Why does my soup taste so bland? :-( please critique my recipe

[dottytablecloth]

I got a new soup cooker- it's fab and so easy to use.

However my soup is easy to make but it still tastes a bit bland.

I made sweet potato and red pepper with:

Sweet potato
Red pepper
Chicken stock
Onion
Baby tomatoes
Garlic
Chilli
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper

It was ok but not delicious! Any ideas what I could add to it?

Maybe roast the potato and pepper beforehand?
Sounds like a lovely mix, better luck next time.

I find celery brings out flavours well. Also I agree with InculKate about too many ingredients.

lacks herbs - what about some thyme?

Agree with roasting the veg too.

Do you sautee the onion first?

What kind of chicken stock do you use? Cubes or home made?

I would definately roast the peppers first. And the tomatoes.

Another vote for roasting the peppers and toms. I would also roast the garlic cloves in their skins.

I too would sauté the onions and also the tomatoes, possibly roast the red pepper, or roast all three in the oven to bring out the flavour, alone they are pretty watery salad vegetables.

The best soup I make is a delia one, slow roasted celeriac, carrot & parsnip, it's the slow cooking that brings out the delicious flavours.

More salt, or stock cube. Dash of Worcester sauce. Red wine vinegar when cooking the onions (make sure to boil it off properly), celery is used a lot for flavour. And yes to roasting veg if you have the time.

Yes, roast/sauté the lot
Tho does that muck up the soup maker? I don't have one so unfamiliar with the kit.

Sorry, you already said stock. How much stock vs how much liquid?

And, what is a soup maker? Isn't that just called a saucepan?

No pavlov there are shop makers out there!! Like slow cookers

My soup maker has a sauté function so I did that.

I used shop bought chicken stock.

How much celery would I use?

Which of the ingredients would I leave out?

This is the soup cooker!

My mum says to add cream? Would that work?

She's not great at making soup either though!

Whenever I make soup, I need far more salt and stock cubes than I think I really should use. An extra cube or two crumbled in, and a good pinch of salt can make a big difference. As can adding really good quality tinned tomatoes, I never use fresh as I hate them.

More garlic/more salt/black pepper/ sweat the veggies before adding stock, add wine and cream. If it's not nice after that - give up!

I'm always amazed how much salt I need to put in homemade soup.

I am amazed how is it different/better/quicker/easier than the usual method? Interested in cooking nice food with less time/effort lazy

Whispers .... try adding a bit of brown sugar

Probably salt. Whenever something savoury tastes bland, it usually needs more salt, I find.
Having said that, bacon is always a nice addition to soup. Crispy fried bits to sprinkle on top :)

Home made chicken stock gives soup a very good flavour. I can't imagine shop bought being as good..

Would also make in pot and adjust the seasoning as I go. (Begin by saute-ing garlic/onion/bit of chili - only add salt and pepper later if required.)

The quality of the veg will make a difference. Some supermarket tomatoes are tastless.

Would agree re roasting or grilling peppers.

I'd saute everything first and add loads of pepper. Plus a pinch or two of chilli powder. But saute -ing kind of beats the point of a soup cooker, I suppose. I just use a saucepan.

linseed I add a little sugar to tomato based soup too. half a teaspoon/pinch.