Step Up Your Soup Game with BOU Bouillon Cubes

Curling up on the couch with a warm bowl of soup is one of the most comforting things to do in the winter. Whether it's classic chicken noodle soup or a unique combination of potato soup with bacon and scallions, it's an easy dish to make and can be paired with anything from crackers to a grilled cheese sandwich.

As a vegetarian, I often find the most difficult part of the process, for me at least, is finding a vegetarian base that is full of flavor. Many store-bought vegetable broths are tasteless and high in sodium, which subtracts from most soup recipes. It wasn't until I discovered BOU Boullion and Gravy Cubes that I stepped up my soup-game and never fumbled over veggie broth again.

I discovered BOU Bouillon and Gravy Cubes at Brainfood in NYC in October 2017 and instantly fell in love with their products. BOU products are sold at grocery stores such as Whole Foods and Plum Market and are available online on websites like Amazon or Fresh Direct. BOU’s bouillon cubes come in three varieties—chicken, beef, and vegetable—and there are four types of gravy cubes—mushroom, turkey, brown, and chicken. Being a vegetarian, I have only tried, but have become obsessed with, BOU’s vegetable bouillon cubes and mushroom gravy cubes. However, members of my family, who are not vegetarian, adore the meat flavored bouillon and gravy cubes, as well.

Launched by innovative food entrepreneurs Robert Jakobi and Kunal Kohli, BOU Bouillon and Gravy cubes are an incredibly delicious and nutritious product. BOU’s slogan is the “better for you cube,” which is a perfect description of what both the gravy and bouillon cubes are; they're better for you because they are low in salt content, contain no artificial ingredients or GMO’s, and are gluten-free. Other leading brands of bouillon and gravy cubes depend on MSG and even hydrogenated oils to derive the products’ intended flavor, sacrificing the health of those who consume it. However, BOU strives to “recreate timeless kitchen staples by packing better for you ingredients into easy to use cubes," which is exactly what its products do.

BOU bouillon cubes are so easy to prepare into a broth. I usually make a large batch of BOU vegetable broth on Sunday nights to use in the dishes I make for dinner during the week. Making BOU bouillon cubes of any flavor into a broth only takes a few steps. The process follows the ratio of one bouillon cube to two cups of boiling water, which is noted on the product's packaging. Of course, if you need to make more than two cups of soup, simply increase the ratio. To prepare, place an unwrapped cube in a bowl and add two cups of boiling water. Then, stir the mixture continuously until the bouillon cube completely dissolves. You can use the broth right away or store it in the refrigerator or freezer to use at a later time.

My favorite BOU product is the vegetable bouillon cubes. They’re versatile and can amplify the savoriness of all of the dishes I add them to. The vegetable BOU bouillon cubes are perfect for a variety of recipes such as mac and cheese, quinoa salad, and spinach and artichoke dip, but I usually use them to make vegetable broth for the base of my favorite vegetarian and gluten free soups.

Below are two of the soup recipes I created after discovering BOU Vegetable Bouillon cubes at Brainfood in October of 2017. I have made these recipes constantly ever since because of their high nutritional value, as well as the extent to which the use of BOU bouillon cubes adds to the soups' delectability.

Spiced Sweet Potato Soup

This recipe takes less than an hour to put together and can be made solely in a blender or food processor. It is a great post-workout meal because it contains sweet potatoes, which are high in fiber, vitamin A, and potassium. These are all essential nutrients that your body needs to refuel after a long run or weight routine. I use BOU vegetable bouillon cubes to create the vegetable broth for the base of this soup, which enhances the warmth of the spices listed in the recipe.

Spiced Sweet Potato Soup

• Prep Time:10 mins
• Cook Time:20 mins
• Total Time:30 mins
• Servings:4
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 BOU Vegetable Bouillon cube
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• a dash salt and pepper
• 1 tsp. rosemary
• 2-3 cinnamon sticks

• Step 1

  First, using the BOU vegetable bouillon cube, make vegetable broth. Add 2 cups of boiling water into a bowl with one BOU vegetable bouillon cube. Stir the mixture until the bouillon cube dissolves.

  

• Step 2

  After making the BOU vegetable broth, cook the sweet potato. The easiest way to do this is to poke holes in the sweet potato with a fork and microwave it until it is soft to the touch.

