Have extra farmers market veggies on hand? Here’s a delicious vegetable soup recipe to put them to good use.
This fresh and easy vegetable soup is a delicious way to highlight spring vegetables such as peas, carrots and spinach. It’s also versatile enough to use whatever you have may have on hand and what you like the best. Don’t like peas? Leave them out or use lima beans instead. Want spinach? Go for it. Have leftover broccoli stems you don’t want to throw out? They work great, too. I hate to waste food, so I keep a zip-close bag in my freezer and dump any meal’s leftover vegetables in for use later in this “everything-but-the-kitchen-sink” soup recipe.
You pretty much cannot go wrong with this veggie-packed one dish meal. Add some crusty whole-grain bread and you have a meal that also makes great lunchtime leftovers all week long.
Spring vegetable soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups red onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons garlic, finely minced
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 2 cups zucchini, sliced in rounds and then halved
- 2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 cups fresh green beans, broken or cut into 3/4-inch pieces (or you can use frozen)
- 2 ears corn, kernels removed (or frozen)
- 2 cups fresh peas, shelled (or frozen)
- 2 quarts low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 4 cups canned low-sodium diced tomatoes (or peeled, seeded, chopped tomatoes in season)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the onions, garlic, shallot, pepper, salt, carrots, celery and zucchini. Cook the vegetables until they begin to soften; approximately 7 to 8 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and green beans and continue to cook for 4 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Next, add the corn, peas, broth and tomatoes. Increase the heat to high, and bring the pot to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the vegetables are fork tender, approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 83 | Total fat: 2 g | Saturated fat: 0.3 g | Cholesterol: 0 g | Sodium: 178 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Sugars: 6 g | Vitamin A: 43% | Vitamin C: 32%
Notes
Before serving, try a squeeze of lemon juice or a dash of red wine vinegar on your soup to add brightness without added calories or fat.
