It may be spring, but somehow it’s still soup weather in Chicago. Luckily, you don’t have to settle for canned soups that are high in sodium and fat. Instead, treat yourself to a hearty bowl of Karl’s Craft Soup.
This local Chicago soup company is serving up fresh, small batches of vegetarian and vegan soups. They’re all natural and gluten-free, and they have none of the additives or preservatives that make store-bought soups so unhealthy.
And the best part about Karl’s soups? With over twenty different flavors in rotation, you can never get sick of it. Fortunately, we got to taste-test some crowd favorites and review them, so you can get a head start on trying them all.
Roasted Tomato and Cheddar Soup
Photo courtesy of Karl’s Craft Soup
Your average tomato soup on steroids. Well-seasoned with a good amount of salt and pepper, this thick, firebrick red soup definitely tastes better than classic Campbell’s. The addition of shredded cheddar cheese throughout the soup adds a necessary thickness to the texture and eliminates all need for a grilled cheese sandwich on the side. The best part about this soup is that the tomatoes taste fresh and real, not artificial.
Broccoli Parmesan Soup
Photo courtesy of Karl’s Craft Soup
Vegetable fans, rejoice–this soup is packed with broccoli and nutrients. But fear not if broccoli is not your favorite veggie, this soup appeals to broccoli lovers and haters alike. The fresh broccoli and salty parmesan cheese complement each other successfully without overpowering either flavor. It’s a bright green match made in heaven (or rather, in a bowl of Karl’s Craft Soup).
Santa Fe Bean and Vegetable Soup
Photo courtesy of Yelp.com
With a texture and taste reminiscent of your mom’s homemade chili, this soup is chock full of veggies and many different types of beans. Although the corn could be more apparent in this soup, the savory combination of tomatoes, peppers, Santa Fe spices and beans warms your mouth without being too spicy. The bold flavors of pepper and chili powder also make for some extremely satisfying spoonfuls.
Corn, Poblano and Cheddar Soup
Photo courtesy of Karl’s Craft Soup
Corn, poblano and cheddar, oh my! Was that sentence corny enough? Maybe, but this soup is cornier and in the best way possible. The mild yet flavorful base of the soup allows the poblano and cheddar flavors to really shine through. The poblano peppers and cheddar cheese work in perfect harmony, with the peppers adding a bit of a kick and the cheese acting as an antidote against the spice.
Karl’s Craft Soup is always available at Mrs. Green’s Natural Market in Winnetka, but you can also find these delicious soups at outdoor farmers’ markets beginning in May.