The Secret To My 4 easiest Homemade Soups: Use Salsa as Your Base

It's soup season 🍅🥕🥔🍠 and a hot nourishing bowl of homemade soup may be just what you are craving to warm up and get cozy on a cold winter night. 

I'm reposting 4 of my easiest homemade soup recipes which use a jar of salsa as my soup base. Using salsa as a soup base is a great kitchen hack. 

Baked Spaghetti Squash with Salsa and Mushrooms

I purchased a spaghetti squash over a month ago. It was in the back of my pantry, and I had forgotten about it. Surprisingly, it was still good when I cooked it today. 

I really do like spaghetti squash, but it is one of those vegetables that isn't always available and needs time to cook. 

It's easier than you think...

Spaghetti Squash With Black Beans and Salsa

It's fall and I am making another recipe using winter squash- specifically spaghetti squash. 

The trio of ingredients that I use in this recipe produces a delicious, warming, low calorie and low fat dinner that is naturally gluten-free and vegan.

Hummus with Salsa and Grilled Eggplant- Bat Yam, Israel

Hummus is a staple in Israel, and Israelis have found many interesting delicious ways to serve it. Basic hummus is vegan and gluten-free and provides a good deal of nutrients. This version adds some spice, color, and interest to an otherwise simple dip. 

Pineapple Confetti Salsa Served In A Pineapple

Got a pineapple? It's party time with pineapple confetti salsa served in a scooped out pineapple!!

 

This interesting salsa goes great with (gluten-free) chips, mixed with cooked rice, or as a topping for grilled tofu. 

Doesn't it look pretty and perfect for holiday entertaining ? Whether for Easter or for Passover, your guests will love it! 

I love it because it's full of healthy ingredients such as enzymes for digestion, antioxidants for immune boosting, and valuable vitamins.  

I very seldom buy a whole pineapple because I find it difficult to cut and serve. But this wasn't too unmanageable. I simply cut the pineapple in half lengthwise and then used a paring knife to cut around the edges before I scooped out the pulp. The empty pineapple became a serving piece.

This delicious pineapple salsa is a simple recipe calling for a variety of fresh vegetables such as chopped tomatoes, chopped red onion, diced orange or yellow bell pepper, chopped cilantro (or parsley), some optional fresh lime juice and optional jalapeño peppers. Of course, don't forget the diced pineapple.

I like to make this salsa mixture and then combine it with cooked brown rice for a tasty vegan side dish. Traditionally this type of salsa is eaten with fish - such as salmon.

Ingredients: 

1 large pineapple

2 cups of pineapple, diced small

2 medium tomatoes, diced small

1 cup of diced yellow or orange bell pepper, diced small

1 cup of diced red onion

1/2 cup of chopped cilantro or parsley

Optional: 1/4 cup of diced jalapeño peppers 

Fresh lime juice if desired (I didn't)

 

Directions:

Cut a pineapple lengthwise and cut out the pineapple pulp leaving the pineapple shell for serving.  

Assemble all of the ingredients in a bowl. Toss well and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes. Stuff the pineapple before serving, draining any liquid if necessary. 

NOTES: 

My friend Noreen made this pineapple salsa at a dinner party at her house. 

Quick Red Lentil Vegetable Soup

Enjoy a garden fresh bowl of red lentil vegetable soup.  I call this recipe a summer vegetable soup because takes advantage of local baby red potatoes and tender green zucchini are available fresh from local farmer's markets. However, both are available all year in the supermarkets making this soup an all year round soup. 

Zucchini Noodles, Spinach, and Salsa - an easy side dish

Looking for ways to eat more healthy green vegetables? 

Chow down on this easy vegetable side dish. made with zucchini and baby spinach. It is low in calories, spicy and amazing. 

Quickest Lentil Soup Ever

It looks like an exotic feast, but it was one of the quickest and easiest soups I ever made. Nourishing, delicious, and filling, you'll love this plant-based, oil-free, gluten-free, easy soup recipe. 

