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The Good Hearted Woman

Home Cooking & Cozy Living

  • SOURDOUGH RECIPES & RESOURCES

Colonial Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Topping Ideas}

November 21 By Renée 14 Comments

Cream of Peanut Soup, a mainstay at Colonial Williamsburg’s King’s Arms Tavern, is oddly scrumptious. We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original.

Savory Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Toppings} - We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original. (Inspired by the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia. | The Good Hearted Woman

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

The first time I ever tasted peanut soup was at the Kings Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. I was seventeen, traveling with my high school history class on our much-anticipated “East Coast American History Tour.” We had been studying, planning, and saving our pennies for three long years to travel from Oregon to the East Coast, and Williamsburg was one of our most anticipated stops. 

Colonial Williamsburg, as you may know, is a full-scale working village that recreates the town of Williamsburg during the time period leading up to the American Revolution. The King’s Arms Tavern first opened there in 1772.

That me on the left with my lifelong friend Julie B, waiting in the Portland airport to take off on our East Coast adventure. From an era long before selfies, it is one of only two pictures I have of myself from the entire trip. The image on the right is a shot of Colonial Williamsburg.

As my classmates and I settled in for dinner, I vaguely remember an older lady in Colonial costuming reviewing our prix fixe menu with us, adding colorful little stories and historical context about each dish as she went. Reading ahead, I noted that one of our courses was to be “peanut soup.” I’d never heard of such a thing and was intrigued. Peanut soup? It sounded oddly scrumptious.

Peanuts, the Colonial lady continued, were thought to have been brought to America by Portuguese slave traders. Along with black-eyed peas and yams, peanuts were carried on slave ships to feed enslaved Africans during their passage to the New World. Peanut soup itself is most certainly an adaptation of the peanut soups brought from Africa.

Soon after our hostess completed her introduction of the menu, our peanut soup arrived, accompanied by a sweet potato roll. The soup was creamy and smooth as silk, and the sweet potato rolls were warm and crusty. The two created a perfect pairing, and were very satisfying all by themselves. I was full before the end of the soup course, and though I don’t remember the rest of the meal, I do remember buying a cookbook for my mom before we left the King’s Arms Tavern.

Savory Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Toppings} - We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original. (Inspired by the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, WIlliamsburg, Virginia. | The Good Hearted Woman

That trip was eons ago, and the cookbook is now mine. So it was to the Williamsburg Cookbook that I first referred when I set out to recreate the memory of that long-ago peanut soup. However, after making a test batch per the cookbook’s directions, I was a little disappointed in the outcome: it was simply too bland for my 21st century tastes, so I decided to make some adjustments. 

The first thing I did was cut the recipe in half, for two reasons: first, the original recipe makes almost four quarts of peanut soup! Unless you have a very large family or are running a Colonial tavern, you do not need four quarts of peanut soup.

Which leads me to the second reason I decreased the recipe: this is a Very Rich Cream Soup.  You simply won’t need as much peanut soup as you might need, say a lighter, brothier soup like chicken noodle or beef barley.

Savory Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Toppings} - We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original. (Inspired by the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, WIlliamsburg, Virginia. | The Good Hearted Woman

Peanut soup is very much like a thin satay sauce, but less sweet. To the original list of ingredients, I added lemon juice for brightness, hot pepper for kick, brown sugar (because it is the secret to almost everything), and kosher salt because – Holy-Low-Sodium-Diet, Batman! – did this recipe ever need it!  

Savory Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Toppings} - We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original. (Inspired by the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, WIlliamsburg, Virginia. | The Good Hearted Woman
5 from 7 votes

Colonial Cream of Peanut Soup

Cream of Peanut Soup, a mainstay at Colonial Williamsburg's King's Arms Tavern; here updated with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original.  
Inspired by the Peanut Soup at the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg. 
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time45 mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Main dish or side
Cuisine: Holiday
Keyword: Peanut Soup
Servings: 12
Calories: 184kcal
Author: Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup finely diced celery
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 cup smooth peanut butter (I use Skippy)
  • 1 cup light cream or half-and-half
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 - 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • Finely chopped salted peanuts for garnish
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a heavy saucepan or stockpot over medium heat, sauté onion and celery in butter until soft.
    Do allow to brown.
  • Sprinkle flour over sautéed vegetables and stir to combine.
    Stir to saute for one minute.
  • Add chicken or vegetable stock to vegetables.
    Bring mixture to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. 
  • Allow the vegetable mixture to cool to a temperature that is safe to work with before proceeding to the next step. 
  • Option 1: Puree the cooled soup in the saucepan with a hand blender until smooth. 
    Option 2: Puree the cooled soup in a blender and return to saucepan. 
  • Into the pureed soup in pan, add the peanut butter and half & half.
    Stir until peanut butter has completely dissolved into the soup. 
  • Stir in lemon juice, kosher salt, hot pepper sauce, and brown sugar. 
  • Return pan to heat only to warm to soup to serving temperature. DO NOT BOIL!
    Garnish as desired. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 742mg | Potassium: 191mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 315IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Soup is one of our Specialties! If you love thick, creamy winter-warm soups, be sure to try our Smoked Salmon Chowder or our Loaded Baked Potato Soup, too.

