on the example of soup, one of the most beloved mushroom dishes.

Spices for mushrooms

Mushrooms are a very nutritious, aromatic product. Most often, mushrooms are pickled, salted, fried and made into soup. What fragrant soup from mushrooms, especially from dried mushrooms!

When preparing soup at home, housewives most often remember only simple, familiar, often used spices - salt and pepper, not realizing how nutmeg or rosemary can reveal and enrich the taste and aroma. In addition, a large percentage of the product is indigestible protein, and properly selected spices contribute to both absorption and good digestion.

So what seasonings in mushroom soup would be the most appropriate?

Most often it is:

• fresh or dried herbs (parsley, green onion, dill);
• garlic (fresh, dried, garlic clove);
• Mediterranean herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary);
• as well as fragrant nutmeg;
• among other things, ground black pepper or peas, bay leaf, and incredibly odorous cilantro.

Here are the seasonings that are suitable for Let's take a closer look at the combinations of some of them in order to learn how to properly combine herbs and spices with mushrooms, and cook the most delicious, aromatic mushroom soup without incidents.

Fresh and dried herbs

In particular, parsley, green onion feathers and dill are often used to emphasize a pleasant natural aroma. Greens also help get rid of the bitterness of mushrooms. But be careful, there should not be too many herbs, they should not focus all attention on themselves, but only emphasize the mushrooms. Any condiments for mushroom soup should be in moderation.

Garlic

One of the most versatile and affordable ways to emphasize and enrich the taste of most dishes. Garlic has found its place among vegetable dishes, among meat and, of course, in combination with mushrooms. It is known that garlic reveals its taste qualities best in the process of stewing or frying, therefore, when sautéing onions and carrots in soup, do not regret a clove of garlic, finely chopped and sent to the onion by the end of frying. A minute spent cooking garlic will emphasize the piquancy of your mushroom soup, giving it an unsurpassed mouth-watering flavor.

mediterranean herbs

In particular, Provencal and Italian soups have a refreshing taste, summer soups and their combinations are the most appetizing first courses. If you are a fan of cold mushroom soup, you should try it with a pinch of oregano. Rosemary is great for serving hot, and thyme if you love mushroom soup with sour cream.

Nutmeg

A tasty condiment for mushroom soup, however, it is used infrequently. The seasoning is quite expensive and has a strong aroma, it is easy to overdo it in any dish, so housewives treat it with caution. But it perfectly reveals the taste of mushroom soup, and you need nothing at all for a small saucepan - 1/3 teaspoon.

Coriander and bay leaf

Taste bay leaf bitter, and the aroma is so persistent and tart. A couple of leaves will dilute the taste of the soup, which should be added in a few minutes for readiness or a large pinch of ground spice. Also, bay leaf has a good list useful properties, in particular, lavrushka copes with swelling and helps digestion. Coriander seeds are also fragrant, but if possible, add a fresh sprig of cilantro to your soup, it is less tart and will pleasantly refresh hot mushroom soup.

Pepper and its varieties

It is worth mentioning peppers as a seasoning for mushroom soup. Black pepper is the most familiar universal spice for us. Spicy, it perfectly sets off the taste of any dish, and how can you go past it in the preparation of mushroom soup.

Has a more pungent and spicy taste, spicy smell, with it any dish is an overeating. Add a small pinch of allspice when boiling the soup a few minutes before it's done, cover and cook a little more over low heat. You will be surprised what a flavorful soup you get, especially when combined with some of the herbs we have listed above.

Chili pepper is terribly hot and it is better to add it directly to the plate, because it tastes like an amateur. However, it is worth noting that it has excellent properties that positively affect our body. In addition to boosting immunity and lowering sugar, it is a good helper in digestion and metabolism, and it also accelerates the blood and supplies it with oxygen. Now you know what seasonings are added to mushroom soup.

On a note

To mushroom soup, more than ever, in addition to other spices, croutons grated with garlic are suitable. You can both cut and dry the bread in the toaster, and fry the bread in a pan, rubbing the croutons generously with garlic. You can also add cheese and spices mixed with mayonnaise to them. You won't find a better combination.