Book Review: Spicy Plant-Based Cookbook

 

“I was recently gifted a copy of The Spicy Plant-Based Cookbook from the publisher, and the moment I flipped through it, I was hooked. The recipes felt so inviting that I couldn’t resist sharing my thoughts in an honest review.

What I Like About the Cookbook: 

The Spicy Plant-Based Cookbook, by Adams Media, offers a diverse collection of over 200 recipes including snacks, dips, salsas, sauces, salads, soups, sides, desserts, drinks, and main dishes- all spicy!  The ingredients are fresh, healthy, vegan, easy to make, and use whole real foods from plant sources.

International Flair

The recipes have an international flair drawing from Mexican, Indian, Korean Middle Eastern, and other interesting cuisines whose recipes tend to be spicy.

Sauce is the Key to Flavor

As a plant-based vegan eater, I find that I am always looking or sauces and salsas to perk up simple vegetables and salads. This book offers an interesting and varied selection to choose from. 

 

Easily adaptable for hot, medium, or mild. 

Although "hot" and "spicy" are the theme of the recipes in the book, I found I could easily tone down to recipes to accommodate my less hot and spicy taste - but still enjoy the delicious recipes. Whether you are a "hot and spicy" lover or prefer a mildly spiced recipe, the recipes in this cookbook are adaptable.

There were many recipes that I wanted to try, but I decided to make and share the recipe for  mango citrus salsa which was delicious. I know I will be going back to make other recipes such as Moroccan root vegetables, General Tso's Tofu, Sweet and Spicy Peanut Noodles, Easy Peanut Sauce, Cumin Potatoes, Korean Style Hot Pot, Black Bean and Butternut Squash Chili, etc. 

\

Gluten-Free

Of course for those of us who are gluten-free, it would be important to adapt recipes to meet gluten-free standards. Use gluten-free soy sauce in recipes that call for soy sauce and be careful about grains such as substituting quinoa for recipes that use couscous However, many of the recipes do meet gluten-free standards.

It's definitely a cookbook that could teach you how to incorporate more real "spice" into your cooking and help you go from bland to exciting.

The Mango Citrus Salsa which was easy and delicious. I'm really happy to have this cookbook, and I highly recommend it. 

It's available on Amazon and it's worth having a copy. 

Ingredients: 

1 medium mango, peeled, pitted, and chopped

2 medium tangerines, peeled and chopped

1/2 medium bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

1/2 red onion, peeled and minced

1/2 medium jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and minced

2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions: 

In a large bowl, combine ingredients. Gently toss to mix well. Allow to sit for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Store any leftover salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Photos Excerpted from The Spicy Plant-Based Cookbook by Adams Media. Copyright © 2021 by Simon & Schuster, Inc. Used with permission of the publisher, Adams Media, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.

 

My Easiest Black Bean Soup Recipe

I enjoy soup all year round but when the weather starts to get cooler, I start to crave heartier soups made with beans. This hearty black bean soup is thick, delicious, and satisfying and one of the easiest soups I make. 

Love This Trick

I use a simple trick to eliminate  cut down the prep. I use a jar of chunky organic salsa to replace many of the vegetables.

Think about it. Chunky salsa is made with onions, peppers, tomatoes, etc. The very ingredients that I usually prep this type of soup recipe. So, instead of cleaning, cutting, and chopping, I simply open a jar of organic chunky salsa and use the salsa with all it's chunky vegetables in my soup. 

I appreciate that it is organic, because sometimes it's difficult to find organic onions, peppers, etc. I prefer using organic when available. 

All the Prep Ingredients in One Jar

Surprisingly, chunky salsa has all the ingredients to make this delicious 3 ingredient soup. I am not specifically promoting Aldi's (in fact, the salsa flies off the shelves, and I sometimes can't even get the mild salsa) but it is the best and most economical one that I've found. It's $1.89 as of this post in 2020 (update 2023 - it has gone up in price to $2.19)  ( update: 2024 $2.89) As I mentioned, it's organic. It comes in mild, medium, or hot- so you can have it your way- and it is packed in glass, not a can. It meets all my criteria for a healthy safe product. 

