I like to begin with roasting some of my veggies.  This gives them a nice, rich flavor and helps them to hold their shape and color once incorporated into the soup.  Hearty root vegetables like carrots, onion, and potato take a little longer to cook – roasting them in the oven while prepping and starting the rest of the soup cuts down on cooking time, but really, it’s all about adding that extra flavor.  SO – chop your potatoes and carrots into nice size chunks (onions, tomatoes, and corn roast up nice and flavorful, als0).  Coat generously with olive oil and coarse sea salt. 

Spread the vegetables onto a baking sheet and roast in a 425 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until they are golden brown.

Remove from oven and set aside until the soup is ready to serve.

Now let’s start prepping the celery, fennel, and leeks.  (Onions, too, if you don’t roast them.) Wash, peel (if desired), and chop into bite-sized pieces.  

Preserve the leafy tops and the unusable bottoms of the stalks to use for making stock if you wish.

Cut the fronds from the top of the fennel and discard them or save for another use. If you don’t like fennel (or can’t find it) just increase the celery and onion or leek to replace it.

Make sure you you give leeks a good rinse!

Coat the bottom of a heavy saucepan with several tablespoons of olive oil.  Add your chopped onion, leeks, celery, and fennel and sauté over medium heat until wilted and fragrant.

You do not need to cook these veggies all the way, but you do want to get them soft and starting to brown.

Add chopped garlic, black pepper, sea salt, thyme, dill, and any other herbs you’d like and brown a few more minutes until you can really start smelling all those flavors coming together.

Next, add 8 cups of stock – you can use vegetable stock or chicken stock.  I typically have frozen portions of homemade chicken stock in my freezer so that it what I used. Turn up the heat slightly and bring your soup to a boil.  Once it begins to boil, turn it down to a simmer and add your remaining vegetables.

To make this vegetable soup recipe completely vegetarian (vegan, actually) make sire to use vegetable stock.

Once my soup has come to a boil, it’s time to add my last set of vegetables.  I preserve leafy greens like this stunningly colorful Swiss chard, tomatoes, zucchini, green beans, and bell peppers for adding toward the end because they tend to cook up quickly and I don’t want them to get super mushy.  Throw whichever of those you desire into the pot, along with a sprinkle of crushed red pepper and some fresh parsley.  

Simmer your soup for 5-10 minutes longer, just enough to blend all of your flavors.  Then add in your roasted veggies and cook enough to heat them through – 2-3 minutes longer.  Now your soup is ready to serve!!

Dish that hearty soup up and serve with a nice loaf of crusty sourdough! Yum!

This is sure to become your favorite vegetable soup recipe – feel free to make it your own too.

Marcella’s Minestrone Soup

We’re in love with Rancho Gordo’s Minestrone Soup recipe. Inspired by Marcella Hazan’s iconic Minestrone alla Romagnola, Rancho Gordo steamlined the recipe – and even adapted it for a slow cooker!

Classic Potato Leek Soup Recipe

Classic French cooking has a reputation for being fussy and complicated but that’s really only the case for high-end dining.

The more humble, homey recipes like our friend Aida’s Classic Potato Leek Soup {or Soupe Poireaux Et Pommes De Terre} prove that a few ingredients and a little effort can result in a dish that makes you feel like you’re dining while floating down the Rhone, if only in your imagination.