Whether you’re making a simple vegetable soup for a quick dinner or a hearty, slow-cooked stew, if you’ve ever made a soup recipe that wasn’t quite up to par, there are a few easy tips you can use to take it from good to great.

1. Simmer The Soup:

A simmering soup is one of the simplest and most important ways to cook your ingredients and keep them intact as they simmer away, creating a silky-smooth consistency and rich flavor. Simmering will also help prevent the vegetables and meats from becoming overcooked or mushy, which can make your soup taste unappealing.

2. Cut The Vegetables:

When you add chunks of carrot, onion and celery to your pot of soup, be sure to cut them into uniform sizes for even cooking. Larger chunks of vegetables will take longer to soften than smaller pieces, and they’ll cook unevenly as well, so be sure to follow the size specifications for your soup recipe. Find more soup recipes from Fooooods.com.

3. Use A Soup Ladle:

If you use a soup ladle, you can easily transfer the soup from the pot to your serving bowls without worrying about spillage or messing up your stove top.

4. Thicken Your Soup:

A thicker soup is a more satisfying way to serve your soup. You can thicken most broth-based soups with a slurry made of cornstarch and liquid, or a egg yolk. You can also add cooked bread, potatoes, rice or pasta to your soup and let them soak up the soup’s liquid as they simmer together. This will create a smoother soup, and it will give you a thicker texture for drizzling cheese over the top of your meal.

5. Add Vegetables:

Adding chunks of fresh or frozen vegetables to your soup is an excellent way to increase the nutritional value of your dish, as the texture and flavor will be enhanced. Try a vegetable puree to a soup’s base, or add a couple of handfuls of finely chopped vegetables, such as fennel, turnips or butternut squash.

6. Add Seasoning:

The right spices can be the difference between bland and savory. Keeping a variety of salt, pepper, garlic, bay leaf and herbs on hand is essential for soup-making. You can even add these at the beginning of the cooking process so you can adjust their intensity as you simmer.

7. Add Vinegar:

Vinegar is another incredibly simple way to add a touch of zest and tanginess to your soup, especially if you’re a fan of vibrant Mexican tortilla soup or pozole or Thai coconut soup (Tom Kha Kai). A splash of lemon juice or red wine vinegar will brighten any flavor and mellow the soup’s acidity.

8. Rest The Soup:

It is always a great idea to rest your soup before serving. This allows the flavors to meld and develop into a richer, more complex aroma.

This can be done at the end of the cooking process, or you can let it sit overnight and have it be ready to serve in the morning. If you do, make sure to stir it in the morning before serving so all the ingredients are evenly distributed.