Wavy Line

What’s Your Favorite Way to Serve Peanut Soup?

Peanut soup can be served hot or cold. (Mr B and I both prefer it warm.) Pair it with a green salad and you’ve got yourself a seriously satisfying meal.

Many people reserve peanut soup for the holidays, like stuffing or cranberry sauce. If it is your plan serve peanut soup as the first course of a larger meal, we suggest offering it in small bowls or demitasse cups, no more than 4-5 inches across. Serving small portions will make a satisfying transition to the main course without ruining your guests’ appetites.

Peanut soup can be served as is, but if you want to make things interesting, offer toppings in small cups or bowls and give your guests the opportunity to create their own flavor combinations. 

My favorite combo so far is bacon, pine nuts, pomegranate pips, and a dash of harissa. 

Savory Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Toppings} - We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original. (Inspired by the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, WIlliamsburg, Virginia. | The Good Hearted Woman

Peanut Soup Toppings

NOTE: The word “topping” is actually a bit of a misnomer. While this is a very rich soup, it isn’t as thick as you might imagine, so heavier toppings tend to sink to the bottom of your bowl. (Don’t tell anyone, but I had to use a little blogger magic to keep those banana chips floating on the surface.)  Anyway, that’s what spoons are for. 

This list of topping ideas is intended to get you started, but there are dozens of other choices that would work just as well. Just look through your pantry and/or fridge and pick out something fun!

Choose topping/add-ins that give the soup crunch, and bite, and really enhance the flavor of the soup itself. Fresh, citrusy flavors and little crunchy bites work especially well.

  1. apple slices
  2. popcorn
  3. Gold Fish Crackers
  4. peanuts
  5. bacon bits
  6. tortilla cut-outs
  7. parmesan crisps
  8. green onions
  9. banana slices
  10. pomegranate pips
  11. Orange slices
  12. dill pickle 
  13. cilantro
  14. granola
  15. poached egg
  16. honey
  17. toast points
  18. pepitos
  19. red pepper flakes
  20. harissa
  21. whole grain croutons

Savory Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Toppings} - We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original. (Inspired by the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia. | The Good Hearted Woman

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of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

Savory Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Toppings} - We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original. (Inspired by the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, WIlliamsburg, Virginia. | The Good Hearted Woman       Savory Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Toppings} - We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original. (Inspired by the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, WIlliamsburg, Virginia. | The Good Hearted WomanWavy Line

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Filed Under: Recipes, Soup, Chowder & Stew, Vegetarian Tagged With: Holidays, soup night

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

November 18 By Renée 11 Comments

Rich and savory with just a hint of sweetness, this creamy Curried Butternut Squash Soup will satisfy all your fall soup cravings. 

Curried Butternut Squash Soup | The Good Hearted Woman

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

This recipe started out as a copycat for Panera’s Autumn Squash Soup, but I’m totally addicted to curry, so I bumped up the spices slightly, added a little extra half-and-half and… Boom!

Rich and savory with just a hint of sweetness, this creamy Curried Butternut Squash Soup will satisfy all your fall soup cravings. 

Wavy Line

The most difficult thing about making this Curried Butternut Squash Soup is cutting up the squash. Check out this great tutorial I found for safely and efficiently cutting a butternut squash.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup | The Good Hearted Woman

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Rich and savory with just a hint of sweetness, this creamy roasted butternut soup will satisfy all your fall soup cravings. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Seasonal
Keyword: squash
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 297kcal
Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
  • 1 small butternut squash seeded & cut into large chunks*
  • 1 small sugar pie pumpkin or kuri squash seeded & cut into large chunks*
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 3/4 cup apple cider
  • 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
  • 1-2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 cup pepitas
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450° [230°].
  • In a small bowl, mix salt, curry powder, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg.
  • Arrange squash chunks on parchment-lined baking tray, flesh side up.
    Drizzle with olive oil and season with half of the spice mixture.
    Set the rest of the spice mix aside for later.
    Curried Butternut Squash Soup | The Good Hearted Woman
  • Roast seasoned squashes in oven for 25-30 minutes, or until flesh is very tender. Let cool.
    Curried Butternut Squash Soup | The Good Hearted Woman
  • Scoop cooked squash off of skin and into a large blender pitcher.
    Pour in cider and broth and blend until very smooth.
    Discard squash skins.
  • Pour blended squash mixture into a large, heavy saucepan and heat over medium-low until mixture reaches a low simmer.
    Add remaining spices, one tablespoon of honey and half-and-half.
  • Taste and season, adding more honey if desired.
  • Serve warm.
    Garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds - they give it a nice crunch!

