Fresh Vegetable Basil Soup
Fresh vegetable basil soup with potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, cauliflower, zucchini, and green peas in an herb-seasoned broth. A hearty, low-fat vegan soup.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
40 minREADY
80 minA straightforward pot of vegetable soup loaded with whatever the garden or farmers market throws at you. Potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, cauliflower, zucchini, and green peas all go in, staged in three waves so nothing overcooks while something else stays crunchy.
The trick to this soup is the staggered cooking. Root vegetables and potatoes go in first and simmer 15 minutes until they start to soften. Cauliflower and zucchini join next for 10 more minutes. Peas go in last for just 5 minutes so they keep their bright green color and a little pop of texture.
No stock, no butter, no cream. The broth builds from water, sauteed aromatics, and a generous hand with dried basil, thyme, parsley, and garlic powder. The fresh tomatoes break down during simmering and add body and acidity. It’s a clean-tasting soup that lets the vegetables speak for themselves.
Pro Tips
- Sauté the onion, celery, and carrots in just a small amount of water instead of oil. It keeps the soup truly low-fat while still softening the aromatics.
- Slice carrots thin (⅛ inch) so they cook at the same rate as the potatoes. Thick carrot coins stay hard when everything else is tender.
- Remove the bay leaf before serving. Biting into one is never a good surprise.
- This soup thickens overnight as the potatoes absorb liquid. Add a splash of water when reheating.
Variations
- Stir in a can of white beans for added protein and a creamier texture.
- Add a handful of small pasta like ditalini during the last 10 minutes for a minestrone-style version.
- Swap dried basil for a generous handful of fresh basil stirred in at the very end for brighter flavor.
Ingredients
Directions
Chop Onion Slice Celery Slice carrots ⅛ inch thick Peel and cube potatoes Peel and dice tomatoes Break cauliflower into flowerets Slice zucchini ¼ inch thick In a 5 quart pan over medium heat sauté, with a small amount of water until tender, onion, celery and carrots Add next nine ingredients (through parsley) bring to a boil, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add cauliflour and zucchini and simmer for another 10 minutes. Add peas and simmer for 5 minutes and all vegetables are tender. Season to taste with salt, if desired.
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