This is a great light soup for summer – it can be eaten hot or cold. It is also fairly low in calories, depending on what ingredients are added. Cooking time varies as to what is added also. Seasonal variations are listed at the end of the recipe.
- 1 Tb olive oil (or any oil of your choice)
- 1 small onion, or chopped green onions
- 3 or 4 cloves of garlic
- 4 cups (or a 32 oz box) of vegetable stock or broth
- Chopped tomatoes (any kind, with or without peel)
- Various chopped veggies – your choice (can include zucchini, yellow squash, turnips, bell peppers, celery, carrots, etc)
- chopped potatoes (optional)
- 1 Tb grated lemon zest (optional)
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
- 1 tsp each dried (or 1 Tb fresh) herbs of your choice (I use oregano, cumin, and cilantro/coriander)
- Salt and pepper to taste
In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil and add onions, sauteing a few minutes until soft and translucent. Peppers can also be added at this step if desired. Add the garlic and saute for maybe a minute, before it starts to brown. Pour in the vegetable broth and add the bay leaf and herbs. At this point, I add the veggies in the order as to cooking time needed – turnips and potatoes first for example, softer veggies such as squash later. You can also precook some of the ingredients and add all at once. Barley, rice, and beans can also be added at the appropriate time (see below for variations). Once all of the veggies are tender, stir in the lemon zest and season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow to simmer for a few more minutes, discard the bay leaf, and serve.
Variations:
- During the winter I don’t use the lemon zest – the lemon gives this a light refreshing taste which I feel is more suited for hot weather.
- Barley or rice can be added, either already cooked or put in early in the cooking process and allowing the soup to simmer until the grains are ready.
- Beans can also be added – Lima would be great for summer versions and beans such as pinto or black would be good for winter. Dry beans would need to be precooked, or canned beans can be added to save time.
- For a spicier version, add kidney beans and plenty of chili spices. Will be almost like a vegetarian chili.
- In the summer, I barely heat this up, just enough to take the chill off. In cold weather when I’m craving comfort food, I add beans and grains and heat thoroughly.