Experienced chefs It is advised to be more attentive to mushrooms, from which soup is cooked or a particular dish is prepared. So, for example, champignons or oyster mushrooms, one of the most popular mushrooms in home cooking, require minimal amount spices, since these mushrooms are very delicate, and in themselves they have a pronounced taste and an appetizing aroma.

But seasonings for mushroom soup from porcini mushrooms, saffron milk mushrooms, chanterelles are practically not needed, a drop of greenery and a little bay leaf, a pinch of white pepper. These mushrooms do not tolerate a lot of seasonings.

And speaking of bitter varieties of mushrooms, professional chefs advise adding a large number of greenery.

Here we told you about the best seasonings for mushroom soup. It is amazing how simple spices can reveal the taste of no less simple, familiar ingredients, how herbs and spices competently and tasty emphasize the aroma and taste of mushrooms.

It is not easy to imagine the recipe delicious food without fragrant spices that can give it special flavor and piquancy, which can vary based on the amount and type of spices added to it. However, not all seasonings are combined harmoniously with each other and food products from which the dish is prepared. Therefore, the correct use of spices is a whole science that is easy to master by taking the laws of their compatibility into service.

Now we will talk about spices for the first course, which are often seasoned with several types at once. fragrant herbs. The first course always plays the “first violin” in the melody of the dinner, so it will be very important here “not to overdo it” with fragrant ingredients. The use of spices in a chaotic manner does not at all guarantee brilliant culinary results, but rather, on the contrary, may not meet all taste expectations.

Meat broths and soups most often flavored with bay leaves, dill, paprika, parsley, thyme, tarragon, black and red peppers. But sage, nutmeg, cloves, lovage, thigh, celery and chervil give a piquant taste to the meat first course.

Dishes based boiled chicken and chicken broths it would be appropriate to season with basil, black and red peppers and garden marjoram.

For vegetable soups rosemary, parsley, coriander and oregano are suitable. But if you really want to add a little exotic to the first dish, then the “correct” dressing for soups is saxifrage thigh, chervil, basil and thyme.

Shchi and borscht traditionally seasoned with red and black peppers, parsley and bay leaves. However, lovage, marjoram, basil, cumin, rosemary and juniper will add an unusual aroma and taste to the Russian favorite dish.

Soups based on beans (peas, beans) go well with cloves, thyme, dill, mint, parsley, bay leaves, basil and black pepper. A spicy fresh note will be given to them by nutmeg, femur, hyssop, cumin, and coriander.

Soup with potatoes for your family, it will become an even more favorite first course if, in addition to bay leaves, black, red, peppers and parsley, add sage, coriander, cumin, thyme, lovage, chervil, oregano, basil and celery to it.

Mushroom soup , because of its specific taste, not everyone loves it, but it can easily be turned into one of delicious first dishes, seasoned with hot red pepper, marjoram, tarragon, nutmeg, rosemary, parsley, basil, celery, lovage and cumin.

Fish soup often seasoned with bay leaves, dill, red and black peppers. Make the fragrance sound fish soup a good spicy dressing will help in a new way: rosemary, ginger root, sage, lovage, coriander, calamus nutmeg, thyme and thyme.

The season of summer preparations is approaching and everyone economical housewives it is worth considering what it is worth spending time and money on in order to fully eat your favorite dishes in winter and spring.

We have already discussed the topic,. This is one of the best, in my opinion, ways to preserve products without losing their useful properties.

But, in addition to frozen vegetables and fruits, we also need seasonings.

For first courses, you can use frozen parsley, dill and celery. Well, in order to cook pizza, baked or marinated meat or fish, you can’t do without fragrant dry additives.

Good quality dry seasonings, which do not include any unnecessary artificial flavor enhancers and salt, are quite expensive.

But it’s very simple, and quite inexpensive in season, to cook them at home.

To do this, you just need to take a bag of your favorite seasoning and study its composition.

Usually the components of such seasonings are quite simple and are sold in all markets.

Even if something exotic comes across that does not grow in our (your) latitudes, then buying such a component separately and adding it to the prepared mixture will be cheaper than buying it ready-made in the store.

If you have your own garden plot, then you can grow many seasoning herbs yourself with the intended purpose for dry additives for the winter. It will be super economical.

When harvesting dry seasonings, you can go in two ways

- prepare and assemble all the components indicated on the bags

- invent your own seasonings from what is available and what you like best. It is not so difficult and even interesting.

