The Best Mulligatawny Soup Recipe - Craving Tasty (2025)

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If you like mulligatawny soup, or even if you don't like it that much, or you've never tried it, you have to try this recipe. This is the best mulligatawny soup recipe out there. Period.It's that good!

The Best Mulligatawny Soup Recipe - Craving Tasty (1)

Being a Seinfeld fan I've known about mulligatawny soup for a long while... Right, I learned about it from 'The Soup Nazi' episode, like millions of others I suppose. Remember the dialogue between Kramer and Elaine?

ELAINE: Do you need anything?

KRAMER: Well, a bowl of mulligatawny would hit the spot.

ELAINE: Mulligatawny?

KRAMER: Yeah. It's an Indian soup. It's simmered to perfection by one ofthe great soup artisansin the modern era.

Contrary to what I learned from the show and what stuck with me for years, mulligatawny is not an Indian soup. It's a purely English soup made after an Indian recipe. The name roughly translates from Tamil as 'pepper water'. The original Indian recipe is not even a soup, it's a sauce that is served with rice.

According to Wikipedia, the original version of mulligatawnysouprecipe consisted of a broth from lentils, fried onions and curry powder. Today it typically describes athickened soup that is strongly spiced with curry powder and nutmeg. Often you will also see vegetables, nuts and rice added. Some recipes make use of port wine.

So, this incredibly delicious soup is a Western invention, but it comes with wonderful Indian flavors. This is one of my two most favorite soup recipes.

Curry powder

At the local spice store I can buy freshly prepared mild, medium and hot curry powder. I prefer mild hands down. Just my personal preference. If you like your soup spicier, substitute mild curry powder for medium or hot.

An evenbetter alternative would be to make your own curry powder to suit your own taste.

The Best Mulligatawny Soup Recipe - Craving Tasty (2)

Meat

I've used chicken breast, ready-to-eat smoked bacon, chicken thighs and beef meat in this recipe. The winner for me is beef. Followed closely by chicken thighs. Then followed by chicken breast. Chicken breast is good and is an excellent option for calorie conscious people. However, chicken thighs definitely add a lot of flavor and taste juicier.

Sous vide chicken breast and slow roasted chicken breast are both great options if you want tender and very juicy white chicken meat in your soup. Good quality stewing beef or beef chuck is an excellent option as well.

If you have leftover smoked meat (chuck, brisket, pulled pork, pork loin, pork chops, short rib, or kielbasa), use it, it works wonderfully with this soup, lending it a smoky flavor.

If you are using chicken thighs or beef, you can brown them about 1 minute per side over a fairly high heat. Browning chicken breast is a bad idea as it will become dry and rubbery later on, based on my experiments.

Vegetarian mulligatawny soup version

For the vegetarian option, instead of using meat, try adding sauteed oyster or other mushrooms with some onions toward the end of cooking. Satisfaction guaranteed! Don't forget to substitute butter for olive oil and use vegetable broth.

Cream

Based on my research, it's customary to add heavy cream to mulligatawny soup when serving, but I think the cream takes away from the depth of flavors in this amazing soup. My family loves it with the cream added though. I personally don't. You decide for yourself.

The Best Mulligatawny Soup Recipe - Craving Tasty (3)

The Best Mulligatawny Soup Recipe - Craving Tasty (4)

The Best Mulligatawny Soup Recipe

4.85 from 32 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American, European

Keyword: mulligatawny soup

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 692kcal

Author: Victor

Ingredients

  • 6 chicken thighs (about 1 lb total, skinless, boneless, cut into 1/2-inch cubes; see notes for substitutions)
  • 1/2 cup yellow onions chopped
  • 2 celery stalks chopped
  • 2 small carrots diced
  • 1 leek thinly sliced (white part only)
  • 1/2 stick butter (unsalted)
  • 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp mild curry powder or medium / hot for more burn in your mouth
  • 5 cups chicken stock (or chicken broth)
  • 1/2 apple cored and finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup white rice
  • Salt to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp dried thyme

For serving/garnish

  • 1 cup heavy cream heated (optional)
  • Chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  • Saute onions, celery, leek, carrots, and butter in a large pot over medium heat until they start to soften, about 8-10 minutes.

  • Add the flour and the curry, and cook over medium heat for 5 more minutes.

  • Add the chicken broth, mix well, and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 30 minutes.

  • Add the apple, rice, chicken, salt, pepper, nutmeg and thyme. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the rice is done.

  • When serving, add heated cream (optionally) and chopped fresh parsley.

Notes

Substitute chicken thighs for about 2 chicken medium size breasts, about 1 lb in total.

If you prefer beef, use about 1 lb beef chuck or stewing beef, stewed to full doneness prior as it takes longer to cook than chicken.

For a meatless version, use 3 cups sauteed mushrooms instead of meat or chicken.

Nutrition

Calories: 692kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 282mg | Sodium: 746mg | Potassium: 1018mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 6824IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 3mg

If you are looking for more cool Seinfeld recipes, check outThe Best SEINFELD Recipes, Crafts, Printables & More!on Bomb Shell Bling.

