Million Dollar Soup
This soup stands apart with its decadent, restaurant-level flavour. Million dollar soup has a rich broth and several flavourful ingredients like bacon and caramelized onions. There are occasions when a simple bowl of broth will do and other times we want a soup that really knocks our socks off. Our million dollar soup recipe is the latter. It tastes like a million bucks because it’s rich and savoury thanks to the combination of bacon, caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, potato gnocchi and fennel. White wine, chicken stock and heavy cream make the liquid extra-flavourful, creamy and toasted Parmesan breadcrumbs add crunch to every luxurious spoonful. Serve the million dollar soup as a special cold-weather supper or as a notch-above dish to impress your friends at the next dinner party. The soup joins the family of million dollar recipes that are worth their weight in gold.
Onions:
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
2 medium sweet onions, thinly sliced
1 pinch sea salt
Parmesan Breadcrumbs:
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
Soup:
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1 cup celery, chopped
½ cup fennel bulb, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup white wine
6 cups chicken stock
3 cups fresh kale, chopped
1 cup bacon, cooked, crumbled, divided
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. dried thyme
¼ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
2 cups chicken breast, cooked, shredded
1 (8 oz) pkg potato gnocchi
2½ cups cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
1 cup heavy whipping cream, warmed
¼ tsp. ground cayenne pepper
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 Tbsp. water, cold
Caramelize the Onions:
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onions; cook 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt. Reduce heat to low; cover. Cook until onions are soft, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid; cook another 20 minutes or until very soft and browned, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a small bowl; set aside.
Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Line a 15x10x1" baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Make the Breadcrumbs:
In a small bowl, combine panko, Parmesan and melted butter. Spread in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, stirring once, until golden brown. Remove; let cool.
Make the Soup:
Add olive oil and butter to the same Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add celery and fennel; cook until softened and beginning to brown, 7-8 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Add white wine; bring to a simmer, scraping the browned bits up from the bottom until mostly dissolved, 1-2 minutes.
Add caramelized onions, chicken stock, kale, ¾ cup crumbled bacon, soy sauce, salt, thyme and pepper to the pot; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat. Cover; simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Remove lid; stir in shredded chicken and gnocchi. Simmer uncovered until gnocchi floats to the top, 2-3 minutes. Stir in shredded cheese. Place cream in a small bowl; add a small amount of hot soup broth to the bowl to temper it. Slowly pour the mixture into the soup, stirring constantly. Stir in cayenne pepper.
In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Stir into the soup; simmer until thickened, 2-3 minutes.
Ladle soup into serving bowls. Top each with remaining crumbled bacon and Parmesan bread crumbs. Serve immediately.
Makes 8 servings.
Cook's Notes:
- Chicken: Using leftovers from a big roast chicken dinner or picking up an already-cooked rotisserie chicken are great timesaving options when making million dollar soup. Once cooked, the chicken should be pulled into shreds. You can use all-white meat or do a mix of white and dark.
Variations:
- Add butternut squash: There are two ways to add squash: Add 1-inch cubes of butternut squash at the same time as the stock and kale to cook them during simmering, or roast cubed butternut squash for more flavor and add it to the soup near the end of the cooking time to warm it through.
- Use other greens: Instead of kale, try fresh spinach or Swiss chard. These greens cook through more quickly, so add them when about five minutes of simmering time remains.
- Try it with sausage: In this soup, replace the diced bacon with cooked and crumbled sausage. Use mild bulk sausage, or for more kick, try a spicy variety like chorizo or hot Italian.
Storage:
- The recipe makes a big pot of million dollar soup - but that’s OK, because the leftovers are just as delicious. To store it, first let the soup cool to room temperature. Cover the pot or transfer the soup to resealable food storage containers. Keep the soup cold in the refrigerator.
- How long does million dollar soup last? When the soup is kept chilled and tightly covered in the fridge, it will last for two to three days.
- Can you freeze this million dollar soup? Yes, there is a way to freeze million dollar soup, but it requires one change. Because cream and cheese-based soups don’t freeze well, it’s best to freeze this soup without these ingredients. Make the recipe through adding the chicken and gnocchi (you’ll add the cream and cheese later).
- Let the soup cool, transfer it to freezer-proof containers and freeze it for up to three months. When you reheat it, add the cream and cheese.
- How do you reheat million dollar soup? The easiest way to reheat million dollar soup is in the microwave, which is perfect for individual portions. Ladle some soup into a microwave-safe bowl and loosely cover it. Microwave it in 45-second bursts, stirring after each time until heated through. You can also reheat the soup over medium-low heat on the stovetop. If you are reheating million dollar soup that has been frozen, the stovetop is best so that you can blend in cream and cheese at the end.
- Serving Suggestions: While this million dollar soup can certainly be considered an all-in-one meal with plenty of filling ingredients, it’s still nice to be able to offer up a few sides for your guests. This can be as simple as saltine or oyster crackers. Or, make a loaf of tangy sourdough bread to slice and spread with butter. These two-ingredient biscuits are ready in only 10 minutes and are the perfect size for dunking in the soup. You can also finely chop fresh herbs like parsley, chives or thyme to sprinkle over the soup for a little extra colour and flavour.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 617 calories, 41g fat (21g saturated fat), 133mg cholesterol, 1657mg sodium, 28g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 2g fiber), 33g protein.