At one time, soup was considered a popular starter for hosts to serve at dinner parties. But in the last decade or so, soup has unfortunately taken a bit of a backseat due to common misconceptions — like it’s too easy to make, it’s dated, or it’s not elevated or fancy enough. These misapprehensions have seen hosts favour finger foods and on-the-go nibbles instead, pushing the humble soup out of the limelight.
Here, we’re going to show you why soup is an ideal starter, and why it’s an excellent option for your next dinner party.
Soup Is Easy to Prepare in Advance
One of the major merits of soup is that it can very easily be prepared in advance. Pastry-based nibbles such as tartlets, quiches, impressive soufflés, and decadent baked cheeses all require time in the kitchen to warm and assemble. But soup can be made the day before your party and left on a low simmer until you’re ready to serve. This awards you with as much time as possible to mingle and catch up with your guests.
With Soup, You Can Go Gourmet
Soup can be an elevated, gourmet experience, too — whether you enjoy cooking or want to order in elements of your dinner party.
French Onion Soup, an Italian Wedding with homemade pasta and meatballs, or an indulgent lobster bisque are all great examples of elevated soup dishes that are great for any dinner party experience.
For those looking to relax on dinner party duties, prestigious services like Lobster Anywhere offer award-winning, delivered-to-your-door, authentic New England lobster chowders and bisques that are sure to alleviate muti-course stressors —while seriously impressing your guests! These soups are also cryovac-frozen to preserve ultimate freshness and flavor.
You Can Serve Soup with Fancy Sides
Soup can quickly be served with freshly sliced baguette with pats of rich butter; however, if you enjoy cooking and baking, you can also enhance your soup by serving it with hot-from-the-oven scones or home-baked rolls.
Further, soup can be topped with an assortment of impressive accoutrements like toasted walnuts, freshly crisped croutons, homegrown micro-greens, or garlic-roasted mushrooms.
Soup Encapsulates Seasonality and Locale
Homemade soup is an excellent opportunity to embrace local produce. Incorporating seasonal vegetables and fruits into your dishes allows you to support local farmers while showcasing all that your region has to offer. Summertime is great for tomato and basil-filled gazpacho, fall is fantastic for rich sweet potato blends, and winter is terrific for stick-to-your-bones carrot and parsnip soups.
Soup Has Minimal Clean-Up
The last perk of serving soup at your next dinner party is that it requires minimal clean-up. Everything has been made in one big pot; no multiple saucepans or oven dishes are on the go. Not only does this save time tidying and scrubbing, but it also means that you can dedicate more space on the oven for the main course — making timing a breeze.
Soup is a great option for dinner parties and for regular family dinners. It’s easy (while allowing room for creativity), tasty, and the after-course clean-up is effortless. For these reasons, consider serving soup at your next gathering!
Iskra Banović is our seasoned Editor-in-Chief at Blufashion. She has been steering the website’s content and editorial direction since 2018. With a rich background in fashion design, Iskra’s expertise spans across fashion, interior design, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and culture.