3 favorite dishes reimagined as soups, because it’s not spring yet

In the coldest days of winter, I put soup on repeat. I simmer them up night after night, working my way through my familiar repertoire of red lentil, white bean, potato-leek and mushroom spinach.

After a while, though, there’s a need to break out — not away from my soup pot, but from the sameness of things. So, I created three new recipes inspired by foods that did not start out in liquid form. I chose favorite dishes with big, powerful flavors I knew I could translate from solids into sippable elixirs.

I based the first on pasta with pesto, a bright, herby Italian crowd-pleaser with warm weather associations: Even just thinking about pesto makes the sky outside seem a little more blue. To add protein and heft, I stirred in some ground turkey, and a handful of baby spinach for a colorful pop. If you happen to have homemade pesto squirreled away in the freezer, this is the perfect time to use it. But store-bought pesto works just as well, its garlic and basil pungency infusing the broth like a welcome summer breeze.

Similarly summery, three-bean salads are usually the stuff of picnics and potlucks. But that same combination of canned beans and fresh green beans turn soft and silky when simmered into soup, which I season with tomato paste, ground coriander and a sprinkling of Parmesan. And just like in my favorite three-bean salad recipe, I also add some lightly pickled red onions, scattering them on just before serving for acidity and crunch.

And lastly, I looked to the creamy, garlicky comfort of hummus as a starting point, knowing that I could blend chickpeas, cumin and tahini into a nutty tasting purée that was thick and satisfying. For a bit of texture, I top the soup with crunchy fried chickpeas and garlic slivers, which are salty-sweet and impossible to stop eating once you start.

Warming to eat and simple to cook, these three soups have classic, compelling flavors that transcend their forms. They’re recipes you’ll be happy to make from the depths of winter through the cold, damp spring.

Serves 4.

Directions

Heat a large pot over medium-high for a minute or so to warm it up. Add the oil and heat until it thins out, about 30 seconds. Add onion, red pepper and a pinch of salt, and cook until very soft and brown at the edges, 7 to 10 minutes.

Add the turkey and pesto, and cook, breaking up the turkey with your spoon, until the meat is browned in spots, 4 to 7 minutes.

Add broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the soup is nice and flavorful, adding more salt and red pepper, if needed, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the pasta during the last 10 to 12 minutes (check the package instructions for the pasta timing).

Add the spinach to the pot and simmer until soft, 1 to 2 minutes. Squeeze some lemon juice into the pot, adding as much as you like to make the soup lively and bright. If using the ricotta, add dollops to the pot but don’t stir it in — just let it sit for a minute or two to heat up.

Serves 4.

Three-bean salads are usually the stuff of picnics and potlucks. But that same combination of canned beans and fresh green beans turns soft and silky when simmered into broth, rounded out with tomato paste for body and sweetness, ground coriander for a warm note and a sprinkling of Parmesan for depth. And just as in a classic three-bean salad, a garnish of lightly pickled red onions adds acidity and crunch. By Melissa Clark, the New York Times.

Directions

In a small bowl, combine ⅓ cup of the onion slices with the lime juice and a pinch of salt and let sit, tossing occasionally, while the soup simmers.

Heat a large pot over medium-high for a minute or so to warm it up. Add the oil and heat until it thins out, about 30 seconds. Add remaining onion slices, celery, carrot and a pinch of salt, and cook until the vegetables are very soft and brown at the edges, 7 to 10 minutes.

Add broth, white beans and kidney beans, and bring to a simmer. Let simmer until the soup is nice and flavorful, adding more salt if needed, 15 to 20 minutes. If you like a thicker broth, you can smash some of the beans with the back of the spoon to release their starch. Or leave the beans whole for a brothier soup.

Add the green beans to the pot and simmer until tender, 4 to 8 minutes.

Top each bowl with some of the pickled onions and a little of the lime juice if you like, plus a generous shower of Parmesan, more pepper, celery leaves, parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

Serves 4 to 6.

This rich soup was inspired by the creamy, garlicky comfort of hummus, blending chickpeas, cumin and tahini into an easy, nutty-tasting soup that’s thick and satisfying. A topping of crisp-fried chickpeas and garlic slivers is salty-sweet and impossible to stop eating. Sprinkle it on the soup just before serving to preserve the delightful crunch. By Melissa Clark, the New York Times.

Place a can’s worth of chickpeas on a clean kitchen towel or a double layer of paper towels, and pat them dry.

In a large soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high. Add the chickpeas and ½ teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisped, 6 to 10 minutes.

Add another tablespoon of oil, sliced garlic, cumin seeds and crushed red pepper to the pot (save the grated garlic for later). Cook until the garlic is golden brown at the edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chickpeas and garlic to a plate. While the crispy chickpeas are still hot, sprinkle them with more salt to taste.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pot and heat until it thins out, about 30 seconds. Add onion, ground cumin and a pinch of salt, and cook until very soft and brown at the edges, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add 3 cups broth, remaining chickpeas and ½ teaspoon salt, and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the soup is nice and flavorful, adding more salt to taste if needed, 10 to 15 minutes.