Vermicelli Soup with Lemon & Butter (+ Mint & Mizithra): Simple Noodle Soup for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

To come up with a soup to make every week, I keep an ongoing list of the ones I come across and want to try. I had this simple Vermicelli Soup with Lemon & Butter from Tessa Kiros tagged with "when feeling puny" as it seemed like the perfect soup when you are not feeling well or are out of sorts. Heavy, blustery winds have not been a friend to my allergies this weekend and since my snuffly self was craving something brothy and noodley and since this soup is both--and also very quickly cooked, it seemed like the right time to make it.  

I made a few changes to the recipe--adding some garlic, more noodles and changing out the recommended cheese to one of my favorites--Greek Mizithra. 

Tessa says, "Here is a version of vermicelli soup that they tend to make in Greece or Cyprus. If you have a light chicken, fish or meat stock, then use that, but I love this even just with water... a soup in moments. You can leave out the mint, if you'd prefer." 

Vermicelli Soup with Lemon & Butter
Adapted from Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros
(Serves 4 to 6)

7 cups water or broth (I used mock chicken stock base)
(I added 2 cloves of garlic, minced)
juice of half a lemon
2 to 3 Tbsp butter (I used 2 Tbsp)
salt to taste, optional--dependent on broth
4 oz vermicelli or angel hair pasta broken up (I used about 6 oz angel hair)
finely grated haloumi or Parmesan cheese to serve (I subbed mizithra)
black pepper to serve
3-4 mint leaves torn, or crumbled dried mint to serve

Put the broth/water, lemon juice and butter in a pan and add salt (salt may be unnecessary if using broth). Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for 6 to 7 minutes before adding the pasta. Cook the pasta until a few seconds before the package says it should be ready (it will continue cooking in the hot broth) and immediately remove the pan from the heat. Ladle out into bowls, sprinkle with cheese and give a good grinding of black pepper and a scattering of mint. Serve immediately. 

Notes/Results: Simple can be really good. This soup is comforting, satisfying, and a good combination of flavors. The butter adds a richness to the lemony broth and the toppings of mizithra and mint make it more interesting. With very little prep, this soup cooks quickly and is ready to go in not much longer than it would take to open and heat a can, making it great for when you don't feel like making an effort but still want something homemade and good. This hit the spot and I would make it again. 

This soup is also being linked to I Heart Cooking Clubs where Potluck week starts tomorrow. It's the chance to make any recipe of the current chef (Donna Hay) or any of the previous chef's like Tessa Kiros.  

We have a couple of good friends waiting in the Souper Sundays kitchen--let's take a look at what they brought. 

Janet of The Taste Space shares this Chickpea & Kabocha Squash Lemongrass Curry and says, "I am sure I am not the only one with winter squashes on my counter (right?). It happens every year to me. Houston-time, included. Winter squash may not still be on your radar but with the last winter blast, a warming stew is hard to turn down. (I am not playing with you, Houston does get cold. I had pants on last week). Unlike most curries, this one has NO CUMIN. Blasted! A bit more sweet with the kabocha squash which worked well with the aromatics like cardamom and coriander, but still tempered by ginger, mustard and chile with a luscious coconut-infused broth spiked with lemongrass."

Joyce of Kitchen Flavours is here with a tasty Crispy Honey Mustard Bacon Salad and says, "Eating of the Green", our theme for this week at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), where we are cooking from Donna Hay's recipes. This week is all about greens and I've made this easy and fuss-free salad, which takes just minutes to prepare! Just before serving, toss the cherry tomatoes, lettuce and cannellini beans with some of the mustard dressing. Scatter the crumbled crispy bacon over the top and drizzle with more of the mustard dressing. We had this salad with some baked chicken drumsticks."

Thanks to Janet and Joyce for joining me this week. If you have a soup, salad or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo on my side bar for all of the details. 

Have a happy, healthy week!