The Best Mulligatawny Soup Recipe - Craving Tasty (2024)

Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our Privacy Policy for details.

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

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 (2024)

FAQs

How to make soup really flavorful? ›

Roast or caramelize your vegetables before adding them to your soup to bring out their natural sweetness. Add ingredients like mushrooms, tomatoes, soy sauce, miso, or seaweed to enhance the flavor of your soup. Use fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro, basil or thyme to add fresh flavor to your soup.

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 can I make soup more satisfying? ›

Loading up your soup bowl with extra vegetables is a great way to add nutrients, antioxidants and fiber, which makes soup more filling. Try stirring in leftover roasted vegetables or sautéed greens, or cook fresh or frozen vegetables in simmering soup until tender and heated through.

What is mulligatawny soup made from? ›

It's basically a curry soup, most often made with chicken, vegetables, apples, and rice. Not only is it absolutely delicious, it's the perfect example of how one culture acquires food from another and adapts it to their own taste.

What ingredients add flavor to soup? ›

You can extract a clean, strong broth from a combination of water and several pantry ingredients. It's all about layering powerful flavor-enhancers that you probably already have on hand—bacon, tomato paste, herbs, peppercorns, a Parmesan rind, and, of course, kosher salt.

What spices make soup taste good? ›

To season it, we recommend starting with our Vegetable Soup Mix. It contains celery salt, parsley flakes, garlic powder, sea salt, summer savory, marjoram, thyme, black pepper, turmeric and sage, which are all excellent with root vegetables, so you can incorporate things like carrots or potatoes into the soup.

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.

Why is my soup so tasteless? ›

If a soup is tasting bland in the bowl, consider adding acid rather than salt. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of yogurt or sour cream can add brightness to the bowl. Start with the basics. Ensure you've added enough salt and black pepper.

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

Why does soup taste better the longer you cook it? ›

If you're simmering a thing for hours, you will intensify the flavor by cooking off some of the liquid. This might make it taste better, but if cooked too long, it may end up too salty or otherwise be over-seasoned.

How to add umami to soup? ›

Use umami-rich seasonings

Using umami-rich seasonings such as ketchup, molasses, tomato paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Marmite, or miso paste will give you a quick fix of umami.

What ingredient can be added to a soup to make it thicker and richer? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

Why is it called Mulligatawny? ›

Mulligatawny (/ˌmʌlɪɡəˈtɔːni/) is a soup which originated from South Indian cuisine. The name originates from the Tamil words miḷagu (மிளகு 'black pepper'), and taṇṇi (தண்ணி, 'water'); literally, "pepper-water". It is related to the dish rasam.

What nationality is Mulligatawny soup? ›

Although considered an Indian soup, Mulligatawny Mughlai soup is part Indian and part British. This soup got invented during colonial rule when the British kept requesting the soup as the first course. Originally this soup was just a thin sauce. But it bulks with vegetables and meat to suit British taste over time.

What is Mulligatawny meaning in english? ›

noun. mul·​li·​ga·​taw·​ny ˌmə-li-gə-ˈtȯ-nē -ˈtä- : a rich soup usually of chicken stock seasoned with curry.

Does soup get more flavor the longer it simmers? ›

Does soup really need to simmer for hours? - Quora. Nope. Stock needs to simmer for hours to get the full flavor from the bones. Broth needs to simmer for less time because it includes both meat and bones, but it still benefits from a good long simmer to extract the best flavor.

How to make soup more umami? ›

Use umami-rich seasonings

Using umami-rich seasonings such as ketchup, molasses, tomato paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Marmite, or miso paste will give you a quick fix of umami.

What are 6 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. Con- sommés should be crystal clear.

How do you add flavor to bland stew? ›

If so here are some tips for making your stews tasty and have your family begging you for more!
  1. Choose your ingredients wisely. ...
  2. Start off with a good flavour base. ...
  3. Add vegetables. ...
  4. Add flavourings to taste. ...
  5. Add Herbs and/or Spices. ...
  6. Spices: (Optional) ...
  7. Add stock or wine/beer. ...
  8. Add thickeners.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jonah Leffler

Last Updated:

Views: 6511

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (65 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jonah Leffler

Birthday: 1997-10-27

Address: 8987 Kieth Ports, Luettgenland, CT 54657-9808

Phone: +2611128251586

Job: Mining Supervisor

Hobby: Worldbuilding, Electronics, Amateur radio, Skiing, Cycling, Jogging, Taxidermy

Introduction: My name is Jonah Leffler, I am a determined, faithful, outstanding, inexpensive, cheerful, determined, smiling person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.