Please don't laugh... Tell me how to make a nice vegetable soup- why does mine taste like water?

[LostMarbles99]

A kind that blends nicely.

My soup tastes like water.

Other people make such lovely soup

Hello! Sounds like you might have too much water to veg ratio & maybe not enough stock either.

Me & my DH have loads of lovely recipes including one for pumpkin that we make in droves in October because it's so yum & it's about the only time to get cooking pumpkins.

What kind of veg soup are you after? A general medley or specific?

chicken stock, sweet potato and pumpkin/squash.

Lots of those starchy veg - potaotes, sweet potato, squash, pumpkin.

And lots of garlic.

I like my soup chunky but it does blend ok.
I use smoked bacon, 2 or 3 leeks, 1/2 a turnip, 3 or 4 carrots some potatoes and maybe some squash. A kettles worth of water and some vegetable bullion powder. Barley and/or lentils could also be added.

To make good soup you need a good base. Start the soup with a soffrito of finely chopped veg (normally onion, celery, carrot) and cook it down for a good 15-20 min. Then add your other ingredients and cook them in stock until done.

The soffrito adds a real depth of flavour - you can also cook a massive batch and then freeze in cubes as a shortcut for when you want a quick soup, just chuck in the pan with other ingredients for instant flavour.

I also do a carrot and lentill one.
I use a mixture of grated and cubed carrot, orange lentils, chicken stock a couple of dessert spoons of tomato purée and a couple ad dessert spoons of peanut butter.

Yes, I do what Pourquoi said. I gently fry it in olive oil with a little butter, so it's all soft and good looking. Add alcohol here if you're going to and reduce it till it's sticky. Then the lentils or whatever, warm a little in the buttery veg then the stock. Cook till done, adding any other ingredients. Blend or not.

I am not-at-all proficient in the kitchen but Nigella's veg soup recipe has always worked for me - a splash of Marsala involved. Yummy!