Hearty Mixed Vegetable Soup

Yield: 6 servings
Prep time: 15–20 minutes
Cook time: 30–35 minutes
Total: about 50 minutes

Ingredients

Optional additions

For a more substantial soup, you can add:

• ½ cup cooked chickpeas
• ½ cup cooked white beans
• ½ cup small pasta
• ½ cup cooked lentils
• ½ cup shredded chicken
• 1–2 tbsp grated Parmesan when serving

Detailed Method

1. Prepare the vegetables

Wash everything thoroughly.

Cut the vegetables relatively small and uniformly so they cook at roughly the same rate. Keep the broccoli in small florets and shred the cabbage fairly thinly.

2. Sauté the aromatics

Heat 1½ tbsp olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.

Add:

• chopped onion
• carrots
• celery

Cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent.

Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds.

3. Add the harder vegetables

Add the:

• bell pepper
• green beans
• zucchini
• tomato

Cook for about 3 minutes.

Add the oregano, thyme, paprika, and black pepper.

4. Add broth

Pour in 6 cups vegetable broth.

Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low.

Cover partially and simmer for 10–12 minutes.

5. Add broccoli and cabbage

Add the broccoli and shredded cabbage.

Simmer for another 8–10 minutes.

You don’t want to overcook the vegetables. The broccoli and cabbage should be tender but still retain some texture and color.

6. Season

Add salt gradually and taste.

Stir in:

• fresh parsley
• cilantro/dill if using
• lemon juice
• red-pepper flakes if desired

If the soup is too concentrated, add another ½–1 cup water or broth.

7. Finish

Simmer for another 2–3 minutes, then turn off the heat.

Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.

For the appearance in your photograph, keep the soup brothy rather than creamy and don’t blend it.

Serving

Serve approximately 1½–2 cups per person.

A squeeze of fresh lemon and a little chopped parsley on top makes it especially good.

For a more filling meal, serve with:

• whole-grain bread
• toast
• crackers
• a small salad

 Approximate Nutrition

For 1 of 6 servings, using the recipe above without beans, meat, pasta, or cheese:

• Calories: ~130–150 kcal
• Protein: ~4–5 g
• Carbohydrates: ~20–23 g
• Fiber: ~6–7 g
• Fat: ~5–6 g
• Saturated fat: ~0.8 g
• Sugar: ~8–10 g
• Sodium: ~500–700 mg

The sodium can vary substantially depending on the vegetable broth and amount of salt used.

If you add protein

Adding ½ cup chickpeas per recipe will increase the nutrition to roughly 160–180 calories and 6–7 g protein per serving.

For a soup even closer to the picture

Use lots of broccoli, cabbage, carrots, zucchini and fresh herbs, cut everything into small pieces, and don’t cook it until mushy. The photographed soup appears to have a relatively light, seasoned broth with brightly colored vegetables rather than a thick purée.

Tip: Add the broccoli and cabbage toward the end. That’s the easiest way to keep the soup colorful and give it the fresh appearance shown in the photo.