Improvement to bog standard veggie soup

[Folicacid]

I've just made a pot of veggie soup today and added two bird's eye chillis cut into tiny pieces...and I tell you what it tastes lovely for it. It doesn't taste hot, but there is a little heat in the flavour.

Anyone else got any tips for making easy veggie soup a bit more interesting?

A squeeze of lemon can do wonders. Or add some nice bits at the end - eg croutons, grated cheese, chopped herbs, pasta

make egg royale to add another texture.

Smoked maldon salt.

IME the method of cooking is important. I start to cook plenty of onions very gently in a little olive oil and stock with a tight lid in a solid saucepan...

I do that too ppeatfruit, and then sweat all my veg for about 20 minutes before adding the stock. Fresh tomatoes are good too.

a teaspoon of rose harissa improves anything imo.

After adding plenty of FRESH small chopped veg. Add a little more stock and cont. cooking gently (I use a diffuser) till soft then add all the stock and finish on a simmer this method is good for veg. stews.

Everything tastes better with bacon

lol, so true.

I made veg and lentil soup the other day, added a bit of cream and sherry (Xmas leftovers) and it was fabulous really rice and tasty.

fresh herbs right at the end

sweat it all for a good 20 mins before adding stock. always include celery, even if you don't like it on its own. do the initial sweat in olive oil and butter.

WHY haven't I heard of smoked Maldon salt? I need to know more please, Parsnip! :)

Yes to celery and yes to lots of fresh herbs.

here you go

A triangle of dairylea works wonders in veg soup.

I agree that the sweating of veg etc at first is vital. I don't like the everything chucked on and slam in stock and boil up school of thought.

Oooh - will look out for that. Thanks. :)

I've been cooking my soups in the oven - that way you can get away with just a bit of stock for most of the cooking then just thin it as desired just before serving. I sweat the vege on the hob first, then add the stock and whack it in the oven for an hour.

Teaspoon of good pesto at the end goes down well here if it's a minestrone type tomatoey job. Green beans (just a handful from the freezer) are must too.

Another vote for sherry. Makes normal soup into "posh" soup in my opinion.

If you're going to blend it, adding chopped celery to the mix when cooking can be nice too.