Description
Creamy vegetable soup delivers comfort in a bowl, blending garden-fresh produce with silky smooth textures. Hearty and nourishing, this recipe offers a delightful way to enjoy seasonal vegetables with a warm, inviting embrace.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Vegetables:
- 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- 1 cup zucchini, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
Aromatics and Base:
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter
Liquid and Seasoning:
- 4 cups (1 liter) vegetable or chicken broth
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) heavy cream or half-and-half
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish:
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Croutons or toasted bread
- Grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Initiate the flavor foundation by gently sautéing diced onions and minced garlic in a large pot with olive oil or butter, allowing them to become translucent and fragrant over medium heat.
- Introduce chopped carrots and celery to the aromatic base, continuing to cook until the vegetables soften and release their natural sweetness.
- Incorporate cubed potato, broccoli florets, cauliflower pieces, and zucchini into the pot, stirring to ensure even distribution and initial cooking.
- Pour vegetable broth over the vegetable medley, adding fresh thyme and a bay leaf to infuse deep, herbaceous notes into the developing soup.
- Elevate the heat to trigger a boiling point, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer, covering the pot to allow vegetables to tenderize and meld their flavors.
- After vegetables reach a perfect tenderness, extract the bay leaf and transform the soup’s texture using an immersion blender or standard blender, creating a smooth or partially chunky consistency as preferred.
- Enrich the soup with a luxurious pour of heavy cream, seasoning carefully with salt and pepper to balance and enhance the overall flavor profile.
- Warm the soup delicately, avoiding boiling, and prepare for serving by ladling into bowls and adorning with optional garnishes like fresh parsley, crisp croutons, or delicate Parmesan cheese shavings.
Notes
- Choose fresh, in-season vegetables for maximum flavor and nutrition boost.
- Keep vegetable sizes uniform during chopping to ensure even cooking and consistent texture.
- Experiment with different herb combinations like rosemary or sage to personalize the soup’s taste profile.
- Create a lighter version by substituting heavy cream with coconut milk or Greek yogurt for reduced calories and dairy-free options.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 35mg