It's still soup season in full force here and this Hearty Winter Vegetable Soup is a winner for a simple weeknight dinner. Filled with broccoli florets, potatoes, and leafy kale, this soup will become a new favorite in your Meatless Monday dinner rotation.
We start with sautéing onions and carrots until translucent. Next, we're coating this initial veggie batch in tomato paste and a variety of herbs and spices before stirring in our stock of choice (vegetable or chicken are great options). We'll add in the broccoli and potatoes to simmer in the broth until tender then top it off with beans and kale.
So simple and so delicious. The best part? This hearty winter vegetable soup is ready in 30 minutes. Easy weeknights, indeed.
Why This Soup Works Well
When cooking with a CSA box, soups can be a great way to use up all the produce and let nothing go to waste. At it's most essential, I think soups that are absolutely delicious usually have the following:
- A robust mix of vegetables based on the season. For winter, we're looking at those root veggies like carrots and cruciferous varieties like cauliflower and broccoli. Dark leafy greens like spinach and kale in winter or chard in summer are delicious options too.
- Tons of aromatics. Think garlic and fresh (or dried) herbs. This adds so much flavor to the soup base.
- Broth or water. Chicken stock, vegetable stock, or beef stock are wonderful options to help add flavor and give the vegetables time to simmer and cook through.
- Protein of choice. This could be ground beef or stewed meat. You can add tofu or beans. Protein is helping add heft to the vegetables while encouraging us to feel satiated for a full meal.
- Umami accents. I tend to think of ingredients like tomato paste, a parmesan rind, worcestershire sauce, or even fish sauce. The goal? Level up flavor with minimal effort.
Ingredients for this Simple Winter Vegetable Soup
Because this soup is incredibly adaptable you can adjust the ingredients based on what you have on had. Here's what we're using for this variation:
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 medium carrot peeled and diced into ½ inch chunks
- 3 russet potatoes peeled and diced into ½ inch chunks
- 4 leaves Tuscan kale stems removed and julienne sliced
- 1 small head broccoli florets chopped small
- 2 cups cooked white beans in broth or one 15-ounce can, keep in liquid
- ½ medium yellow onion diced
- 2 cups stock of choice vegetable or chicken stock work well here
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes optional
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
How to Make This Hearty Winter Vegetable Soup
This Hearty Winter Vegetable Soup is ready in under 30 minutes making this the perfect dinner option for a fast weeknight meal. Here's how we make it:
Begin by sautéing onion and carrots in 2 tablespoons olive oil in Dutch oven or heavy pot until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste along with a pinch of kosher salt, black pepper, and the dried herbs and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir until onions and carrots are well coated.
Add in stock, broccoli, and potatoes and bring to a boil before lowering to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add beans in their broth/juice and chopped kale.
Stir to warm through before ladling into bowls. Drizzle with good quality olive oil and, if desired, a generous amount of grated Parmesan. Crusty bread on the side also a must.
Adaptations and Substitution Tips
Keep in mind: winter vegetable soups are souper adaptable! See what I did there? 😉
A few options that are a great tried and true mix for a hearty winter vegetable soup:
- Leafy greens like kale or spinach
- Starchy veggies like potatoes
- Carrots, celery and onion are perfect for a chicken noodle style soup
- Broccoli and potato always pair pretty well
- Beans help bulk up soups for added fiber and protein
Your options are endless! Check out my Soups and Stews page for plenty more delicious options. This recipe makes a good 6 servings so you'll have leftover of this hearty winter veggie soup to get through the week. It's also freezer friendly so freeze what you don't eat and have it on hand when in a pinch for a weeknight dinner.
Hearty Winter Vegetable Soup
Equipment
- 1 dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 medium carrot peeled and diced into ½ inch chunks
- 3 russet potatoes peeled and diced into ½ inch chunks
- 4 leaves Tuscan kale stems removed and julienne sliced
- 1 small head broccoli florets chopped small
- 2 cups cooked white beans in broth or one 15-ounce can, keep in liquid
- ½ medium yellow onion diced
- 2 cups stock of choice vegetable or chicken stock work well here
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Sauté onion and carrots in 2 tablespoons olive oil in Dutch oven or heavy pot until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste along with a pinch of kosher salt, black pepper, and the dried herbs and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir until onions and carrots are well coated.
- Add in stock, broccoli, and potatoes and bring to a boil before lowering to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add beans in their broth/juice and chopped kale.
- Stir to warm through before ladling into bowls. Drizzle with good quality olive oil and, if desired, a generous amount of grated Parmesan. Crusty bread on the side also a must.
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