Let’s hug over steamy soup and huge hunks of seedy sourdough!
I feel strongly that you’re going to be all huggy after this. It’s cozy and soul-soothin’ and OHMYLANTA it’s good for you, too.
Has anyone not gotten sick this year yet? Show yourselves! Howwwwww.
Whether you’ve caught the wintery phlegm bug or not, I’m willing to bet that you could use some soupy nourishment with warm bread for sopping up all the vitamins and minerals at the end. There’s so many veggies in here!! We don’t discriminate. If you have green beans, I think those would be super lovely in here, too. Or some elbow noodles! Minestrone, eh? I love the white potatoes in this recipe because they add a nice starchy thickness to the soup, but I think the sweetness of sweet potato would be a really stellar addition as well.
You know what I always say…recipes are to be used a guide. Use your noggin. Oh the places you’ll go!
I want to talk about salt for a second because someone asked me recently which salt I use when and why. I use fine sea salt in baking and when I’m salting things on my plate, like toast or eggs. I use kosher salt when I’m cooking because it’s thicker and covers more ground. If I had to use my super fine Himalayan sea salt grinder from Costco for this recipe, I’d be standing over the soup salting it for three years. You need a beefier salt here, like the larger crystals in kosher salt which help release moisture (like sweating onions).
Long story short, throw in a few good pinches while you’re cooking, season it to taste, and don’t be shy because this recipe makes a big pot. Salt makes such a huge difference in flavor but everyone has different preferences. The acidity in the lemon at the end helps define the flavor and add brightness as well, so find a good balance. If you don’t have lemon, you can use balsamic vinegar. Adding acid at the end of a soup is so clutch!
Ok taking off my Bill Nye hat now.
Ya know what? I think this soup would be lovely in the slow cooker, too. I imagine you could throw everything in there (you may not need the oil?) and let it simmer all day long. Or all night long, if you’re a soup for breakfast kind of human. I cook pretty much all my soups in this dutch oven. I’ve had it for years and it’s the bomb!
Let’s talk toppings. I garnished my bowls with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for extra richness, a squeeze of fresh lemon (I keep pronouncing it lee-MONE in my brain), and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. If you have parm on hand, you better go there.
AND BREAD. Did I mention my adoration for carbs?
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 4 cups vegetable broth + 1 cup water
- 2-15oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup corn (I used thawed from frozen)
- 1-15oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, more to taste
- 1½ tsp kosher salt, more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Heat oil in a large stockpot or dutch oven over medium-low heat. Once hot, add onion, garlic and a teaspoon of kosher salt and cook about 8 minutes. Add carrots, celery, potatoes and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring often. Add Italian seasoning and cook for one more minute.
- Add broth, water, tomatoes, corn, beans, bay leaf, and several grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered until the vegetables are tender, about 35 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in parsley and lemon juice. Remove bay leaf and season to taste with salt (don't be shy, I added lots of salt!) and pepper. Serve hot with crusty bread.
My Mum makes a similar vegetable soup – it’s basically my comfort food! Would love to try your spin on it sometime this week! 🙂
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog recently posted…Mark My Words, Grandma Fashion Is the Upcoming Thing
My mom made a delicious vegetable beef soup, that I always loved. She simmered soup bones for hours, strained all the icky stuff off and made her soup. In the summer it was always with fresh garden veggies.
Now, I always make a vegetable soup with beef broth, no meat. I use cabbage, canned tomatoes, carrots, green beans, squash, corn, onion, no potatoes, I don’t care for them, spinach, that I add after soup has finished cooking. I’m most definitely a soup for breakfast person. I enjoy all soups all seasons of the year. I add herbs to mine also.
Yum! This soup looks PERFECT! I haven’t been sick yet this year, knock on wood! This soup will continue to help me fight off any sniffles!
I seriously have ev-er-y-thing to make this on hand!! I already have seasoned whole baked potatoes that I’ll use plus canned corn, chicken broth. Oh my brain is spinning. Printing now, and I’ll be making this later this week!! XO
Kori recently posted…Food Freedom + Delicious Eats
i love that you admit to the “lee-mone” thing. I do that stuff all the time. Glad to know I’m not the only strange one out there talking to myself. Oh and the soup looks delish 🙂
This looks so healthy and delicious. I love that it’s jam packed with veggies… I’ll be making a batch this weekend!
http://www.thislifeisbelle.com
Belle recently posted…Our French Home
loved it!! I didnt have the carrots or bay leaf, but it came out fine
! added a little pasta & only 1 potato!! YUMMY
This turned out amazing! Thank you for sharing!
I love your writing! It’s beautiful! Makes me feel all warm and cozy. Love that it’s vegan. I have become vegan and don’t miss animals products at all.
This really is the yummiest vegetable soup I have has in a while. I did a couple of alterations later, substituting ginger and curry for the italian seasonings and sweet potatoes for the white potatoes. I also threw in some spinach.
Yummo! Pretty much my go to standard for a healthy, throw together family meal. I add sweet potato, zucchini, spinach, pearl barley, truck loads of paprika and raw crushed garlic stirred through at the end.
So glad you enjoyed it!!