Make it in the Instant Pot 

It doesn't get easier than opening the jar, pouring it into the Instant Pot, adding soaked and drained beans, vegetable broth and water. Since my uncooked beans were soaked overnight, I set the Instant Pot timer for 25 minutes. 

If I don't pre-soak the beans (which I usually do because I think it helps digestibility), I would set the Instant Pot timer for 40 minutes. 

When the soup is done, I remove the lid an partially blend using an immersion blender. This hearty, thick, easy soup is a favorite.

******If you just want to use canned beans, you can dump everything in the IP and set for 3 minutes OR use the stove top and just bring to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes..

Do You Plan a Menu for the Week? 

I don't usually create a menu plan for the week, do you?  but I thought if I did, I would make this soup every other Monday in the cooler weather. Since I keep my own individual sized bags of cooked rice in the freezer (link to see how I freeze cooked rice), I have the convenience of adding some rice to my husband's bowl which he loves. 

Ingredients: 

1 pound of dry black beans, washed, soaked overnight, and drained.

1 jar of organic chunky salsa (mild, medium, or hot) 

3 cups of vegetable broth

3 cups of water 

Optional: cumin, salt, cracked pepper, squirt of lime or lemon juice,  fresh garlic

Toppings: chunks of avocado or cooked white rice

Directions:

Add everything to the Instant Pot. Secure lid, close steam valve, and set to pressure cook for 25 minutes. When done, allow to sit for 15 or more minutes and then release steam manually according to the manufacturer's directions. When all steam is released, remove lid and blend with an immersion blender to desired consistency.

Notes: I you don't have time or forgot to soak the beans overnight, simply pressure cook for 40 minutes.

Sweet Potato Salsa Soup

I make another soup using salsa too- try my spicy sweet potato soup.

Sharing on Souper Sunday at  Kahakai Kitchen where anyone can share a soup, sammie, or salad recipe.

NOTES:

Looking for more healthy recipes?  

My blogging friend Nancy Andes at her inspiring blog, Colors 4 Health, has published a Holiday Guilt-Free Recipe Guide which you can view with the link. Nancy says, " This post features guilt-free vegan holiday recipes to savor and tips to make meals healthier, budget friendly, taste-tempting, and joyful." 

Nancy has included a recipe for my delicious and easy vegan stuffed peppers in her  Holiday Guilt-Free Recipe Guide for holiday eating.

Eggplant Tofu Lasagna

If you are looking for a tasty plant-based meal because you are running out of ideas, try my eggplant tofu lasagna.

Boost Your Metabolism with Salsa

                                        

Boost your metabolism with this colorful salsa that is dressed in a tangy lime and cumin dressing.
The secret ingredient in this recipe known to help boost the metabolism is the jalapeño pepper.

You can enjoy this easy salad knowing that it may actually help you burn calories.

How can this simple recipe can help whittle your waistline and boost your metabolism ?

• "They" say you should eat at least 5-8 low calorie fruits or vegetables a day to build a strong immune system but not your waistline.
• "Weight Watchers" suggests focusing on nutrient dense power foods ( like vegetables and beans)  to keep your weight down but your eating satisfaction up
• This one recipe contains tomatoes, red peppers, red onion, cilantro, cucumber and optional fresh corn and jalapeno pepper. A variety of antioxidant -rich low calorie health giving veggies in just one delicious serving of this salad  salsa.
• jalapeno is a thermogenic ( heat raising) vegetable that can help boost your metabolism ( you can leave out the jalapeno for kids or if you just don't like the heat!)
• Black beans are not only nutrient dense , but they provide much needed fiber that helps you rid your body of waste that can cause bloating and weight gain.

How can you eat this delicious salsa salad?

