Description
This Hearty Vegetable Soup is a nutritious and comforting dish packed with a variety of fresh vegetables simmered in a flavorful vegetable broth. Perfect for a wholesome meal, this soup combines tender potatoes, vibrant green beans, zucchini, and leafy spinach with aromatic herbs and optional protein-rich chickpeas or sweet corn to boost both taste and nourishment.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 2 medium potatoes, diced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into pieces
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juices
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup spinach or kale
Optional Add-ins:
- 1 cup corn, fresh or frozen
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat Oil: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat to prepare for sautéing the vegetables.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the pot and sauté for about 2-3 minutes until the onion becomes translucent, releasing their fragrance.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in the sliced carrots, sliced celery, and diced bell pepper. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, allowing the vegetables to soften and develop flavor.
- Add Main Ingredients: Add the diced potatoes, diced zucchini, trimmed green beans, diced tomatoes with their juices, and vegetable broth to the pot. This forms the base of the soup.
- Season and Boil: Stir in the dried thyme, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring the entire mixture to a boil over medium-high heat to blend flavors.
- Simmer Soup: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until all vegetables are tender and cooked through.
- Add Greens and Optional Ingredients: In the final few minutes of cooking, stir in the spinach or kale along with any optional add-ins such as corn or chickpeas to enhance nutrition and flavor.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste the soup and adjust seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, herbs, or red pepper flakes as desired for heat.
- Serve: Serve the soup hot, optionally garnished with fresh herbs for additional aroma and presentation.
Notes
- You can substitute kale with other leafy greens like Swiss chard or collard greens if preferred.
- Add chickpeas for an added boost of protein making the soup more filling.
- For a spicier kick, include the red pepper flakes as per your heat tolerance.
- Leftover soup stores well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and also freezes nicely.
- Use low-sodium vegetable broth if watching salt intake.
