Hearty Vegetable Soup

Why You Need This Recipe

I know there are lots of easy vegetable soup recipes out there, but this one is special because:

• The spices: The tomato-based broth is seasoned in a mix of dried spices including cumin, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. They add flavor and a slight kick. I wouldn’t go so far as to say the soup is really spicy, but you will have a tingle, almost a buzz, in your mouth.
• The vegetables: As mentioned, I like to cut the vegetables bigger. Of course, I keep in mind fitting them on a soup spoon and eating them neatly, but I don’t chop them so small that they end up simmering into mush before the taste of the broth has a chance to develop. The recipe includes broccoli, cauliflower, green beans and tomatoes.
• It’s easy.  Ready in about 30 minutes, this vegan vegetable soup is a super simple way to get a big serving of veggies. Also, soup is always good for leftovers that you can warm up for a quick healthy meal.

The Ingredients

This what you need:

• Broccoli, cauliflower and green beans are really just a starting point. Feel free to substitute with carrots, sweet potatoes or butternut squash You just want to make sure you have about 4 cups total of cut veggies. For carrots, slice them into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Cut sweet potatoes and butternut squash into 1/4 – 1/2 inch cubes. You don’t want them to be too big or they won’t be cooked in the same amount of time as the rest of the vegetables.
• Tomatoes: A big can of diced tomatoes not only adds more veggies to the soup, but also the juices are the base to the tomatoey broth.
• Onions: Like most soups, the recipe begins with sautéing onions in olive oil to start the aromatic base.
• Garlic along with the seasonings are responsible for the wonderful flavor of the soup.
• Dried spices: I used a blend of cumin, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. If you want the soup more spicy, you can add more red pepper flakes.
• Vegetable broth: Use low-sodium broth, so you can control the seasonings. If you aren’t concerned with the soup being vegan, you can use chicken broth instead.
• Parsley: I like to garnish soup with chopped fresh herbs. Grated Parmesan cheese would be another tasty final touch.

How To Make Hearty Vegetable Soup

1. Heat the oil in a big pot and sauté the chopped onions over medium heat. They will become soft after about 4 minutes.

2. Add the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. The onions will quickly turn very fragrant.

3. Stir in the broccoli, cauliflower and green beans. You want them to be well mixed in with the onions and spices. Sauté them for a couple minutes.

4. Pour in the tomatoes, broth and water.

5. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat and gently simmer. After about 15-20 minutes the vegetables will be tender. Be careful not to overcook them.

6. Divide the soup into bowls and top with chopped parsley.

What To Serve with Vegetable Soup

On its own, this is a filling soup, but you can pair it with something extra:

• A hunk of bread: I am thinking a slice or piece of torn bread from an artisan loaf with a nice crust that you could dunk into the broth.
• A sandwich: Grilled cheese is the obvious choice (Beet Grilled Cheese or Apple Grilled Cheese). You can use plant-based cheeses, so it is vegan.
• A salad: You can keep it simple with an Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette, a Classic House Salad or try an Italian Chopped Salad.

Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days. Rewarm them in the microwave or in a small saucepan on the stove.

To keep the soup longer, up to 1 month, you can put it in the freezer. Thaw it before warming it up. The vegetables will soften more from being frozen and then thawed.