Fall, to me, is all about getting as close to hibernation as I can. Mainly, I aim for fuzzy socks and a rewatch of Twilight for the millionth time, but there’s one thing that ties the autumnal bow for it all: a warm bowl of soup.
That is, until mid-October when I become absolutely sick of soup, and it becomes less of a comfort food and more of a forgotten, and probably spoiled, pot left in the back of my fridge. It’s then when I lose my genius 3 a.m. soup creation streak and throw the towel in before the soup season ends.
Overcoming this culinary block for the average homecook may call for inspiration elsewhere: home recipes, newer ingredients, or diving into that saved video folder on TikTok. But if you’re feeling experimental and happen to be a casual gamer like me, your soup selection might come to life with the aid of some pixelated creations.
Video game foods tend to be an untouched frontier though. When the occasional video game recipe makes its way onto the internet, its often attempted by professional chefs or requires a very specific and hard-to-find ingredient. Or, depending on the game, it calls for a mysterious item that doesn’t exist and/or isn’t edible (I’m looking at you, TOLK cursed foods fans). If you have the means to go all out — great! But it’s absolutely not necessary for trying out a new recipe.
So, here are some nuggets of inspiration that might make your IRL soup just as cozy as your favorite comfort game.
Stardew Valley
Every soup needs a good base. It’s where you can pack so much underlying flavor and create combinations that complement or contrast each other so nicely. Combining simple ingredients can be just enough if you’re looking for a quick and easy soup that goes seamlessly with noodles, vegetables, or your favorite protein. Stardew Valley might be your guide for just that! This interactive, cozy farming simulator includes a variety of dishes such as algae soup and pale broth.
Unlike what the recipe suggests, these soups are very similar to miso soup with a key flavoring of umami. Particularly for these pixelated soups, algae and pale broth are created by dashi, a Japanese savory broth unique that gives an umami flavoring. An umami flavoring in soups is what gives it a hearty and full-bodied profile which can be achieved with soy sauce, oyster sauce, tomato paste, or Worcestershire sauce. Other umami-boosting ingredients like adding blended tomatoes to beef stew, mushrooms to miso, or aged cheeses to chicken noodle soup can bring out those flavors, too.
Genshin Impact
Genshin Impact is an action-packed, role-playing game that is filled with adventure, quirky side quests, and an undeniably drool-worthy menu of foods. Created by miHoYo, much of the lore within the game is heavily based on Chinese mythology and traditions. The open-world game also pulls on different cultures, spanning from Germany and Japan, which you can find remnants of in a variety of recipes you come across in the game. In this game, the soups are often the main dish, both in the Genshin universe and in real life.
Some notable foods like Jade Parcels and Fullmoon Eggs are inspired by Chinese dumplings. Jade Parcels are likely inspired by Jade Cabbage dumplings, a soup dish that incorporates a light green dumpling dough stuffed with minced pork filling, spices, and mushrooms formed into the shape of an adorable cabbage. Similarly made, Fullmoon Eggs are likely inspired by Cantonese siumai, a small but flavor-bursting dumpling that is often served in dim sums.
The cool thing about these Genshin recipes is that they can be easily made in large quantities and stored in the freezer for whenever you whip up your next bowl. You can also substitute the ingredients for tofu or use actual cabbage leaves if you don’t have dumpling wraps.
The Legend of Zelda saga
The Legend of Zelda recipes are a beast all on its own. The coolest thing about this grossing saga though is that each soup has a variety of ingredients that can be chopped up and left to cook until you finally defeat that very scary Lynel that shoots way too many arrows and makes you question if that chest is worth it.
Not only do the games inspire some other tasty soup broths like cream of mushroom and cream of vegetable in Breath of the Wild, but they also allow you to play around with some fall favorites. In The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Yeto’s Supreme Pumpkin Soup makes pumpkin not seem as daunting. Don’t have pumpkin? Swap it for tomato and peppers, and you get Lava Soup. It’s better if you have a blender on hand but if not, chunkier soups still give you all the HP you need.
Soups aren’t an exact science and they shouldn’t be. There’s plenty of versatility in making soups. Whether you’re just cleaning out the fridge or seeking out some new recipes, they can be just as filling and yield a ton of flavor on their own. Just make sure you make enough if you happen to cross an enemy that’s a level 40 when you’re only a level 3.