A soup for dessert? Two pounds of mixed berries boiled in pomegranate juice, thickened with a spoonful of corn flour, sweetened with honey, and chilled for a few hours. It serves cold in a bowl with cream, vanilla custard, or a scoop of ice cream on top. Five minutes of actual cooking, and then the fridge does the rest. It should sound strange. It tastes completely right.
It takes five minutes to cook. The berries break down the moment they hit the boiling pomegranate juice. The corn flour, dissolved in a little water first, thickens the liquid into something between a sauce and a soup. You sweeten it to taste, let it cool, and refrigerate.
Tips for Making Red Berry Soup
Dissolve the corn flour before adding it
Mix the three teaspoons of corn flour into three teaspoons of water until smooth. Dumping dry corn flour into boiling liquid creates lumps that will not dissolve. 
Stir it into the boiling berry mixture and reduce the heat immediately. One minute of simmering is all it needs.
Chill for at least two hours
The soup thickens further as it cools. What looks thin on the stove will be noticeably thicker after two to three hours in the fridge.
Taste and adjust sweetness after chilling. Cold dulls sweetness, so you may need more honey than you think.
Red Berry Soup
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free
Description
A vibrant, refreshing soup perfect for a light dessert or a unique spring appetizer. Sweet and tart, its naturally gluten and refined sugar-free.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs (907 g) mixed berries
- 1 pint (473 ml) pomegranate juice
- 3 tsp corn flour
- 3 tsp water
- 4-6 tbsp honey, agave syrup or rice malt syrup
- Cream, vanilla custard or ice cream
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring berries and pomegranate juice to a boil.
- Dissolve corn flour in water and stir into the boiling mixture.
- Immediately reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute, then remove from heat and let cool.
- Sweeten to taste with honey and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
- Serve with cream, vanilla custard, or ice cream.
Notes
- For a smoother soup, blend the cooled mixture with an immersion blender before refrigerating.
- Adjust the amount of sweetener based on the sweetness of your berries; start with less and add more to taste.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; the flavors will meld beautifully overnight.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 25
- Sodium: 5
- Fat: 2
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 2
Frequently Asked Questions
What mixed berries work best?
Any combination of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries works. Two pounds is a lot of berries. Fresh is ideal but frozen works if thawed first. The pomegranate juice adds depth that complements all berry types.
Can I make this smooth instead of chunky?
Yes. After cooling, blend the soup with an immersion blender and strain through a sieve to remove seeds. The colour becomes a uniform deep red and the texture is silky.
What should I serve on top?
The recipe suggests cream, vanilla custard, or ice cream. A dollop of whipped cream is the simplest option. Vanilla ice cream melting into the cold berry soup is particularly good. Greek yogurt also works for something lighter.
