About the Recipe
When we’re looking for a comforting meal packed with vegetables, this easy veggie soup is where we turn. It’s made with a light tomato broth and adapts to all seasons. Feel free to use any seasonal vegetables you have on hand. This soup is so good, you will want a batch in the freezer at all times. It’s perfect for busy nights as well as when we feel we’ve over-indulged.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion (1 medium)
1 ½ cups chopped carrot (3 to 4 carrots)
1 ½ cups chopped celery (2 to 3 stalks)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
3/4 teaspoon ground fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional for heat)
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with their liquid
6 cups stock or broth,
2 cups chopped potato (2 medium)
3 to 4 heaped cups chopped or shredded cabbage
2 bay leaves
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice, optional
Preparation
Step 1
Heat the oil in a stockpot pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables have softened and the onions are translucent; 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 2
Add the garlic, fennel, black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the red pepper flakes. Cook, while stirring, for one minute.
Pour in the canned tomatoes and their juices as well as the stock/broth.
Step 3
Add the potatoes, cabbage, and bay leaves. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil. Partially cover the pot with a lid, and then reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer.
Step 4
Simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes, and other vegetables are tender. Add the frozen peas and cook for five more minutes.Remove the pot from the heat and remove the bay leaves. Stir in the cider vinegar (or lemon juice). Taste and season with more salt, pepper or vinegar. Serve.
Tips
Fresh tomatoes: Substitute about 1 pound (5 to 6 tomatoes) for one 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes.
Store leftover soup for up to 3 days in the refrigerator and up to a month in the freezer.
Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values. Calculations included vegetable broth.