Notes

I used a 44-ounce butternut squash and a 25 ounce kuri squash for the batch I made here, and it turned out perfect.
I probably used a little more curry powder than this recipe calls for in the end, but go easy if you decide to add extra or you will lose that lovely butternut flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 779mg | Potassium: 1363mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 16684IU | Vitamin C: 55mg | Calcium: 192mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Do you love butternut squash? Be sure to try our Roasted Butternut with Bacon, Leeks & Goat Cheese and our Easy Butternut Samosas!

Curried Butternut Squash Soup | The Good Hearted Woman

Looking for a tasty garnish for this Curried Butternut Squash Soup? Check out these delicious sweet and savory Pumpkin Seed recipes! 

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of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

Curried Butternut Squash Soup - A Panera Copycat Recipe with Attitude! | The Good Hearted Woman
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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Filed Under: Gluten-free, Soup, Chowder & Stew, Vegetarian Tagged With: curry, pumpkin, soup night, Spices, squash

Hungarian Mushroom Soup with Fresh Dill

September 18 By Renée 18 Comments

Hungarian Mushroom Soup is serious comfort eats! Rich, earthy flavors combine with fresh herbs in a thick cream base to create this deeply satisfying, umami-intense cold-weather soup! 

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This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

When I was a kid, if you had told me that mushroom-anything would someday be my favorite, I’d have said you that you were crazy. Mushrooms were… well, eww. And a soup made up almost entirely of mushrooms? No Way! Yet, here we are.

Some years ago, after I got over my childhood mushroom aversion, there used to be a lovely little tea room in our town that served an absolutely stellar Hungarian Mushroom Soup. When I dined there on Mushroom Soup days, the whole place was filled with its thick, heady aroma. Try as I might, I could never bring myself order anything else – their mushroom soup was just that good. 

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I started making my own Hungarian Mushroom Soup soon after, taking my original cues from Mollie Katzen’s recipe by the same name in her original Moosewood Cookbook. (Because I am that old.) Over the years, I’ve adjusted and adapted the recipe so many times that I’m sure it barely resembles the original, but I like to give credit where it’s due, so thank you, Mollie!

Hungarian Mushroom Soup is serious comfort eats! Rich, earthy flavors combine with fresh herbs in a thick cream base to create this deeply satisfying, umami-intense cold-weather soup!

Hungarian Mushroom Soup | The Good Hearted Woman
One of my favorite things about this recipe is how fast it all comes together and how dependable the results are. You can easily have it on the table in 40 minutes, start to finish, with very little effort.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup | The Good Hearted Woman

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Rich, earthy flavors combine with fresh herbs in a thick cream base to create this deeply satisfying, umami-intense cold-weather soup! 
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time40 mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Hungarian
Keyword: dill, mushrooms
Servings: 8
Calories: 167kcal
Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

  • 10-inch Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1/4 cup butter divided
  • 1 pound mushrooms sliced; I like to use crimini mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika I usually use a little more
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill divided [or 2 teaspoons dried dill]
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 cup white wine I use a pinot gris
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup half-&-half
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup broth vegetable stock and chicken broth work equally well
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Garnish

  • Sour Cream
  • Chopped fresh dill
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In an Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven or other large heavy saucepan, saute onions in 2 tablespoons butter until translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Add mushrooms and saute 2-3 minutes more.
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  • Add paprika, half of the dill, wine, and soy sauce. Stir to mix, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.
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  • Turn off burner. Add remaining butter to mushroom mixture and stir to melt. Sprinkle flour over mushroom mixture and stir to thicken.
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  • Add half-&-half and stock all at once, stirring until smooth.
  • Season to taste. I usually add a little more paprika at this time.
  • Turn the heat back onto low, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
  • [Optional Step]
    Using an immersion blender, smooth the soup out a bit.
    If you choose to do this, don't go crazy: leave some larger, meaty pieces of mushroom or texture and bite.
  • Just before serving, stir in lemon juice and sour cream.
  • Garnish with additional sour cream and chopped fresh dill.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 8.7g | Protein: 4.3g | Fat: 11.1g | Saturated Fat: 6.8g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 227mg | Potassium: 319mg | Fiber: 1.1g | Sugar: 2.4g | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Soup is one of our specialties! Be sure to check out these other deliciously satisfying cold-weather soup recipes:

  • Chili’s Chicken Enchilada Soup (Copycat Recipe)
  • Loaded Baked Potato Soup {with a Sweet Surprise!}
  • Old-Fashioned Ham Bone Split Pea Soup {Slow Cooker}
  • Smoked Salmon Chowder {with Leeks & Fresh Tarragon}
  • Colonial Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Topping Ideas}

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Hungarian Mushroom Soup | The Good Hearted Woman
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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Filed Under: Soup, Chowder & Stew, Vegetarian Tagged With: Comfort Food, mushrooms, soup night

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