Can I just throw different veg in a pot and make soup

[doggydesperado]

Literally just a mix of veg that I have that will be thrown out if not used, ie parsnip, potato, carrot, pepper and celery. Can I chuck them together in a pot with stock or will that be rotten

I did this for the first time last week as I normally follow a recipe.
Onion
Celery
Parsnip
Carrot
Chopped it all, simmered in stock and added a bit of cumin. It was delicious.

I tend to make soup by chopping up an onion and some garlic, putting it on to sauté and then opening the fridge and seeing what else I have to add!

It's much, much nicer if you gently fry finely chopped onion (and garlic if liked) in butter or olive oil first for around 10 minutes or until the onion is getting soft but not brown - then add the vegetables and stock.

Favourite soups here are lentil & bacon, Nigella's minestrone (which includes pasta so makes a really substantial dinner), cheddar & broccoli, leek & potato, chroizo tomato & red lentil, spiced butternut squash, watercress, cauliflower ... I could go on. Absolutely love soup!

Fridge Bottom Soup is my lunch every day in the winter. Random veg (unpeeled except onion) garlic ginger and turmeric if I can get some fresh, whatever lentils or beans, stock. I like it whizzed smooth and flavour it up with whatever it needs. garam masala, chili, yogurt.

i would roast the parsnips, potatoes, carrots with some whole cloves of garlic, dried herbs, salt and pepper (an onion if you have). Then add them to some hot stock (cube is fine if that's what you have) and blend. The peppers and celery you can just chop up and freeze as they are. I do that all the time and then add to stews etc when needed.

I would add an onion, exclude the parsnip, add a tin of tomatoes (if available) and either lentils, or tinned cannellini , haricot or similar beans. Maybe chick peas and add half a tsp of chilli flakes and a teaspoon of cumin at the sauté stage.

If lentils, I would blend it once cooked to make a thick soup, if beans or chicken peas leave it as a chunky soup.

Sure. Add some stock and go heavy on the seasoning - I put cumin, coriander, smoked paprika as well as salt and pepper.

"Back of the fridge soup" is great. Needs a decent stock and then add herbs and seasonings (in my book using garlic and onion granules/powders is perfectly acceptable if I don't habe the real thing)

Vegetarian house here!
Our most basic stew for days when you feel under the weather or have a rotten cold/virus is-
Garlic
Onion
Leeks
Potatoes
Carrots
Parsnips
Red lentils

Sauté the garlic and onion until soft, add vegetables chopped into chunks.
Cover with boiling water and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add red lentils.
When veggies are nearly cooked add bouillon to taste and season.
You will need to keep an eye on water level.

I always make herb dumplings with either veg suet or butter and cook for 10-15 minutes at the end.

For soup I would use the stick blender when the vegetables are cooked and add paprika or whatever herb you want at that time.

A dollop or cream or creme fraiche is nice too.

I love making soup, mushroom is a favourite as well as celery.
And of course fridge bottom soup to prevent waste.

My friend makes stock using the peelings from vegetables and keeps it in the freezer.
I'm going to follow her example but I need some peelings for my Wormery and Bokashi bins!!

Being good at making soups and stews is a real asset.

My biggest tip if not following a recipe - taste test the soup/stew as you are cooking. Depending on the mix of veg, you may feel it needs a lift of something - a spicy kick, or some sweetness, or needs something creamy, sour, salt etc.

Yoghurt, crème fraiche , honey, jam, sugar -anything to hand really. The more you do this, the more often you’ll have a really yummy soup than just an OK one which you tell yourself is healthy.

@EarthyMamma could you give me the ingredients for the veg herb dumplings please?

It's fine, we eat that regularly. It's called surprise soup here. Just don't ever use up the red cabbage in a random soup. It will not look good!

If you have DC and want to encourage them to eat it, throw a couple of sausages in!

Dumplings with Butter
For PP

Yes perfect selection of veg!
Sauté with some olive oil and butter then stir in some stock (I always use the Knorr veg stockpots) and also lentils if you have them to add a bit of protein.
Once the veg is soft, blend a bit of the soup to give a nice creamy texture.
Season well.

Yes lemon juice is great for brightening the taste.
I added some to a veggie curry last night and it tasted gorgeous! It was just veg and stock with spices, no tomato or coconut milk.

Yes, you can. I sometimes make a stew/chunky soup, or half blend it. I use veg, sometimes chicken, and stock with seasoning. If you want to sweeten it, a little butternut squash works well. I'm not a fan of creamy soups though.

You've made me really want soup op, with a bread roll dipped in!

I do this a lot. A stock cube is fine and I chuck in loads of onion and garlic and herbs or a ton of chilli flakes.

Oh and a tin of tomatoes if you have them.

I do this all the time. In fact I have a bag in the freezer into which I throw leftover cooked veg to be made into soup.

Just add whatever herbs and spices you like.
A great tip I got from MN was to only blend half of the soup. That way you still get the thickness but also bits.

I never use a stock cube.It is just salt additives and dried stuff. The soupakes its own stock. I use herbs, sweated down onion and whatever veg (always a potato, celery, carrot if poss.) Other veg and water.

Delicious.