Does anyone have a tasty vegetable soup recipe?

[TheChickenLady]

Have still got lots of veg left over from last week's shop - courgettes, carrots, potatoes and celery, so a basic recipe you can throw various bits and pieces in is what I'm looking for.

Any previous (poor) efforts at soups end up being frozen for a later date and then thrown out because we didn't like them in the first place.

Thanks.

Sorry, I don't have a specific recipe - just coup veg with herbs, peppercorns, a little salt, maybe add tin tomatos. If it tastes a little bland I might then add some stock to boost the flavour.

I'd suggest tryinng bbc food online for recipes?

Sorry coup, was meant to be cook. Not sure what happened there!

DD2 and I have been eating 'Everything in the Garden Soup' since July - it's pretty much the veg that you have.

I fry a chopped onion in butter, then add the celery, courgette & carrot. Dice and boil the potatoes separately. When the fried veg are softened, I add homemade chicken stock, lots of black pepper and celery salt. Drain the potatoes and add. Then add some milk and give it a whizz with a handheld blender - either just enough to thicken it or to make a perfectly smooth soup.

Rough amounts would be 1 onion, 1 courgette, 2 carrots, 3 or 4 sticks of celery and several small potatoes to 1 pint of stock and 1/2 pint of milk but you can vary the liquid as you want.

Seriously all you need to make a decent soup is some onions, veg and some stock. Stock is essential but a cube will do.

Chop up onions and veg, sautee them in a little oil, add some herbs/spices. Add stock and cook for 30 mins and then blend. Season with salt and pepper. Add cream to serve if you want.

I agree with Duchess but want to know why you cook the potatoes seperately?

Always sautee the vegetable before adding the stock. If not vegetarian add some bacon bits to the vegetables. Grate cheese on the soup, cheddar, parmigiano, emmenthal, everything goes. Cook small pasta shapes in another pan and add it to soup.
Soup is usually very welcomed by my dc, provided there's pasta in it.

Wow thanks for all your replies! I think my previous attempts have gone wrong due to me boiling the veg not sautee-ing - hence the boiled mush taste.

Right I shall have a go and report back later.

carmenere - cooking potatoes separately is just my habit because our maincrop are floury and I prefer to drain the starchy water off than have it in the soup. Also I find it cooks through quicker if boiled rapidly in water, rather than simmered in the stock. Good if you're in a rush. Which I invariably am.

Ah, I see, thanks

I use a Delia recipie, which is dead easy, but slow. You just cover the veg with stock made from Marigold powder amd simmer v slowly for c. 3 hours, or can put in oven on low heat. Then puree. She says the slow gooking brings out the flavour. I like it because you don't need to faff about sautee-ing

It's delicious and fat free! Veg can be interchanged, but I find onions and celery essential if it's not to be bland.

I've also used the same method to make lump free pasta sauce. Less stock and usually add tomatoes.

Reporting back - it was lovely! Used the recipe provided by the Duchess and then added whatever else was looking lonely in the fridge (the odd tomato, even lettuce but stopped short of beetroot). Oh and a bit of pasta and cheese which went down well with DS1.

Enough soup leftover for lunch in the week. Very happy, thanks again for the suggestions.

That's great! Glad you enjoyed it!

My fail safe base is: 800mls stock + 1 onion + whatever veggies you want - saute the veggies, add the stock, simmer and blitz.

Infamous 'green soup' = onion, courgette + watercress (added at the end once heat off)

Pea soup: 950g frozen peas, 800mls stock + one garlic clove.

DELISH!!!