Once upon a time, in the very distant past, I tried soup in a bread bowl. It seemed a little weird to me back then.
Do you eat the bowl or not?
I think I tried to eat the whole thing but it was way too much, I’m sure I didn’t even come close to finishing it. It just seemed like such a waste of food. I haven’t tried it since.
With the upcoming cooler weather, I feel like giving it a try again. But this time, instead of a giant bread bowl, why not a cute miniature one?
Besides the large loaves of sourdough bread at the bakery, now there’s also small and medium sizes. Get whatever size you like, the smaller ones for an appetizer, the medium ones for a bigger serving.
Inspired by VeganDad‘s post on Mixed Vegetable Chowder, I adapted my usual corn chowder to include different vegetables. It’s got a slightly different taste and flavor yet it’s still comfortingly familiar.
Vegetable Chowder In Mini Sourdough Bread Bowl
Serves 2 – 4
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 small white onion, chopped
1 small leek, sliced
1 medium carrot, sliced
2 medium red potatoes, cubed
1 cup vegetable stock
1 cup soymilk
1 garlic clove, minced
6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 medium or 4 small sourdough bread loaves or rolls
Cayenne pepper to taste
In a large pot, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil until hot, add the onions and leeks, sauté until translucent. Add the carrots and potatoes, sauté for a few minutes. Add the vegetable stock and cover. Bring to a boil and cook over low to medium heat for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a wok until hot, add the remaining oil. Add the garlic and mushrooms and sauté until cooked. Set aside.
Add the mushrooms and soymilk to the soup and simmer for 5 minutes. Puree 3/4 of the soup in a blender, return to the pot, and mix well.
Slice off the top of the bread and hollow out the inside, saving the bread for another use. Ladle the soup into the bread bowl and top with cayenne pepper.
No Croutons Required is a monthly food blogging event hosted by Lisa’s Kitchen and Tinned Tomatoes. October’s theme is hearty vegetarian soups that will warm the body and satisfy a hungry tummy. In my book bowl, that’s chowder and my contribution to the event.
Ahhhhhhh… what a fantastic idea! I also hate to waste food.. the mini’s are a great idea! :D
How cute! A very inspired idea. Corn chowder is one of my favorites. Thanks for participating in our event.
My wife and I love soups and chowders (we aren’t vegans) served in bread bowls. Clam chowder in Sourdough bowls is probably our favorite combination.
My wife also makes a wonderful butternut squash soup served in bread bowl.
By the way, if you’re in a hurry, some Safeway stores with bakeries sell fresh baked bread bowls that aren’t too bad.
Yum that looks great!
That is so so cool! I love your soup idea and such a good presentation idea! Did you eat it all this time?
This looks so yummy. I love soup in a bread bowl. The first time I ever had it was San Francisco.
Lenora – Thanks! The minis are just the right size for me.
Lisa – Thanks for hosting the event! It was a lot of fun participating! Can’t wait to see the other entries.
DocChuck – I love butternut squash soup, that would be great in a bread bowl! I had no idea Safeway even had bread bowls, it’s good to know. Thanks!
Carrie – Thank you!
holler – Thanks! I eat chowder all the time, but this is the first time in a bread bowl since way back when.
Nikki – Thanks! Whenever I think of soup in a bread bowl, I picture the SF chowder in a sourdough bowl.
Mmm, mmm, mmm! I love soup in a bread bowl. I could definitely eat the whole thing. I love bread that much!
Such a glorious soup! Great job!
what a great idea. I love the bread bowl and how it gets a little mushy with the soup (in a good way), but the small size sounds so much better.
Wow.
I’m salivating.
Delicious.
I love bread bowls. Pregan I used to eat them all the time for lunch at work. I truly need this.
Looks soooo yummy and filling! I’m not sure I’ve ever had soup in a bread bowl, I feel like I wouldn’t know how to go about eating it.
Jennifer – I can almost eat the whole thing now, I leave just half of the bottom crust. :-)
lisa (show me vegan) – Yup, the mushy part is why soup and bread go so well together.
VeganTickles – Thanks!
bex – It’s an ideal lunch. I can’t wait to try other soups in bread bowls.
Erin – Thanks! That was me too, how to eat it? :-)
So cute!
Ooh, that sounds SO good! I love sourdough bread bowls.
ooh that looks good :D especially for the upcoming fall weather change. mmm!
Oh yum! I haven’t had soup in a bread bowl since going vegan but that looks like such a wonderful cold weather recipe.
I love bread bowls. A vegan chowder is a perfect filling =)
Great recipe !!! I am going to pass it on.
Here r some other good recipes!!
http://www.squidoo.com/Best-ever-Recipes
How delicious looking. So creative too. What a great idea
where can i find the mini bread bowls. having a party in oct. and i need to find them asap. HELP
rachel – They’re just bread rolls that I got at Whole Foods and then hollowed out to make a bread bowl. But I don’t know where to get mini bread bowls all ready to go. DocChuck mentions in an above comment that some Safeway stores with bakeries sell fresh baked bread bowls. Maybe you could special order mini ones?