The Best Mulligatawny Soup Recipe - Craving Tasty (2025)

FAQs

What is the secret to soup? ›

7 Tips for Successful Soup Making
  • Use a Sturdy Pot. It is worth investing in a heavy pot with a thick bottom to use for making soup. ...
  • Sauté the Aromatics. ...
  • Start with Good Broth. ...
  • Cut Vegetables to the Right Size. ...
  • Stagger the Addition of Vegetables. ...
  • Keep Liquid at a Simmer. ...
  • Season Just Before Serving.
Oct 9, 2022

How to make soup really flavorful? ›

7 Easy Ways to Make Any Soup Better
  1. Brown or Sear the Meat.
  2. Roast the the Veggies.
  3. Mix up the Texture.
  4. Use Homemade Stock Whenever Possible.
  5. Put Your Cheese Rinds to Work.
  6. Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples.
  7. Add Fresh Herbs or Dairy When Serving.
  8. Recipes Pictured.

What makes a bowl of soup more flavorful? ›

Vinegar – A spoonful of vinegar is a quick fix when you find yourself with a bowl of dull, flat-tasting soup. Just a small amount of acid will brighten up the flavors. 2. Soy Sauce – Soy sauce is another item that's ideal for brightening up and adding depth of flavor to an otherwise dull soup.

What is the key to flavor soups? ›

Making a delicious soup depends on building flavors as you go along. Aromatics, which include garlic, onion, leeks, carrots and celery, are the basic flavor-building blocks of most soup recipes. Sauteing these vegetables in oil or butter is the first step to boosting your soup's flavor.

What is the most important ingredient in soup? ›

Take stock of your stock. When it comes to making clear, brothy soups, the stock that you use is the most important ingredient. Poorly flavoured stock will ruin the entire pot of soup. For clear soups, homemade broth is always the best choice.

What not to do when making soup? ›

The 7 Biggest Mistakes You Make Cooking Soup
  1. Boiling instead of simmering. You want a small bubble or two to rise to the surface of the liquid every few seconds. ...
  2. Not using enough salt. ...
  3. Ignoring water. ...
  4. Overcooking the vegetables. ...
  5. Adding tomatoes at the beginning. ...
  6. Neglecting to garnish. ...
  7. Not trying a pressure cooker.
Nov 19, 2014

What seasoning makes soup taste better? ›

"Use fresh or dried basil in tomato-based recipes or fresh parsley to add freshness to clear broth soups," says Sofia Norton, RD. You can also go with more heat and spices. "Ground paprika, turmeric, nutmeg, ground ginger, and other powdered spices add a touch of color and spiciness to broths," she says.

What should be added to enrich the flavor of the soup? ›

Herbs and sources add flavor, aroma, and intensity to the soup broth. You can pick fresh or dried herbs like basil for tomato-based soups or fresh parsley for clear broths. You may also add more spices like turmeric, ground ginger, ground paprika, or nutmeg for a touch of spice and color to your soup broth.

What are three qualities of a good soup? ›

A soup's quality is determined by its flavor, appearance and texture. A good soup should be full-flavored, with no off or sour tastes. Flavors from each of the soup's ingre- dients should blend and complement, with no one flavor overpowering another.

Does soup taste better the longer you cook it? ›

Bring everything to a boil, reduce the heat, and let simmer for at least 30 minutes. The longer the stock cooks, the more flavorful your soup will be.

What veggies to put in soup? ›

Veggies That Make Healthy, Tasty Soups
  • Cucumber. 1/14. This nutritious veggie is one of the ingredients in the cold soup called gazpacho. ...
  • Butternut Squash. 2/14. ...
  • Lentils. 3/14. ...
  • Broccoli. 4/14. ...
  • Potatoes. 5/14. ...
  • Mushrooms. 6/14. ...
  • Fresh Spring Peas. 7/14. ...
  • Dried Split Peas. 8/14.

Should you saute onions before adding to soup? ›

While certain vegetables can work just fine added directly to simmering soups and stews (say, carrots and celery), other vegetables (onions, garlic, and the like) will almost always need at least a brief sweat in a fat-based liquid before adding the remaining ingredients.

What is the secret ingredient in soup? ›

It may sound a bit strange and unusual for some, but vinegar is a common ingredient in some soup recipes, and there is a good reason for it. If you think about it, vinegar is really a flavor-enhancer (umami). That's why it is so often used in cooking, sauces, and salad dressings. The same is true with soups.

How do you deepen soup Flavour? ›

Use aromatic vegetables, like carrots, celery and onions. Adding some egg noodles or pasta can make the soup more thicker and turn it into a complete meal as well. Add some fresh herbs of your choice to add another layer of flavour to your dish.

How do you make can soup taste better? ›

Here are some ideas to liven up your canned soups and make them taste more like homemade:
  1. Sauté some onions and/or garlic: Low and slow is the way to go. ...
  2. Add protein: Leftover chicken or steak, some cooked diced ham or bacon or sausage (just a little — that soup is already salty).
Apr 25, 2023

What gives vegetable soup that depth of flavor? ›

Celery, carrot, and onion are the base vegetables for most preparations of this kind. That's because when you gently fry them in extra virgin olive oil, they become a tasty flavor base for your soup, adding depth of flavor.

What adds body to soup? ›

Adding umami-rich ingredients like tomato paste or a parmesan rind to the soup will add a deep, rich savoriness and body to the soup.

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