What might this soup be missing?

[Happytodayhappytomorrow]

I got some bags of mixed veg very cheaply this afternoon, steamed them, added some veg stock and made soup.
Somethings not quite right though. The veg mix was broccoli, carrots, sugar snap peas and sweet corn and I added some leftover peas and a few roasted peppers.
It’s edible but missing something.
The obvious onion and garlic maybe but I don’t really want to be getting the frying pan out this late.
Any other suggestions for a quick add please?

Salt and cumin?

Chopped tomatoes or passata, garlic, chilli flakes and a splash of soy sauce.

Salt and black pepper (plenty of pepper)

Pepper (cracked black) & mixed dried herbs.

I wouldn’t have steamed the veg, I’d have cooked it in the stock to make it more flavoursome but I definitely would have cooked onions in the bottom of the soup pan before adding the stock, herbs, pepper & veg tbh.

Pepper? Double cream?

Paprika?

cream or butter? or a nice oil?
croutons or garlic bread?
egg royale?

I hate to say it OP that does sound like it will be quite bland and lacking depth & texture! Steaming the veg was not the best way to go.

I always start soup with a base of really well sauted onion (it needs to be completely soft and sweet). Then I'd add all your vegetable mix to the pan, and saute for a few more minutes. This will slightly caramelise the veg, bring out it's natural sweetness and add flavour. Add a few spices perhaps some fennel or coriander seeds?

Then add some peeled and diced potato - this will give your soup some "guts" and, once blended, a nice velvety texture. Some salt and pepper, then add enough stock to cover. Simmer till the vegetables are tender.

Blend, then check for seasoning again.

What you describe is surely just vegetables boiled in thin stock?

To me that wouldn’t really be “soup”. A soup needs flavour and depth and that would need to come from any or some of -

1. Herbs (thyme/sage/mixtures)
2. Spices (bay leaf/cinnamon/cumin/paprika)
3. Flavour adding vegetables (onion/garlic/ginger)

Without these where would the flavour really come from!

Potatoes!

Currently I am cooking a very basic chicken stew. But it will have flavour from 1) cinnamon quills and bay leaf 2) fried onions 3) carrots and celery 4) generous amounts of garlic and paprika and ginger and yes also 5) stock. The house already smells delicious but just stock wouldn’t have done it...

Smooth or chunky?
Good old fashioned salt can work wonders. Alternatively, a splash of lemon juice sharpens flavour.
Or remove some bits, purée the rest, add the bits back with some cream for cream of veg.

I have a great scone recipe from someone on MN. How about some lovely soup recipes for novices like me?

Add tomato puree, black pepper and some cooked pasta to turn it into minestrone. If you have got garlic just crush or chop ridiculously finely & chuck in!

Maybe add some chickpeas or red lentils to buy it add and add protein. Tomato purée, garlic, salt, onion salt or red pepper flakes for flavour. Bit of cider vinegar if you want more of a tang to it.

I just made fridge minestrone. Bacon bits, fried, added onion and garlic, carrot, chilli flakes and celery whizzed in chopper first. Squirt of Tom purée, tin of whizzed toms, chicken stock cube, splash of wine- half litre of water and pressure cooked for five mins. Then two peeled spuds, cup of soup pasta and some v floppy kale, shredded and a courgette that was going a bit soft. 8 mins cooking with pasta in and voila! It was lush with grated cheese (Parmesan rind actually).

Sweetcorn really doesn't go well in a blended soup. The texture to ruin in. Also onion is essential imo.

All soup should have a base of celery and onions, so there is that, but it is probably just missing salt.

Butter and salt will do a fair bit to improve it. Possibly cream.

I agree though that you can’t expect much flavour from just steamed blended veg.

Nb spuds chopped into 1 cm cubes.

Enough for two hearty meals for two.

Yy to celery but if not got any anything strong flavoured and whiteish would do, so leeks, fennel, celeriac even but, for me it's about using the fridge contents. It must be sautéed in oil first.

Thanks for all the posts. I didn’t explain myself properly. I’d steamed them to have with dinner tonight and was making soup out of the left overs,
I’m going to sleep on it tonight and decide which of your very kind and helpful ideas to go with tomorrow

Salt, and fat of some kind (butter, cream).

For relatively ‘green’ soups, always add potato and grate in some cheese at the end

Not sure sugar snap peas and sweet corn work well in a 'veg' soup. Too watery.

Sausages?