Image: The Best Vegetable Soup Recipe
You know how most vegetable soups are pretty tired and "blah"? Not this one! This seriously good vegetable soup is packed with fresh, wholesome flavors that will leave your taste buds dancing with joy.
I'm thrilled to share this amazing vegetable soup recipe with you. It's honestly the best I've ever had, and I'm confident you'll agree. The best part? You probably have all the ingredients you'll need to make this easy soup right in your kitchen.
Image: Ingredients for Vegetable Soup
I can think of so many reasons to make this soup. Whether you want to warm up on a cold day, comfort someone who's feeling under the weather, or simply enjoy a healthy side dish, this soup has got you covered. And the best part? It's vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free, making it suitable for everyone to enjoy.
Image: How to Make Vegetable Soup
Vegetable Options for Vegetable Soup
This homemade vegetable soup is versatile by design, so you can savor it from fall through winter. We'll start with a base of onion, carrots, and celery - the holy trinity of soup-making. Then, we'll add two cups of seasonal vegetables to make this soup heartier and more interesting. Here are some options you can choose from, depending on your preference:
- Sweet potatoes or regular potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- Butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- Green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch long segments
- Bell pepper, chopped
- Cauliflower, cut into small bite-sized pieces
- Zucchini or yellow squash, chopped
- Fresh greens like kale, collard greens, chard, or spinach
Image: Easy Vegetable Soup Recipe
How to Make the Best Vegetable Soup
To ensure maximum flavor, we'll employ several simple techniques as we cook this soup. Follow these steps to create a burst of delightful flavors:
1) Start with the veggies.
Sauté chopped onion, celery, carrots, and seasonal vegetables in olive oil with a pinch of salt. This will soften them up and enhance their flavors. Adding salt during different stages of the cooking process will elevate the taste.
2) Enhance the flavor.
Add fresh minced garlic, curry powder, and dried thyme. Sauté them for about a minute to awaken their flavors without risking burnt garlic.
Curry powder is the secret ingredient that makes this soup incredibly delicious. Although the flavor is subtle, it adds an intriguing warmth to the dish. Curry powder works wonders in other soups like lentil and chickpea noodle soup as well.
3) Introduce the canned tomatoes.
Add canned diced tomatoes with their juices and cook them with the vegetables for a couple of minutes. This will help reduce any tinny flavors. For the best results, I recommend using Muir Glen brand tomatoes, which are known for their superior taste and BPA-free cans.
4) More flavorings and some liquid.
Pour in vegetable broth, water, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and a little more salt. Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes based on your spice preference. Simmer the soup gently for 25 minutes, allowing the flavors to blend harmoniously.
5) Final touches.
Add chopped fresh greens to boost the health factor and simmer for an additional 5 minutes to soften them up. Just before serving, squeeze fresh lemon juice and drizzle some olive oil over the soup for an extra burst of flavor. You'll notice a remarkable difference in taste after these additions. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
Image: Vegetable Soup Recipe
Please let me know how this soup turns out in the comments. Your feedback not only encourages other readers to try the recipe but also helps me understand how much you enjoyed it.
Craving more hearty, healthy, meatless soups this season? I've got you covered. Here are a few more options to satisfy your soup cravings:
- Classic Minestrone Soup
- Best Lentil Soup
- Chickpea Noodle Soup
- Pasta e Fagioli (Italian Pasta and Beans Soup)
- Quinoa Vegetable Soup with Kale
- Sweet Potato, Kale, and Chickpea Soup
Don't forget to explore the hearty soups in my cookbook, Love Real Food. They are some of my personal favorites!
Image: Healthy Vegetable Soup Recipe
