Roasted Vegetable Soup
Roasted vegetable soup that starts with a from-scratch stock: carrots, onions, leeks and tomatoes roasted until deeply browned, then simmered into a rich broth. Built into a hearty vegan soup with potatoes, zucchini, pasta and peas.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
2 hrsREADY
2 hrsThe difference between a flat vegetable soup and one with real depth comes down to a single step: roasting. Before anything goes in the pot, you spread carrots, onions, leeks, tomatoes, turnip and garlic on a sheet pan, drizzle them with oil and thyme, and roast them for an hour until they’re deeply browned.
That browning is everything. Roasting caramelizes the vegetables’ natural sugars, giving the homemade stock a rich, almost meaty backbone you simply can’t get from boiling raw vegetables or opening a carton.
Once that stock is simmered and strained, the soup itself comes together quickly. You sweat fresh onion and celery, add carrots, potatoes, zucchini and tomatoes, then pour in the roasted stock and simmer until tender.
Pasta and peas go in at the very end so they stay just-cooked. The result is a hearty, fully vegan bowl that tastes like it simmered all day, because in a way, it did.
Kitchen Tips
- Roast the stock vegetables until they’re genuinely browned, even a little charred at the edges. That color is where the deep flavor comes from.
- Add the pasta and peas only in the last few minutes, so the pasta stays al dente and the peas keep their color.
- Make the roasted stock ahead and refrigerate or freeze it. It’s a flavorful base for any soup or risotto.
Variations
- Toss in whatever vegetables need using up: parsnips, squash, green beans or kale.
- Stir in a can of white beans for extra protein and heft.
- Finish with a spoonful of pesto, or a shower of Parmesan if you aren’t keeping it vegan.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 400℉ (200℃).
Spread all the vegetables out on a baking sheet.
Sprinkle with the thyme and drizzle with oil.
Roast for 1 hour or until well browned.
Transfer vegetables to a large pot, cover with water and add bay leaf.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes.
Cool and strain.
Heat oil in large heavy pot.
Add onion and celery and cook until tender.
Stir in carrots and potatoes and toss to coat.
Stir in zucchini. Add chopped tomatoes and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat so that soup simmers until the potatoes and carrots are tender about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in pasta and peas and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve hot.
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