Homemade soup...what's your secret ingredient?

[desperate4spring]

I'm on a mission towards zero food-waste in our house so am starting to explore the realm of homemade soup.
So far I'm planning to chuck leftover veg into a pan of water and boil until smushy. Then chuck in some other yummy ingredients (?) and blend...

Am I on the right lines? What other stuff do I put in to make it taste nice??

Garlic, stock cube, herbs (fresh or dried, it doesn't matter). I use garlic paste from a tube, it's really handy to have in the fridge.

You need to use stock not water, or it won't taste of much!

To make it delicious you need
Butter
Marigold powder (veg stock)
Vinegar!

Its rare that a soup won't be fixed by one or more of these

1. Soften onions first
2. Sweat your veg for 15-20 mins before adding liquid ( but don't burn)
3. Don't just add water - add a stock cube and or white wine as well if you have a bottle open.
4. Add some herbs (dried are fine).

Don't wait until the end to put the flavour in - start with it.

I think the magic ingredient is butter (must be real butter) - and you don't need very much for a spectacular difference.

Melt the butter over a gentle heat then add all your non-liquid ingredients, coat with butter then cover and leave on a low heat for 20 minutes to sweat. Then add liquid, seasoning mush up etc.

As a guid to how much butter, I use 25 g for leek and potato soup using 6 leeks, 1 onion and 2 potatoes.

Sweat your veg in oil first.

Henderson's Relish. It makes everything savoury more delicious.

A bay leaf while cooking and a knob of butter at the end

Bone broth.

Stock cube, garlic, chilli powder/paprika

Stock, not water! It really will taste of fuck all otherwise. Lentils improve all soups I find, and chilli.

Sorry, OP, but that sounds like your soup is going to be completely disgusting. You can't just boil up old leftovers!

Pinch of dried chilli when sweating the veg - I use a mix of butter and oil

use fresh veg not already cooked ones .. dont use veg that you wouldnt eat with another meal .. ( the odd bendy carrot or bit of celery is ok..)
Sofrito base , finely diced carrots , celery and onion sweated slowly in olive oil..then add other ingredients ..
Fresh herbs if you have them .
Good stock.. ( stock pots or cubes are fine) .
Salt
Butter to finish

Salt ( not healthy I know)
And yes, you need stock not just water

Definitely need stock not water. I always dd chopped onion to any soups, and if it's green (brocolli, leak, spinach etc) cheese works well. Preferably blue but grated Parmesan or cheddar will also add flavour and creaminess.

I was going to say, sautée veg in butter and use Marihold bouillon stock.

A tiny bit of Harissa paste. It'll give your soup a kick. Plus you need to use stock not water.

a Parmesan rind in a minestrone type soup works wonders ..

Stock,fresh herbs and smash flakes to thicken it

I am intrigued know why people think the addition of vegetable stock makes such a difference to vegetable soup. I though veg stock was just boiled vegetables and salt.

I like to add coconut milk and chili flakes to our veg soups. Technique wise I would bring your veg and stock to the boil, but then simmer low and then blend (stick blender or nutribullet). If you boil it to death then the nutrients will be gone. I agree with others with the soffrito / chefs base mix to begin. Also a bay leaf (i can't actually taste the difference with or without a bay leaf but it makes me feel cheffy 🙂)

A teaspoon of sugar makes a massive difference - also with gravy.

I always start by frying onions in butter, and I always chuck in a stock cute or two.

@Plantstrees

I am intrigued know why people think the addition of vegetable stock makes such a difference to vegetable soup. I though veg stock was just boiled vegetables and salt.

It's the same for any stock going in to soup - you add chicken stock to chicken soup, for example. It makes the liquid more flavoursome.