Dry Seasoning Recipes

The most common seasonings we have are “Provencal herbs”, “Italian herbs”,

"Seasoning for Chicken", "Seasoning for Soup"

I propose to get to know them better and prepare them for the winter. You can use my recipes or take them as a basis.

"Provencal herbs"

For those who love Mediterranean cuisine.

They perfectly complement meat and fish meals, vegetable casseroles and stews, salads and sauces.

Rosemary, oregano, sage, marjoram, savory, basil, thyme, tarragon, oregano - the aroma of these rights will take you to the Mediterranean coast of France.

When preparing this seasoning (however, like most others) at home, you don’t need to worry too much about the accuracy of proportions. Just take into account the moment that more fragrant herbs can "clogg" the smell of weaker ones.

This is easy to determine by simply sniffing them one by one. The best principle for laying herbs - stronger aroma - put less.

One of the options for a mixture of "Provencal herbs":

Thyme, basil, savory, marjoram - in equal parts and half as much oregano and razmarin.

Italian herbs

Without them it is impossible to imagine our favorite Italian dishes.

These are pizza, lasagna, casseroles, meat and fish dishes, sauces, salads.

Here is the composition of the most popular and uncomplicated set:

Basil 2 parts, oregano 2 parts, savory 2 parts, onion (dry) 1 part, garlic (dry or granules) 1 part

Some recipes also contain sage 2 parts and marjoram 1 part (as they say - there is no limit to perfection), but this is optional.

Seasoning for soups

For meat broths, vegetable soups and soups - mashed potatoes:

Compound:

Celery 1 hour, marjoram 2 hours, parsley 4 hours, savory 2 hours, basil 1 hour, thyme 4 hours.

Seasoning for chicken

For broths, marinating and stewing chicken or turkey

Compound:

Recipes for fragrant oil and salt with dry seasonings

Having prepared herbs or their aromatic mixtures, you can very easily prepare aromatic salt, for salting already ready meals or fragrant olive or any other vegetable oil.

aromatic salt

Ingredients: Food sea salt 100 gr., dry mix of herbs 20 gr. (this is all approximate - do it to your taste)

Cooking:

You need to try to grind or grind everything very finely, right into dust, so that the holes of the salt shaker do not clog. To do this, you can use a coffee grinder, a manual mill, a mortar or a regular dough rocker. Make sure that the stems of plants do not remain unground (it is better to remove them immediately)

fragrant oil

Ingredients: Olive oil or any unflavored lean oil 0.5 liter, dry aromatic mixture (any composition you like) 10 gr., dry garlic 5 gr. (optional)

Cooking:

Herbs (not ground - just dry!) ​​Place in a prepared, well-washed and dried bottle, add dry garlic, pour oil. Put in a dark place for 1-2 weeks.

Use for dressing salads without removing the herbs.

By the way, a beautifully designed bottle of such oil (for example, as in the picture) is a great gift for close friends or relatives. Such a gift, made with soul and with your own hands, is always pleasant, but it will cost quite inexpensively.

Tips and secrets for preparing dry mixes of fragrant seasonings

• Before drying, the herbs must be washed, spread out on a soft towel that absorbs moisture well, and when there is no moisture, put on paper in the place of drying.
• You need to dry each separately, avoiding direct sunlight (in the shade). You can even lay out herbs for drying in the kitchen above on kitchen cabinets.

• Store in glass, tightly closed containers.

• Shelf life 6 months.

• Finely ground powder of the mixture is added to the dish 1-2 minutes before readiness and allowed to brew for at least 5 minutes

• For 3-4 servings, add 1 teaspoon of dry seasoning.

• Dry mixes should not be added when breading, as they burn, and the aroma does not have time to open up.
• Marinate with dry herbs for at least 2-3 hours.

• A teaspoon holds about 4 g of dry herbs, a tablespoon - 11-12 g.

• Norms for preparation: for 1 liter. broth -5 g of herbs, per 1 liter. soup - puree or sauce - 10 g, per 0.5 l. mayonnaise or vegetable oil- 10 g.

I hope that this article will be useful to you. With a little work, you will get excellent dry seasonings and money.

Video that is amazing! Well, how is this possible?!