The Best Vegetarian Soup with Anything-You-Have In the Kitchen
With sweater weather creeping up on us what better time to start planning your fall menu. Anything that tastes warm and cozy makes the list. That especially includes a healthy recipe for soup. We found not only the easiest but THE best vegetarian soup to add to your arsenal. A big reason to love it is that you can make it with literally anything you have in the house. The parameters are huge and the directions are short. Let us know what you combined to make the best vegetarian soup at home in the comments.
The Best Vegetarian Soup (Serves 4+)
Ingredients
(Choose your own adventure)
- Hearty Veg (Any solo or in combo, optional) | 2 cups total
– Carrots
– Sweet potatoes (any kind)
– Potatoes
– Winter squash - Basic Veg (Any solo or in combo) | 1–2 cups total
– Mushrooms (any kind)
– Bell pepper (any kind)
– Broccoli
– Cabbage
– Cauliflower
– Asparagus
– Peas - Aromatics (Any solo or in combo) | ½–1 cup total
– Chopped leeks (white/light green part only)
– Onion (any kind)
– Shallot
– Garlic
– Chives
– Scallions
– Celery
– Fennel - Common Seasoning (Choose one)
– 1 tablespoon Chili Powder
– 1 tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
– 1 tablespoon Everything Bagel Seasoning
– 1 tablespoon Poultry Seasoning
– 1 tablespoon Garam Masala
– 1 tablespoon Berbere
– 2 teaspoons ground cumin + 1 teaspoon turmeric
– 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
– 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
– Any seasoning packet for tacos, fajitas, curry
– 1+ tablespoons of any tasty herb/spice blend—dust it off, use it! - Liquid (Any solo or in combo) | 4–6 cups total
– Water
– stock (any kind)
– tomatoes in a can
– coconut milk - Garnish (Any solo or in combo, optional)
– Handful of fresh herbs
– Celery leaves
– Fennel fronds
– Chopped carrot greens
– Handful spinach or kale
– Squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice
– Drizzle of olive oil
– Drizzle of cream
– Pinch sea salt
– Fresh-cracked black pepper
Directions for the Best Vegetarian Soup
- To begin, add Hearty Veg to a soup pot heated to medium with a large drizzle of oil. Additionally, add a pinch of salt and stir often until they’re firm, but you could pierce them with a fork. Cook for 7–10 minutes for small bits, and 12–15 minutes for larger pieces of veg. TIPS: the more uniform the pieces are cut, the more evenly they’ll cook. The smaller the pieces, the faster they’ll cook.
- Next, incorporate Basic Veg and Aromatics into the pot. Again, add a pinch of salt and stir often until they start to “sweat” and become softened and caramelized a bit. Allow them to cook for 5–7 minutes.
- Towards the end of cooking, around the 5- or 6-minute mark, you can stir in some chopped garlic if you like (1–4 cloves). Let it cook for an additional 1 minute.
- Now, make a little clearing in the bottom center of the pot and add a small drizzle of oil. Add your Common Seasoning of choice and stir it in the little clearing for about 30 seconds (this helps the flavor develop). Subsequently, stir it into all the veggies for 1 minute until everything is smelling fragrant. It’s important to note that you should always start with less seasoning and gradually add more as you cook. Take the time to taste the soup before and after each addition and make adjustments accordingly.
- Proceed by pouring Liquid into the pot and stirring it well. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer. At this point, taste the soup and consider the type of stock used. If the stock contained salt, you may need to add less salt to taste compared to using a low-sodium stock. Begin by adding ½ teaspoon of salt, stirring and tasting the soup.
- Gradually add another ½ teaspoon until the flavors of all the other ingredients pop forward. It’s important to achieve an intensity of flavors in harmony rather than a prominent salt taste. Remember, the amount of liquid used will affect the consistency of your soup, so adjust it according to your preferences. For example, if using tomatoes in a can or coconut milk, consider making a 50/50 blend with water or stock to achieve a total of 4–6 cups.
- For an additional flavor boost, consider incorporating a tablespoon of miso or soy sauce into the soup. You can also experiment with adding a squeeze of Sriracha, a pinch of cayenne, or a few drops of Liquid Smoke if you have some available.
- Once the soup is ready, you have two options. You can enjoy it as is or add more body to it by blending 1 cup of the soup and then adding the purée back into the pot. Alternatively, you can blend the entire soup according to your preference. The choice is yours.
- If desired, garnish the soup to enhance its presentation.
- Finally, indulge in the delight of savoring the Best Vegetarian Soup you’ll ever have!
NOTE: Change up your leftovers and Add texture to your soup by stirring cooked rice, grains, or legumes into your soup. Add noodles too—just simmer dry noodles in your soup until they’re softened, but not mushy. 7–10 minutes. Freeze any leftovers for future meals! Freezer tip: don’t fill the container to the top with soup—leave 1″ of room for the liquid to safely expand.
via Yum University
