VERSATILE VEGETABLE SOUP BASE

There are no measurements here!  You can add as much or as little of whatever you like (or have).  I almost always use potatoes (adds heartiness), always fresh herbs at the end (parsley at the very least), and throw in whatever vegetables I have, but always start with onion, carrot and celery.  The only veggies I avoid in my soups are broccoli and asparagus—too strong!  I’ll steam them separately and add them to my bowl though. 🥦 There is so much you can do with this base, and the flavors get better over the next few days. Have fun! 🙂

1.       Start with flavor: Dice some onion, carrot, and celery. Cook in a soup pot (with a little water if it sticks) for about 5 minutes. Add your favorite dry spices and seasonings or dried herbs. Cook another minute or so and then add chopped garlic and sauté until fragrant.

2.       Add veggies: Chop and toss in any vegetables you like and stir together. Note: Add slower cooking veggies at the beginning (like potatoes and cauliflower) and faster-cooking ones (like squash) halfway through cooking or near the end if you like them to stay on the crunchy side.

3.       Add liquid: Pour in vegetable broth (or water plus low sodium base like “Better Than Bouillon”).  Add enough to cover your veggies by a couple of inches. You can add more later.

4.       Simmer: Cook on low to medium-low heat until the veggies are tender to your liking.  If you like thicker soup, use 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with a little water at the end and simmer until it thickens.

5.       Finish fresh: Stir in fresh herbs (always parsley), and greens at the very end. Don’t cover the pot, it keeps the greens bright!  Allow the soup to cool completely before covering and storing.  

6.       NOTE:  I freeze the big tubs of fresh pre-packaged power greens or spinach and then crunch them into my bowl and pour the hot soup over the top and mix.

Make it Mexican

Flavor: Cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, garlic and onion powder

Veggies: Tomatoes, corn, or hominy. Top with sliced radish, shaved cabbage, fresh cilantro, green onions and lime.

Hearty Add:  Add pinto or black beans, or both!  Bonus: Serve over whole grain rice.

Make it Italian

Flavor: Thyme, rosemary, red pepper flakes, garlic and onion powder

Veggies: Tomatoes (diced, crushed or tomato sauce and a little tomato paste for richness), zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, green beans and spinach or kale (at the end).

Hearty Add:  Cannellini or red kidney beans, whatever you have!  Bonus:  Turn it into Minestrone by adding some small whole grain pasta.

Make it Asian

Flavor:  Ginger, low sodium soy sauce, chili paste, siracha if you like spice.

Veggies: Bok choy or Nappa cabbage, mushrooms, and bean sprouts.

Hearty Add*:  Rice or soba noodles, brown or other whole grain rice.  *I would serve over rice rather than putting it in the soup.

Make it Chili (Red or White)

Dry Spices-chili powder, ground cumin.

Veggies: Canned tomatoes (or Ro-tel), tomato sauce (for red) and lots of onion and garlic, chopped chilis like poblano, Anaheim, or jalapeño.

Add pinto or kidney beans (for red) and any white bean, plus canned green chili (for white).  To keep it thick, don’t add too much broth at the start and thicken with a slurry of cornstarch and water at the end.  You can totally serve this over spinach or rice as a bonus!