Homemade vegetable soup served piping hot with crusty hot biscuits straight from the oven is the ultimate cold weather food. Not only is it nutritious, it is delicious too. Made from a combination of your favorite vegetables simmered to perfection in a rich broth, vegetable soup is rich in vitamins and provides an economical alternative to canned varieties.
Traditonal Vegetable Soup
Traditional vegetable soup recipes call for specific vegetables such as potatoes, onions, carrots and peas, but vegetable soup can be made from any variety of vegetables that you prefer. Although there are a few vegetables that may not blend well with others, most vegetables can be used in soup. Vegetables like green peppers or those that have unusually strong flavors are best avoided.
Base
A good soup base enhances the flavor of vegetables and creates rich broth. Wyler's makes wonderful soup base called Better Than Bouillon and comes in vegetable, chicken or beef. Any of these can be used as a base in a vegetable soup. Other options include left over sauces or gravies. Fresh broccoli, cauliflower or cabbage boiled in little water and pureed makes a wonderful soup base.
Fresh Garden Vegetables
Select fresh crisp vegetables fresh from the garden for a delicious soup that requires no meat. Fresh onions, carrots, potatoes, zucchini, green or snap beans, turnip, broccoli and even handful of finely shredded greens make a delicious summer-time soup that is brimming with flavor. Simply wash and pare the vegetables and cut into bite size pieces. Add to your soup base and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
Leftover Vegetables
Vegetable soup made from leftover vegetables provides a tasty meal. Begin by adding fresh dice potatoes, carrots and onions to a soup base. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. When the vegetables begin to soften, add vegetables to the soup. Continue to simmer uncovered until all vegetables are tender.
Thickening
Creating a rich, thick soup requires a thickening agent. Shredded cabbage added to the soup is a great way to thicken soup and add nutritional value as well. Leftover mashed potato, a handful of rice, barley or pasta work as thickening agents and provide variety to the soup. Pureed cooked vegetables, pureed tomatoes or leftover gravies and sauces provide flavor and work to thicken the broth.
Serving
For a hearty dinner on cold winter evenings, cook dumplings in the soup. You can purchase a variety of frozen dumplings like tortellini or make the traditional homemade flour dumplings. Serve homemade soup steaming hot in soup mugs with hot biscuits or crusty garlic bread for a complete meal bursting with nutrition.
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