FOOD NEWS
Store-Bought Mirepoix Makes Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Even Simpler
BY AUSTIN HAVENS-BOWEN
Many chicken noodle soup recipes use a mirepoix, or a mixture of chopped carrots, celery, and onion, as a base. A store-bought version can go a long way in making your soup easier.
Using store-bought mirepoix greatly reduces the amount of chopping you have to do for your soup. You can add the veggies straight to your pot and get cooking right away.
You can find packaged mirepoix in the prepared food section of most major chains, many of which also offer frozen options. Alternatively, you can buy chopped bags of each veggie.
Check the packages for "best by" dates and get the freshest veggies you can. To use them as a soup base, heat butter or oil in a soup pot on medium-low to medium heat.
Once it's at the right temperature, toss in the mirepoix mixture, season with salt and pepper, and slowly cook until all the vegetables have softened and the onion is translucent.
Even if you're following a rather involved recipe, the prep time for your soup will still be cut down significantly, with no washing, peeling, or chopping of veggies required.