By Marisa Rodriguez, School-Age and Teen Services Outreach Coordinator
What’s better than a delicious, hot bowl of soup on a chilly winter day? Follow this template to make vegetable soup using ingredients you likely have on hand. You can customize your recipe based on your favorite flavors as well as any dietary restrictions.
Step 1: Choose your ingredients
Choose at least one from each category:
- Alliums: Options include garlic, scallions, leeks, chives, onions and shallots.
- Vegetables: Throw in whatever you have on hand, as long as you like the flavor combination. Tip: Want a thicker soup? Try adding potatoes. For a sweeter soup, consider adding fruits like apples or pears.
- Fat: Butter, olive oil, coconut oil or ghee are a few options.
- Aromatics: Start with salt and pepper and add spices to taste – the possibilities are endless!
- Liquid: Water works fine, but you can also experiment with broths or coconut milk.
Step 2: Prep your ingredients
Finely chop your alliums. Chop the vegetables into larger, uniform pieces.
Step 3: Soften your alliums
Melt your fat over medium heat. Add your alliums and sauté until soft.
Step 4: Add in your aromatics and vegetables
Add in your spices and sauté until fragrant. Then add in your chopped vegetables and stir until combined.
Step 5: Add liquid and simmer
Add in enough liquid to cover your vegetables completely and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender – this should take around 30 minutes. Keep an eye on the liquid while your soup is simmering and add more as needed.
Step 6: Puree – or not!
For a smoother soup, puree your mixture using a blender until the desired consistency is reached (an immersion blender is extra helpful for this step.) Skip this step if you prefer varied textures in your soup.