Best Fresh Veggie Soup Ever
If you have never tried to make your own veggie soup, you NEED to try this. It is seriously the best fresh veggie soup ever. If you’re just starting out DO NOT let the list of ingredients scare you. This soup might be from scratch with an ingredients list a mile long, but it’s also kind of a dump recipe. Throw in a couple nice tools to make your life easier and you’ve got yourself an awesome veggie soup chock full of yummy goodness. Even better? Our kids loved this if we blended it up for them.
Garden Fresh Ingredients
I don’t know about you, but I love when I can get a basket full of fresh ingredients and use it all up. Nothing goes to waste, just simply is used in the recipes you planned. Even giddy bonus when you can pick your ingredients out of the garden. However, I know that part isn’t for everyone. But most of these ingredients you can find at your local farmers market or you’re run of the mill grocery store.
This soup is chuck full of easy to grow or find veggies. Now some of the seasonings might not be on your radar yet. And that’s okay. Give it a try though. Just watch the cilantro. If you think it tastes like soap skip that ingredient. Contrary to what some might think there’s nothing, no prep, nothing that will change that for you. It’s genetic. (random fun fact if you didn’t know that)
Fresh Herbs Make This
I had no idea until I tried this actual recipe that fresh herbs would make such a difference. I mean I knew cilantro fresh was the only way to go, but parsley? Parsley, fresh, actually has a flavor to it! And a strong one at that. Now if you tried to use curly parsley you probably won’t find that one as flavorful which is why you really should be using flat leaf. There is a reason it’s added to recipes. Even though in my humble opinion I’m pretty convinced that the dried stuff adds nothing but some green color.
It’s the combination of everything that makes this soup. It even tastes better after it’s been sitting for a while.
Easy Healthy Food
Healthy food doesn’t have to be difficult. This soup is a prime example of that. Seriously, this is the best veggie soup ever. Anyone remember the cans of veggie soup you’d buy in the store? I mean now there are tons of yummy soups right in the can, but I’m pretty sure this one would beat them all hands down. Both in flavor and healthiness.
I found this fresh veggie soup from a co-worker during tax season (former CPA here). It was actually part of a soup diet. If you want to read the original recipe and see the science behind it (which can be tailored to your actual needs) check out this article.
Prepping Your Ingredients
Okay, I will admit this is not a recipe that you can just decide to whip up. At least not the first time. Especially not for me anyway. Some of the spices I had never heard of before. Some like the Himalayan salt or the seaweed I had to go digging and it did involve a trip to whole foods for me. However, I am still using those same spices from my original trip. So I think it’s totally worth it to track them down. The flavor in this fresh veggie soup is just amazing.
Now when it comes to cutting this mountain (not really, but sure feels like it) of veggies the time will depend on you. If you are a whiz with the knife I’m sure you will make short work of this. If not then it might take you a while to cut all these up. I’m somewhere in the middle here. For the record, a recipe like this is a great chance to practice those knife skills if you are so inclined. Otherwise, use your tools. A chopper, eco chop, or even that “box” cutter. (I really have no idea what it’s called but looked fun to play with and looked like it would make short work of lots of veggies) Now let’s get chopping.
Cooking Your Fresh Veggie Soup
I can’t lie. I completely cheat in this department. You can cook these in small batches, or slowly layer them in so that they get a little charred. I’m sure there’s a million ways to actually cook them. I, however, am lazy. So that means I put a little drizzle of oil in the bottom of the pot, cut up the veggies, and everything gets dumped right into the pot while on high heat. And I just stir it for a while. I do try to cook them a little this way mostly just to help with the cooking later, as I don’t effectively want them boiled all the way (cooked in the soup). Now I haven’t done it, but I would imagine you could try that and see what happens. Might be a time and texture thing. Don’t know.
After your happy with your veggies, it’s dump time. Dump your juice in, add a little water if you’re looking to do that, throw in the beans, add the dried spices, and dump in the tomatoes. Now if you’re questioning whether or not to rinse the beans. That is up to you. We home can our beans, and even with the cans from the store, I tend to add everything in if I’m making a soup. Honestly, it’s just one less thing to worry about.
Once all that is in stir the pot real good, cover and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. This should start the flavors blending and finish cooking those veggies for you.
Finishing Your Fresh Veggie Soup
Once you’re happy with the doneness of the veggies give it a taste. You’re not quite there, but we’re getting close. This is where you should zest your lime (yes zest it first-not like I would know from experience or anything), and then juice it right in. Add you’re finely chopped cilantro and parsley, and you’re chopped up spinach. Try to stir it into the actual soup. Cover and let cook down for about 5 minutes and check on it. Once you’re happy with the doneness of the spinach. That’s it you’re done.
This soup is fantastic both hot or cold (which also makes it an awesome soup for the summertime). We like it even better after it has sat for a night. Everything just seems to come together after it’s sat for a while. PS if you head over to the link included above I believe it actually includes the guidance for the diet part.
Enjoy! Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Recipe here
| Prep Time | 30 mins |
| Cook Time | 20 mins |
| Servings |
servings
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- 1 large sweet onion
- 1 sweet pepper
- 1 yellow squash
- 1 zucchini
- 1 small eggplant
- 1/2 cup grated diakon radish optional
- 2 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 46-64 oz vegetable juice
- 1 quart cooked black beans or 2 15 oz cans
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 lime zested and juiced
- 1 Tablespoon Cumin
- 2 teaspoon seaweed gomasio
- 1 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- 1 bunch cilantro 1/2 if huge (Can skip if don't like cilantro)
- 1 bunch flat leave parsley 1/2 if huge (yes the type of parsley does make a difference)
- 1 8oz pkg fresh baby spinach
Ingredients
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- Cut up the following veggies into the bite size that you desire. Could be small or larger, but all should be about the same size. Onion, sweet pepper, yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant.
- Add some olive oil to the bottom of the pan and start cooking down the veggies over medium heat. (I usually throw everything in once I've got it all cut up)
- Grate the diakon radish, and add to the pot. If you have extra this freezes well in 1/2 cup portions for a later batch. Also add in the garlic at this point.
- Once veggies are the desired softness add the following to the pot: Veggie juice, black beans, diced tomatoes and stir until well combined. I usually add a little water to the juice container to swish around and add to the pot.
- Add the following: Cumin, seaweed, Himalayon sea salt, turmeric.
- Zest your lime into the pot. Cut in half and then add the juice into the pot. I use a fork to get the most juice out of the lime.
- Turn heat down to low, cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes.
- While soup is simmering cup up your spinach and set aside.
- Finely dice up the cilantro and parsley. Set aside.
- Once soup has simmered and all veggies are the desired softness add in the spinach, cilantro and parsley. Allow to cook until the spinach has cooked down. 5-10 minutes should do it. It will cook down faster with a lid on.