Vegetable soup is very versatile and recipes for veggie soup beg to be customized…almost demanding that you put your own special touches into the mix and make it your own! I made creamy veggie soup this afternoon. (Minus the cream, of course. The secret is in the use of an emulsion {or stick} blender.) As it cooks I can smell the wonderful aroma of all the vegetables cooking together along with the parsley and bay leaf. Mouth watering good! This is a new recipe…I usually take a recipe I find online and tweak it to what I have on hand, which I did today, as well. The difference today is that I did not add canned chopped tomatoes and I did add white potatoes. This has resulted in a very rich and delicious blend. This recipe is vegan and, since no flour was used to thicken it, gluten free.
Time to eat!
Creamy Vegetable Soup
2 Tbls. EVOO
3-4 Cloves fresh garlic, sliced or chopped
Chopped onion (approx. 1/4 cup)
Chopped green bell pepper (approx. 1/4 cup)
3 medium white potatoes, cut into small pieces (Russet will do, but a waxy one is better. Try
Yukon Gold or New potatoes. They hold up much better in soups and are creamier when blended.)
1 medium zucchini, chopped
Handfull of shredded carrots
1 cup or so of cut up fresh broccoli
Kale - however much you want to put in. Cut it up into small pieces
Frozen peas
Frozen corn
Frozen green beans
Any vegetable you have on hand that you want to throw in
1 can of Cannellini (or other white or light bean) beans, drained & rinsed
3 cans or 2 cartons of vegetable broth
parsley (a generous portion), dried or fresh
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 large bay leaf (or two smaller)
The amounts of veggies I used are approximate. Sometimes I just put whatever is left in the bag, and/or I grab what I have fresh and just cut up some and decide that is enough. It doesn't really matter as long as it is chock full of many veggies! Spinach would be a good addition if you don't have kale, but use fresh spinach, not frozen.
Put EVOO into a large soup pan or dutch oven. Heat up a bit and add garlic. Let garlic cook a minute or so until the aroma is evident, then add onion and green pepper. Sauté about 3 minutes, stirring. Holding back the kale and frozen veggies, add all the other veggies one at a time, stirring in between additions. Add some salt & pepper and sauté, stirring often to keep it from sticking. Sauté for about 5 minutes on medium heat, or until the veggies look like they are slightly cooked and smell good. Turn the heat up and keep stirring for another couple of minutes to slightly sear veggies. Add broth, frozen veggies, parsley, beans and bay leaf. Add more salt & pepper if desired. Stir well. Cover and let cook on medium for 30-45 minutes, checking to make sure it is simmering. Take lid off and continue simmering until some of the liquid has cooked off. Using a slotted spoon, remove about 1 1/2 cups of veggies ONLY and put in a separate bowl. Using an emulsion (or stick) blender, blend until pulverized thick and creamy. Return the creamy veggie mixture to the soup pot, stir well and allow to simmer uncovered, for an additional 30-45 minutes, or until the soup is thickened or until you can't resist the smell and have to dig in. I wanted a thicker soup, so I simmered it uncovered for about an hour, stirring (and tasting) often.
Serve with hot crusty bread and/or a small salad. Perfect for a chilly winter night. Tasty!
** This soup was absolutely delicious. My husband raved about it, and I have to say it is the best I've made so far. If you like soup, please try it. You will not be disappointed! **
Beginnings of a great soup.
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| Halfway to thick and creamy. |
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