I love chopping and putting everything in these little bowls before assembling the salsa

• Eat it as a fresh salad along with a meal
• Eat it with organic blue corn chips as an appetizer or snack
• Eat it topped with shredded cheese and baked at 400 degrees for 5 minutes as a meal
• Eat it over brown rice and topped with shredded cheese and baked as a meal.

This is a mixture adding raw corn cut off the cob and some chopped mango 

Once you make this, you won't want to wait to eat it.
Tomorrow I'll be making another skinny recipe. It's a Cinco de Mayo healthy dip.
. Don't forget to stop by.
What's your favorite salsa recipe?

Ingredients for Black Bean Salsa
1 container of cherry or grape tomatoes , each tomato cut in half
1 large red or yellow pepper , seeded and chopped
2 cups of cooked black beans or ( 1/ 15 ounce cans), drained well
1 cup chopped cucumber
3/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
optional: 2 ears of organic non GMO corn on cob, kernels cut raw from the cob - leave them raw
( or 1 cup cooked corn, drained)
optional: 1/4 cup chopped of jalapeno pepper( or more to taste)
optional: 1 cup of chopped avocado added when serving
optional : 3/4 cup of shredded cheese of any variety

Dressing
Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin, ( or more to taste)
Freshly cracked black pepper to taste


To see the many other healthy gluten free recipes, healthy living tips, kitchen and blogging ideas that I pin each day, follow me on Pinterest Gluten Free A-Z  and Twitter .


Whether you make the black bean salsa or the mango salsa, either way you won't be disappointed.
They are so good and so easy to make, you can make them both.
Who doesn't want to get in on the fun for a Cinco de Mayo celebration?

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Sun Dried Tomato Salsa

Looking for a delicious appetizer?  Summer is the perfect time for chunky homemade salsa-

Sun dried tomatoes, fresh yellow or red tomatoes, and plump dark raisins give this flavorful salsa a  sweet, yet tangy flavor. This salsa is easy, exceptionally flavorful, and can be made with either fresh basil or cilantro.

I soak the sun dried tomatoes and raisins. After soaking, the tomatoes and raisins become more tender, plump, and digestible .

Once the sun dried tomatoes and raisins are soaked and drained for 2 hours, everything goes into the food processor and buzzed on and off until chunky.

This salsa  goes well with my frozen Kiwi Mojitos  or a nice glass of Spanish red wine and a basket of gluten free chips. It is low in fat and a good source of lycopene and other healthy antioxidants. In addition, it is vegan, gluten free, and raw- making it a perfect choice for most guests.

Judee Algazi @ Gluten Free A-Z Blog
Soak time: 2 hours
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: None


Ingredients :
8 sun dried tomatoes , soaked about 2 hours and drain
1/4 cup organic raisins, soaked about 2 hours and drain
2 medium pretty yellow tomatoes ( or any fresh tomato), chopped , salted a little, and drained over a colander for 20 minutes ( This is important or it will be too watery)
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro ( or more if you love it)
3/4 cup fresh basil if you prefer it instead of the fresh cilantro
a few shakes of red pepper flakes ( optional)
1 Tablespoon olive oil

Directions: 
Soak sun dried tomatoes and raisins for 2 hours in water in  a medium size bowl.  Once soaked and drained, this recipe is so fast and easy. Soaking is no work at all and the sun dried tomatoes and raisins become beautifully plump, tender ,and more digestible.

Soak raisins and sun dried tomatoes separately for about 2 hours ( or less if in a hurry)

                       

Put drained sun dried tomatoes, drained raisins and fresh cilantro into a mini food processor. Pulse a few times until chopped well.
                          

Add fresh yellow tomatoes, ( or red) lime juice and red pepper flakes and pulse to salsa consistency. Season with salt and pepper if desired. ( I didn't add salt and it was delicious without seasoning)/

Chopped yellow tomatoes

                              

                      

  

             I also use this sun dried tomato salsa as a topping for my mini stuffed peppers appetiser

Shared on Beth Fish Reads Weekend Cooking where anyone can share a food related post