Winter Vegetable Soup: Simple, Delicious. A Few Tips for Choosing Vegetables

It is nearly impossible to find vegetables that do not taste great in soup. Even a soggy soup requires only a trip to the blender or food processor to purée your way to a delightful texture.

Here are some vegetables that tend to work particularly well in soups, remaining firm and flavorful even when boiled for long perioda.

Vegetables that work well in soup - the main event

• potato
• carrot
• beets
• cabbage
• leek
• celery
• turnip
• onion
• squash
• corn
• broccoli
• zucchini
• beans - lima, kidney, etc.

There are many other types of vegetables that do not stay firm but are excellent soup additions, such as leafy greens and tomato. These tend to either dissolve more, break up or become very light and airy, such that they take on a quality of more a part of the broth than the big chunky 'bites.'

Other vegetables that work well in soup - in the 'background'

• spinach
• kale
• tomato

One thing to look out for are skins and husks that either separate from the vegetable's 'fruit' or are not digestable. For example when using leeks, avoid adding the green tips of the plant, using instead the white bottoms. Tomatoes will separate from their skin, so use canned peeled tomatoes or peel them yourself. Bell peppers also separate from their skin and can take on a soggy, often unpleasant texture that may make the soup less appealing.

Here is a simple recipe to inspire your winter vegetable soup!

Ingredients:
2-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
6 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
1 large clove garlic, minced
5 cups water
1 28-ounce can crushed peeled tomatoes
1 package of frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, cumin, soy sauce to taste

Directions:
Sauté onion and celery over medium heat in olive oil until soft and golden but not brown.
Stir in carrots and potatoes and sauté for five minutes.
Stir in garlic and cook for one minute.
Add water, tomatoes, salt and pepper and other seasoning.
Bring to boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.

Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for at least 1.5 hours.
Voilà!

 

Comments

[Ellen Porter]

Thanks for the tips on using vegetables. Shared it on my blog. http://scrapbookjunctionbyellen.blogspot.com/2012/01/more-thoughts-on-soup.html

[Frank]

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[Polina]

How are you going with the menu planning and using up the items in your panrty and freezer? We are trying to do the same, we're doing well but I haven't noticed much of a change in the panrty or freezer. We'll keep chipping away though!