  

• Step 3

  When the sweet potato is finished cooking and is soft, cut it in half and slice the inside to let some of the steam out.

  

• Step 4

  Place the BOU vegetable broth, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg into a blender or food processor. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Scoop out the inside of the sweet potato and add that to the blender as well.

  

• Step 5

  Blend until all of the ingredients are combined and the mixture reaches a smooth texture.

  

• Step 6

  Pour the soup into a saucepan and turn the heat on low. Add a few cinnamon sticks and sprinkle rosemary on the top of the soup. Cover the saucepan with a lid. The soup should simmer for about 10 minutes, allowing the cinnamon and rosemary to infuse the soup with flavor.

  

• Step 7

  After the soup has finished simmering, serve immediately or let it cool and store in an airtight container. This soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week or can be kept in the freezer for up to a month. To reheat, microwave the soup to the desired temperature or place it in a saucepan over medium heat on the stove. Pair with nutty crackers for a crunchy addition to the dish.

  

Red Lentil, Quinoa, and Collard Greens Soup

While this recipe is a bit more hands-on and takes longer to prepare, it is totally worth it. The quinoa and lentils pack this soup with vegetarian-friendly protein and the collard greens, carrots, celery, and onions cover your necessary vegetable intake for lunch or dinner. The recipe specifically calls for red lentils and collard greens, but you can substitute these ingredients with any type of lentils and kale. Additionally, you can even swap out the quinoa for rice! While baking requires exact measurements, cooking give you the opportunity to tweak the recipe to fit your liking.

Red Lentil, Quinoa, and Collard Greens Soup

• Prep Time:30 mins
• Cook Time:1 hr
• Total Time:1 hr 30 mins
• Servings:8
• Medium

Ingredients

• 3 BOU vegetable bouillon cubes
• 6 cups boiling water
• 1 onion
• 3 large carrots
• 3 celery stalks
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 cup dry red lentils
• 1/2 cup dry quinoa
• 28 oz can chopped tomatoes
• 2 cups chopped collard greens

• Step 1

  First, using the BOU vegetable bouillon cube, make vegetable broth. Add 6 cups of boiling water into a bowl with 3 BOU vegetable bouillon cubes. Stir the mixture until the bouillon cube dissolves.

  

• Step 2

  After making the BOU vegetable broth, wash the collard greens, carrots, and celery. Chop these ingredients and dice the onion as well. Place each vegetable in a bowl. *Note: preparing your ingredients like this ahead of time will speed up the process of making your soup! I always prep my ingredients in advance when I’m making a dish. It saves time and helps you organize, too!

  

• Step 3

  In a large skillet, add a drizzle of olive oil and the chopped onions. Sauté until the onions begin to turn translucent.

  

• Step 4

  Next, add the carrots and celery to the skillet and a bit more olive oil as well. Sauté for about 8-10 minutes. When you are finished sautéing the vegetables, turn off the heat and let them sit for a few minutes to absorb the juices at the bottom of the skillet. This will add flavor to your soup!

  

• Step 5

  Add the dry lentils and quinoa to a large pot.

  

• Step 6

  Pour the BOU vegetable broth and the sautéed vegetables into the pot with the lentils and quinoa. Add the salt, pepper, ginger, and turmeric and stir all of the ingredients together.

  

• Step 7

  Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring every now and then. When the mixture reaches a boil, lower the heat a bit. Cover the pot with a lid and allow the soup to simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the lentils and quinoa are tender.

  

• Step 8

  After the soup simmers for 20-30 minutes and the lentils and quinoa are tender, add the chopped collard greens to the pot. Turn the heat down to low and simmer the soup for about 10 minutes, or until the collard greens are soft.

  

• Step 9

  When the soup is finished cooking, it should be thick and chunky. If you feel it is too thick, you can add an extra 1/2 cup of boiling water and a dash of salt and pepper.

  

• Step 10

  Serve the soup immediately or place in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week. To reheat, microwave or place in a saucepan over medium heat on the stove.

  

If you fall in love with BOU products as much as I have-- and trust me, you will-- check out additional dishes centered around BOU Bullion and Gravy Cubes on BOU's website under "recipes." BOU Bullion and Gravy Cubes are now a staple ingredient in my kitchen and have forever transformed my enjoyment of homemade, gluten free, vegetarian soups.