Easy dinner recipes: Three rich soups for Meatless Monday

Sometimes it doesn’t get better than a comforting bowl of soup. Check out these ideas for rich and hearty vegetarian one-dish meals:

La Casa Sena’s potato green chile soup: Tender potatoes are pureed with heavy cream to form the base for this rich and satisfying soup, with roasted diced chiles folded in for subtle heat. La Casa Sena was happy to share its recipe for potato green chile soup.
Coral Tree Cafe’s vegetable soup: Craving a hearty vegetable soup? Fresh vegetables simmered with barley in a hearty broth makes for a perfect one-dish meal. What’s more, your guests might not even notice it’s vegetarian.

Joe’s wild mushroom soup: Chef and owner Christopher Czarnecki was happy to share the recipe for wild mushroom soup, rich with flavor yet simple to make. It’s not surprising that the soup is so good. His father and restaurant founder Jack Czarnecki is a legendary mushroom hunter and cook. You can find the recipe below.

JOE’S WILD MUSHROOM SOUP

Total time: 35 minutes | Serves 2 to 4
Note: Adapted from the Joel Palmer House in Dayton, Ore.

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 quart water
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Creme fraiche, for garnish

1. Combine the porcini and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook at a very gentle simmer for 20 minutes; the liquid will reduce by about one-fourth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

2. Puree the mushrooms and liquid in a blender, then return the puree to the saucepan and stir in the onion powder, salt, butter, sugar and soy sauce. Simmer gently for 5 minutes.

3. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with creme fraiche.

Each of 4 servings: Calories 139; Protein 3 grams; Carbohydrates 5 grams; Fiber 2 grams; Fat 12 grams; Saturated fat 7 grams; Cholesterol 31 mg; Sugar 1 gram; Sodium 1,023 mg.

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