Fast Mixed Vegetable Soup
Makes: 4 to 6 servings
Time: About 30 minutes
Making a flavorful soup is as simple and easy as simmering vegetables in stock or water; if you cook them in olive oil to begin, so much the better. To build on the main recipe, see the list that follows.
3 tablespoons olive oil, or more
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups vegetable stock or water
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped (canned tomatoes are fine; use 3 and include the juice), or ¼ cup tomato paste
4 to 6 cups quick-cooking vegetables, like green beans, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, corn, cooked or canned beans, radishes, zucchini or summer squash, or dark, leafy greens like kale or collards, roughly chopped
½ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 Put 2 tablespoons of the oil into a large, deep pot over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes.
2 Add the stock, tomato, and remaining vegetables; bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the mixture bubbles enthusiastically. Cook, stirring every now and then, until all the vegetables are very tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and serve.
How to Vary Fast Mixed Vegetable Soup:
Up the quantity of beans, and mash some or all before adding if you like.Spoon pesto or tapanade on top.Sprinkle with croutons or bread crumbs.Pass grated Parmesan at the table.Add cooked pasta or grains at the last minute; simmer just long enough to heat through.Add fresh or frozen peas, limas, or edamame at the last minute before serving.Add some reconstituted porcini mushrooms (with their liquid) along with the vegetables; or use sautéed (or raw, sliced) fresh mushrooms.Change the herbs: try mint, basil, chives, or cilantro instead of the parsley; or use tablespoon of fresh chopped sage or thyme.Add some spices: like Hot Curry Powder, Fragrant Curry Powder, Chili Powder or single spices like ground cumin or coriander seeds to the onion mixture just before adding the stock.Before adding the vegetables, put some chopped root vegetables (like turnips, potato, sweet potato, or celery root) into the pot. Let them cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, before proceeding.Puree half or all of the soup just before serving (an immersion blender is ideal for this).When you sauté the vegetables in Step 1, add ½ cup chopped prosciutto or other ham.