A Deliciously Tasty Venus De Milo Soup Recipe

When you think of Venus de Milo, you’d likely conjure an image of a marble statue that is said to depict the Greek goddess Aphrodite that dates back to sometime around 125 – 150 BC. While the statue’s history remains shrouded in mystery – after all its arms were lost to history, it is known that this 6’ 8” statue was presented to Louis XVIII, who then gave it to the Louvre – its current location.

If you are from Massachusetts or any nearby New England location, the mention of Venus de Milo might take you back to a great memory you have of an unusual wedding venue/restaurant established in Fall River in 1959. The Venus de Milo restaurant actually began when the owner’s (Mansour Ferris) duckpin bowling alley business failed when ten-pin bowling made its debut nearby.

The duck-pin bowling alley was already serving lunch and dinner in an attached banquet-like room – and that business was growing as the duck-pin bowling lost favor with the public. As a result, the Venus de Milo restaurant was fortunate to be in a position to transition to a full-time restaurant almost seamlessly.

Over the years, the success of Venus de Milo was noted by the many personalities and celebrities who used/appeared at the restaurant for a variety of functions and professional purposes. These include Frank Sinatra, F. Lee Bailey, Danny Thomas, boxing champ Larry Holmes, and more. In fact, Emeril Lagasse (who was born in Fall River) worked in the Venus de Milo restaurant’s kitchen while learning the trade.

Among the most requested menu items at the restaurant was its Venus de Milo soup, which was the restaurant’s version of a hearty minestrone soup. Regular customers only had to order the Soup for the wait staff to understand their order.

How to Make this Deliciously Tasty Venus De Milo Soup Recipe

This beef and vegetable soup is an easy-to-make and super affordable.

• Preparation Time – 5 minutes.
• Cooking Time – 30 – 35 minutes.
• Total Prep & Cook Time – 35 – 40 minutes.
• Serves – 8.

The List of Ingredients For This Venus De Milo Soup

Many of the required ingredients are staples typically found in your kitchen pantry –

• 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil.
• 1 lb. of Ground Beef.
  Pro–Tip – Feel free to substitute low-fat ground turkey or a veggie-soy version for the beef.
• 1 Small Onion – Diced.
• 2 (14-ounce) Cans of Condensed Chicken Broth.
• 2 (14-ounce) Cans of Water – Use the Empty Broth Cans.
• 4 Cups of Water.
• 1 (1-1/4 ounce) Envelope of Lipton French Onion Soup Mix.
• 1 (14-ounce) Can of Diced Tomatoes.
• 1 (12 to 16-ounce) Bag of Frozen Vegetables.
  Pro-tip – Feel free to substitute some of your favorite in-season fresh veggies when available.
• 1/2 Cup of Small Shell Pasta (consider using Orzo, Pastina, Stars, Alphabets, or Even Couscous.)
  Orzo pasta is the kind that was traditionally used in the original version of the Venus de Milo soup recipe.
• 1 Teaspoon Salt, or More to Taste.
• Black Pepper, to Taste.

Cooking Directions For This Tasty Venus De Milo Soup Recipe

This delicious Venus De Milo Soup recipe comes together quicker than you would think.

1. Heat the olive oil and diced onion on medium in a large pot or Dutch Oven.
2. Break up and stir the ground beef, turkey, or veggie soy protein until fully cooked. Season the beef/turkey/veggie-soy mixture while cooking. Much of the depth of flavor for this Venus de Milo soup recipe comes from the caramelized ground beef and onion, so take your time with this step.
3. Drain the fat from the pot or Dutch Oven.
4. Add the condensed chicken broth, the envelope onion soup mix, water, and diced tomatoes to the cooked beef/turkey/veggie-soy mixture.
5. Bring the Venus de Milo soup base to a boil.
6. Reduce heat to low.
7. Simmer the Venus De Milo soup for about 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
8. Add the frozen vegetables and continue to simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
9. Stir in your choice of pasta and cook for an additional 8 minutes – stirring frequently to avoid the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
10. Let the soup rest for a minimum of ten minutes.
11. Ladle into bowls and enjoy a delightful bowl of comfort.

Planning on making this Venus De Milo Soup ahead or in a slow cooker?

If you prefer to make use of a slow cooker (or need to prepare the Venus De Milo soup in advance), it is advisable to cook the soup and then add the pasta separately – adding it at the end of the cooking process. This helps prevent the pasta from losing its texture by becoming too soft.

Optional Toppings for this Venus De Milo Soup

You can add some cubed American cheese for a bit of richness (or a tad of decadence). This deliciousness creates a perfect meal when the days grow short, and the temperature falls.

Add some cayenne or red pepper flakes for a bit of spice. Or, to add some freshness, chop some fresh basil or parsley and garnish before serving.

FAQS

How Can You Enhance The Flavor Of This Venus De Milo Soup?

While the soup is cooking, if you have a Parmesan cheese rind in the fridge, toss it in as the soup cooks. While you won’t leave it in when the soup is fully cooked, while it is in the soup, it will add tons of rich flavor to the soup base.

What Side Dishes Go Well with Venus De Milo Soup?

This deliciously comforting soup pairs well with crusty bread or an open-faced grilled cheese sandwich.

Can This Venus De Milo Soup be made gluten-free?

Yes. Either omit the pasta or use gluten-free pasta.

How does the Venus De Milo Soup stack up nutritionally?

A serving of this delicious Venus De Milo soup has about 290 calories with 18 grams of protein. The soup has 2.5 grams of dietary fiber and only 13 grams of carbohydrates.

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